Let’s Build
Back
Better Conference

Let’s Build Back Better Conference

About

COVID-19 has machine-gunned economies and the cultural norms that sustained it. There is no simple ‘exit strategy’ that eases us back in with hopes of continuity (Mark Florman, Centre for Economic Recovery). The Diplosphere & British High Commission, Wellington Let’s Build Back Better Conference brings leading thinkers and decision-makers together, to discuss how to turn the recovery into a real opportunity. Governments have committed $9 Trillion in response to the pandemic (IMF). Join us on 3rd August at Te Papa to build back better by creating more sustainable, resilient and inclusive societies!

0800 – 0830 Registration and Refreshments     Tikanga Māori

0830 – 0845  Welcome & Introduction - Diplosphere & British High Commission, Wellington

0845 – 0945  Opening Keynotes - Meet our Future … Architects

0945 – 1045  Session 1 - Lessons from the Past

1045 – 1115  Networking Break and Refreshments

1115 – 1215  Session 2 - Building the Living Environments of the Future

1215 – 1315  Networking Lunch

1315 – 1415  Session 3 - We Want Builders!

1415 – 1515  Session 4 - Let’s Go Build!

1515 – 1530  Break

1530 – 1600  Laura Clarke-Helen Clark Keynote Conversation

1600 – 1610  Concluding Remarks

Agenda

0800 – 0830 Registration and Refreshments

Tikanga Māori

0830 – 0845 Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Rod Oram, Business Journalist (MC)
• Maty Nikkhou-O’Brien, Executive Director, Diplosphere
• HE Laura Clarke, British High Commissioner
• The Rt Hon Alok Sharma, UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, President of COP26

0845 – 0945 Opening Keynotes - Meet our Future … Architects

Chair: HE Laura Clarke, British High Commissioner

Speakers:

• Hon James Shaw MP, Climate Change Minister, Leader of the Green Party
• Hon Nanaia Mahuta MP, Māori Development Minister, Local Government Minister, Labour Party
• Hon Scott Simpson MP, National Party Spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change

0945 – 1045 Session 1 - Lessons from the Past

As the world begins planning for a post-pandemic recovery, the United Nations is calling on Governments to seize the opportunity to “build back better” by creating more sustainable, resilient and inclusive societies. But, in order to plan for a better future, we need to understand what went wrong. What can we do better? How can we work better together towards a clean, inclusive and resilient recovery from COVID-19? What can be learnt from the health crisis for climate change?

Chair: Maty Nikkhou-O’Brien, Executive Director, Diplosphere

Speakers:

• Prof Timothy Naish, Director, Antarctic Centre, Victoria University of Wellington
• Catherine Beard, Executive Director, ExportNZ & ManufacturingNZ
• Phil O’Reilly, Chair of the Board of Business at the OECD, Managing Director, Iron Duke Partners
• Mary-Ellen Barker, Management Due Diligence Consultant and Former Global Company News Editor, Reuters News

1045 – 1115 Networking Break and Refreshments

1115 – 1215 Session 2 - Building the Living Environments of the Future

How will the impacts of technology and climate change shape the environments of the future? As societies around the world increasingly urbanise, how can we rethink and redesign our cities to meet essential mobility and infrastructure requirements? How can urban planning, mobility and resource systems – food, water, waste management – integrate technologies to reduce waste and inefficiency? What are some nature-based solutions that can also help create self-sustaining city systems?

Chair: Dr Victoria Hatton, COP26 Pacific Regional Climate Change Advisor, British High Commission

Speakers:

• The Rt Hon Lord Zac Goldsmith, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Minister of State
• HW Andy Foster, Mayor of Wellington
• Ian Proudfoot, Global Head of Agribusiness, Partner - Audit, KPMG
• Andrew Eagles, Chief Executive, NZ Green Building Council

1215 – 1315  Networking Lunch

1315 – 1415 Session 3 - We Want Builders!

Entrepreneurs, and visionary founders change the world by building incredible products that change our daily lives. What role do startups have in transforming the way we move, eat, work, and live in a more caring manner to the planet? How can we foster this community of doers to rise to the challenge of building a sustainable post-pandemic order? COVID-19 emerged from insalubrious business practise in a market in Wuhan. But, it could have happened anywhere, and is likely to happen again, unless we change. How do we ensure that we change the way we produce and consume food, from the farm gate to meal on a plate, to a clean and healthy way? How do we do so whilst keeping carbon emissions in check? Doing this sustainability is the only way we will feed more than 10 billion people by 2050, requiring a 70% increase in global food production from today.

Chair: Maty Nikkhou-O'Brien, Executive Director, Diplosphere

Speakers:

• Dave Moskovitz, Chair, Global Entrepreneurship Network NZ
• Catherine Clennet, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Hiringa Energy
• Laura Faulconer Investment Manager, WNT Ventures
• Matt Dagger, Managing Director, Kaibosh Food Rescue

1415 – 1515  Session 4 - Let’s Go Build!

Doing business for the rest of 21st century will not resemble the 20th century through to 2020. The very precepts of international finance and economics have been challenged by the present pandemic. With all our systems for managing risk, how could we have missed such a threat to our way of lives as this virus? Publics will demand more than just economic growth. The sight of empty supermarket shelves, and rushes on essential supplies has put the importance of global supply chains in stark relief. People are awakening to the importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact of any endeavour. And with over $9 Trillion spent (IMF) since March to fight the pandemic, there is an unprecedented chance to Build Back Better by incorporating ESG into the economic system, systematically. We will move from ‘why’ to ‘why not’, with sustainable investing as the new normal. How will this shape up? How can we maintain the benefits of our globalised economic system, whilst encouraging sustainable local economies? Much food for thought.

Chair: Rod Oram

Speakers:

• Mark Baker-Jones, Climate Change Lead, Simpson Grierson
• Sirma Karapeeva, CEO, Meat Industry Association
• Jason Patrick, Chief Investment Officer, NZ Green Investment Finance
• Jo Hendy, Chief Executive, Climate Change Commission

1515 – 1530  Break

1530 – 1600  Clarke-Clark Keynote Conversation

• HE Laura Clarke, British High Commissioner
• Rt Hon Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, former UNDP Administrator, Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) to evaluate the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

1600 – 1610  Concluding Remarks

End of conference