What general message about the state of
our planet’s climate did you share at the
summit?
The climate crisis is the most important
challenge humanity faces. And Mother
Nature is speaking loudly and clearly. We
continue to spew 110 million tons of global
warming pollution into the thin shell of
atmosphere surrounding our planet as if it
were an open sewer. It builds up and lingers
in the atmosphere for about 1,000 years
on average, and the cumulative amount is
trapping as much extra heat energy every
day as would be released by 500,000
Hiroshima size atomic bombs exploding on
earth every single day.
...More then 90% of all that extra heat
energy is going into the oceans, evaporating
much more water vapor into the sky and
disrupting the water cycle, causing massive
historic downpours—“rain bombs” as many
scientists now call them—and causing
massive floods and mudslides, interspersed
with deeper and longer droughts, because
the same extra heat that disrupts the water
cycle also sucks moisture out of the soil
more quickly. This increases crop failures
and threatens both food shortages and
shortages of fresh potable water. These
impacts have dramatic consequences for
the wine industry.
What industry specific messages did you
share with the audience?
As global temperatures increase, we are
seeing the climate zones suitable for wine
production shift poleward. For example,
temperatures in the Bordeaux region
have increased two degrees Celsius since
- Some parts of southern Europe,
the Mediterranean and the Middle East
where families have produced wine for
generations have become unsuitable for
wine production. Some of these regions,
which have long been ideal for viticulture,
are not only facing increased wildfires and
droughts as a result of rising temperatures,
but they are also experiencing an increased
risk from pests and grape predators.
Was there anything from the summit that
really stuck with you?
I was really struck by the collective response
from the producers and distributors at this
conference in Porto as to how the climate
crisis is impacting their livelihoods. It’s
one thing to read and hear about various
statistics around this crisis. It’s a whole
other story when you can hear from a whole
conference full of people with personal
stories. Nearly every person I met at that
conference had a first-hand experience of
how this crisis is affecting their wine and
how they are having to get creative about
the future of their wineries and production
as a result.Can you share any tips with readers on how
to be mindful of waste/sustainability when
buying or drinking wine?
Become a climate conscious consumer
and send the signal to not only the wine
industry, but the marketplace and business
community that you want climate-friendly
products and services. Also, win the
conversation on climate with your friends,
families and in your work places; always
be kind, but be persistent in not allowing
climate denial to go unchallenged.And finally, can you share a message of
courage in the face of climate change?
Although there is an abundance of
danger, it is equally important to
recognize that there is an abundance of
hope as well. We’re at the beginning of a
global sustainability revolution with the
scale of the industrial revolution and
the speed of the digital revolution. This
revolution has the potential to reshape
the world—our relationship to businesses,
to the environment, to other people. An
increasing number of consumers are
demanding a fresh way of doing things.
In addition to the wine industry, more
and more industries are responding to
this challenge.WINEMAG.COM | 31“Nearly every person I met
at that conference had a
first-hand experience of
how this crisis is affecting
their wine and how they are
having to get creative about
the future of their wineries
and production as a result.”