Jack Dangermond

It would be impossible to tackle the climate crisis without reliable data. And when it comes to that task, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) is the global dynamo in geographic information system (GIS) technology—a vital tool informing everything from key policy decisions to emission reductions. Under founder and president Jack Dangermond’s leadership, Esri consistently partners with a variety of major organizations. Most recently, this includes with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which last year announced it will use Esri’s GIS technology to guide biodiversity conservation strategies, and with the U.S. Global Change Research Program and U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to power an atlas included in the 5th National Climate Assessment published in November 2023. This year, Esri is helping guide AI climate innovation in partnership with Columbia University, the University of Albany, State University of New York, and the Bezos Earth Fund. And this fall, Esri launched mapping tools to analyze environmental justice issues in New York City and Southern California.

What is the single most important action you think the public, or a specific company or government (other than your own), needs to take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?

Embrace mapping all types of data. Mapping is the language of understanding and will help transform our collective understanding. I work with leaders of companies and governments around the world. We look at their data on maps to understand relationships, trends, and patterns. We ask the important ‘where?’ questions. Where are people, assets, and critical infrastructure at risk of floods or fires or other severe weather events? Where must we secure neighborhoods against sea level rise? Where will green spaces reduce urban heat? Where will electric vehicle charging stations match drivers in need? Where can a solar or wind farm pull maximum energy? So, the single most important action we can take starts with asking the question of ‘where?’

What is a climate solution (other than your own) that isn't getting the attention or funding it deserves?

The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit deserves significant attention. It offers a logical, science-based approach. It’s rooted in the work of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The toolkit helps public and private sector leaders understand climate risks by providing accurate data, maps, and live imagery. Leaders and communities can use it to analyze what might happen and see who would be affected. Crucially, it emphasizes keeping people informed, promoting collaboration and decision-making based on trusted information. We need to promote this level of collaborating and trust-building.

If you could stand up and talk to world leaders at the next U.N. climate conference, what would you say?

Here’s the truth: We can do better. We are out of balance with the world we depend on, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can protect our planet’s biodiversity. We can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We can make agriculture and energy and supply chains sustainable. My optimism stems from this fact: We possess the knowledge and tools to accomplish these things. We can drive this change. We must work together, invest in innovation, and enact meaningful policies. We must lead by example and inspire others to follow. Our world is complex and so are the challenges we face. But we can map out a future, literally, where people and planet thrive together.