Kleiner Perkins Chairman John Doerr and Congressman Ro Khanna | Full Interview | Code 2022

• The US government needs to urgently invest in the clean tech sector and provide incentives for private companies to make transitions to clean energy sources.
• Policymakers must take action, and the private sector needs to have the confidence that they won’t be penalized for making costly investments in clean energy.
• Without strong government leadership, the economic and environmental benefits of clean tech solutions may not be achieved.
• Climate crisis is a symptom, not the root problem, and it requires addressing de-industrialization, economic injustice, and access to education.
• We need public finance, project finance, and corporate finance to support clean tech innovators.
• Policymaking should focus on addressing the existential crisis of climate change.
• To change the conversation, we need to show citizens the benefits of clean energy, not just the risks.
• A call for patriotism and a message of “nothing less than victory” from government leaders can be an effective driver for change.
• Innovation, science, and technology will play significant roles in addressing the climate crisis.
• Policy needs to create an urgency around climate change to inspire companies and individuals to take action.
• Education needs to be a part of the effort to address climate change.
• Inertia is a major barrier to progress and policymakers need to lead the charge, creating a sense of urgency around solving the climate crisis.
• There may not be a simple, straightforward policy solution, but progress will need to be made.
• John Doerr notes that people usually respond to a crisis when someone else is hit, so those in power must show awareness of the crisis to motivate individual action.
• Some industries don’t believe they’ll thrive under a clean tech future without strong government leadership and policy supporting them.
• Private sector, including venture capital and accelerators, also has a crucial role in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in clean tech.
• Leadership, policy, and individual efforts are all necessary for progress and overcoming the barriers to scaling clean tech.
• To reduce carbon emissions, government, consumers, and companies need to invest in technologies that have already become more cost-effective than traditional methods.

Also:

• The next 200 years are crucial in solving climate crisis.
• The US can learn from European countries and countries like France that have made strong progress in addressing the climate crisis.
• Private companies in the US are working to address their net zero commitments and there is global progress on this issue.
• Companies not pricing climate risk into their business are unwise.
• It is possible and necessary to make personal sacrifices today for a sustainable future.