Zurich Climate Week 2026: Steve represents Arketa Institute on two panel discussions
Steve (right) on stage at ‘Bursting the Climate Bubble’, a panel discussion held during Zurich’s first Climate Week.
In early May 2026, Zurich hosted its first Climate Week. Steve Rocco was there to represent Arketa Institute and speak on two topical panels, ensuring that Ecological Economics and the limitations of Sustainable Finance-as-usual were a part of the week's discussions.
The first was titled “The role of Pension Funds in the Climate Transition: Drivers or Drifters?”. Held on Wednesday, May 6th, and organized by Swiss Youth for Climate, it brought together a variety of actors from across the Swiss pension system for a critical discussion about the future fitness of current retirement savings schemes. Steve spoke about our report A Path to Post-Growth Pensions alongside fellow panelists Martin Stadelmann (the Swiss Federal Office of the Environment), Nico Fiore (inter-pension, a pension trade association), and Karin Salomon (Rivora Sammelstiftung, a pension fund) and moderator Glen Boschi of Swiss Youth for Climate. The discussion highlighted the impact that young leaders can have by becoming trustees of their pension funds and pushing for conversations on long-term viability. If you’d like us to support you in engaging with your pension fund, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
The second session, “Bursting the Climate Bubble - Beyond Polarisation toward Systemic Change” was held on the Friday (May 8th). In it, Steve spoke alongside “a banker, a food rebel, a water art-ivist, a systems thinker, [and] a community builder” on big questions like: “What does ‘enough’ look like in a culture built around more?”. He shared the stage with Carlos Alvarez Pereira of the Club of Rome, Charlotte Qin (Meeting of Waters), Marie Tina A. (Planting Solidarity | Placemaking Collective), Walter Dänzer (Soyana), and Melanie Beyeler (EFG International, a private bank).
Our thanks to ClimateHack Zurich, Global Shapers Zurich, Green Fintech Network and Swiss Youth for Climate for the invitations to speak.
If you’d like us to bring similar discussions to your event or organization, please reach out to our team.