Sustainable Voices: Erikha Harket

Welcome to our Sustainable Voices series, where we talk to inspirational climate leaders around the world about their passions and projects.

Who, What, Where?

Erikha Harket, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Paralenz - an Ocean company, empowering divers to capture and share the state and life below. Paralenz is Located in Copenhagen, Denmark.

What was your a-ha moment that made you become engaged in sustainability?

I have had many of those moments brought to me by profiles such as Al Gore, Yvon Chouinard, Christina Figueres and Greta T. My biggest shock was when I realized plastic sadly never disappears, and that almost all the stuff we buy and use are made of, or made by, fossil fuels.

What is your single best tip for someone who wants to do more for the environment on a personal level?

One less meal of meat or those avoided plastic bags when grocery shopping has a huge impact if there are millions of them. You’re not a hypocrite just because you can’t do all the climate-friendly actions all at once. I believe the most impactful thing you can do is to influence, encourage and educate others to share a climate-conscious mindset, and to push your management at work to incorporate the CSR strategy into the corporate strategy.

What do you think will be the legacy of your generation?

Plastic and overconsumption. What gives me hope is the younger generation that follows, they have already become our “game-changers”.

What is the most critical technological breakthrough that needs to happen for the world to reach the 1,5 degree goal?

Fusion Energy if it can be successfully commercialized and integrated into the electric grid. Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have recently fueled the concept with renewed hope through their investments in Tokamak Energy in the UK. Also, 35 nations are working on the World’s largest fusion tokamak, ITER in Provence. Put in short: Fusion is a carbon-free source of energy based on the same principle that powers our Sun and stars. I am definitely not an expert in the field, but it sounds very promising and beyond geeky.

What will this breakthrough demand from us as a society?

We need a top-down political framework, pressure from investors and incentives for the financial sector, and leading companies that advocate for full carbon transparency. Companies that change their manufacturing and operations to reduce emissions should be rewarded. Simultaneously, we, as consumers need to be conscious of what industries we support in our everyday lives, both in private and at work.

What is your company’s most impactful contribution to fight climate change?

Paralenz has developed TheOceanBase, sort of a “Google Maps” for divers, helping to create a baseline for marine research and ocean conservationists. When using our Paralenz Dive Camera, built-in sensors collects valuable information and pair it with the footage, such as temperature, depth, location (and more to come). Only about 10% of our Ocean is explored by humans, which underlines the need for a collective effort to put the Ocean both on our agenda and on our map.

In your industry, what do you think will be the most groundbreaking change over the next 10 years?

Operating in the diving industry, we are in the front line of the negative impact of global warming, overfishing and plastic pollution. Unless we all contribute with real actions and impact, we will witness a steep decline of marine life, and divers won’t have anything to capture anymore. The good news is: hopefully we are at the beginning of exponential growth of solutions to restore marine ecosystems.

Which brand (in general) do you think is at the forefront when it comes to sustainability?

Patagonia.

What makes you climate positive about the future?

CEO of BlackRock, Larry Fink, and the fact that the young now are choosing purpose over profit when they look for a job.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If everyone does a little, it all of a sudden becomes a lot!