Morphosis’ Simon Zadek joined the Climate Proof podcast to discuss what it will take to build an adaptation economy fit for a world beyond 1.5°C.
In the episode, “Simon Zadek On Catalyzing The Adaptation Economy,” Simon reflects on a career that has spanned early work on labour rights and social auditing, to shaping green finance and nature-based investment - including roles with Ben & Jerry’s, the UN Secretary-General, and China’s green finance strategy. That journey led to a critical conclusion: climate change is advancing faster than policy and markets can mitigate, and economies now need to adapt at scale.
Simon explains why Morphosis was created as a new kind of firm for this challenge – focused on helping investors and policymakers profitably adapt to a hotter, riskier world.
He introduced The Rise of the Adaptation Economy, Morphosis’ debut report, which sets out a broad policy framework for scaling adaptation markets, drawing parallels with how tools like feed-in tariffs and offtake agreements helped unlock the clean energy transition.
A key theme of the conversation was the need for governments to apply a “transversal lens” across financial regulation, R&D, trade, and industrial policy so that adaptation becomes attractive to private capital, rather than remaining stuck in pilot projects dependent on shrinking public subsidies.
Simon argues that surviving in a world beyond 1.5°C will not happen by accident but by design - through policies and markets that make adaptation investable, scalable, and inclusive. For investors, policymakers, and practitioners working on climate resilience, this conversation offers a clear view of what that design can look like. Listen to the full episode here.
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