In the midst of a year that no one saw coming, it’s easy to get bogged down by ruined plans, closed businesses and a world learning to respond to several crises simultaneously. While Australia’s economy and indeed, the global economy, is slowly crawling back to life, it’s clear that things aren’t going to look the same in years to come. 

A Unique Opportunity 

It feels like we’ve seen it all this year. Droughts, bushfires, floods, a global pandemic… What will 2020 throw at us next? Here in Australia, we’ve seen two ends of the spectrum when it comes to the impact of our way of life on the environment. 

On one hand, the east coast spent most of the first two months of 2020 choking among the smoke of some of the most horrific bushfires this country has ever seen. This was a direct result of climate change. 

On the other hand, the COVID-19 crisis has seen us retreat into our homes. We are travelling less and living slower lives; the long term effects of which are yet to be known. 

Businesses and individuals across the globe are rethinking what’s important and how they approach their lifestyles and business operations in a post-COVID world. Many are seeing this as an incredibly unique opportunity to head in a greener, more environmentally conscious direction moving forward.

How Does Green Tech Play Into It? 

Green Tech is all about keeping our country operating at the speeds we’re used to but shifting to greener solutions to achieve the same results. Green Tech can help us to: 

• Reduce overall emissions 
• Save water 
• Reduce and repurpose waste 
• Use less energy

What Needs to Change? 

The financial benefits of Green Tech are ten-fold, but Australia has a fossil-fuelled economy. Danny Kennedy, one of the speakers at the City of Sydney’s Visiting Entrepreneurship Program, says that it will definitely be an uphill battle to change mindsets. 

“I think energy is the commanding heights of the economy. It’s very valuable to society,” Danny says. Still, Australia is one of the best positioned countries to implement Green Tech and lead the way for the rest of the world as they restart the economy on both local and global levels. “Australia has a great history. We’re pioneers in solar and not just the deployment of it over the last decade.” 

Will the New Normal Look Greener? 

In every corner of the country, there is a craving to ‘get back to normal’, but the natural disasters that Australia faced at the beginning of the year are proof that ‘normal’ just wasn’t working. Real change needs to happen at every level and green tech can play a part in creating a more sustainable and safer future for generations to come. 

Want to learn more about green tech and the vital role it will play in the restarting of the economy? The Visiting Entrepreneur Program, hosted by the City of Sydney, kicks off this week. Its focus on the intersection of technology, environmental sustainability and the green economy will inspire you and help you to refocus your efforts for a more sustainable future. Find out more and register HERE, or check out the events below!

Going Green – the New Economy with Danny Kennedy

Wednesday 17 June 9–10.00am

What is green finance and how might going green be the best way to fire up Australia’s economy?

The Future of Food: How Entrepreneurs are Innovating to Feed the World with Shama Sukul Lee

Thursday 18 June 6–7.30pm

How will food and agritech entrepreneurs meet the needs of a growing global population, whilst also committing to sustainable growth?

Colouring Australia Green: Innovation Workshop with Greening Australia

Tuesday 23 June 4–7pm

This is a callout to technologists, entrepreneurs and environmentalists with one goal in common: leaving the planet better than you found it. Register now for this fully digital workshop. Places are limited.

The Hardware Code – Deciphering for Success with Shama Sukul Lee

Wednesday 24 June 12.30–1.30pm

Hear from this innovator on her founder journey on building a product-led engineering business and the plans for leading in this growing market.