Going SMART! Delivering long-term prosperity - within planetary boundaries.
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© earthshine 2016 SMART Project Launch Going SMART! Delivering long-term prosperity – within planetary boundaries Brussels, May 27 2016 Mike Townsend
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Transcript of Going SMART! Delivering long-term prosperity - within planetary boundaries.
© earthshine 2016
SMART Project Launch
Going SMART!
Delivering long-term prosperity – within planetary boundaries
Brussels, May 27 2016
Mike Townsend
© earthshine solutions ltd.2
Long-term prosperity within planetary boundaries…
Are we going to make it?
© earthshine solutions ltd.3
On current progress…
There are some doubts…
© earthshine 20164
The Great Acceleration
Source: Steffen et al. (2015)
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We are crossing planetary boundaries
Current status of the control variables for seven of the planetary boundaries. The green zone is
the safe operating space, the yellow represents the zone of uncertainty (increasing risk), and the
red is a high-risk zone.
Wil
l S
teff
en
et
al.
Sc
ien
ce
20
15;3
47:1
259
855
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Looking at climate change only…
Source: NOAA
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Looking at climate change only…
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Not just data – our experience is real!
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Living within limits?
Living Planet Indicators
WWF One Planet Living
Global Living Planet Index
Global Ecological Footprint
Source: WWF, Living Planet Reports
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Social impacts
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Extra complexity!
We are living and working
in an increasingly volatile,
uncertain, complex, and
ambiguous (VUCA) world.
This means the context for
delivering a sustainable
transition is extremely
challenging.
Source: Bennett & Lemoine (2014) Harvard Business Review
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From a business risk perspective…
So
urc
e: W
EF
Glo
ba
l R
isk R
epo
rt 2
01
6
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Dealing with complexity: Systems thinking applies…
So
urc
e: W
EF
Glo
ba
l R
isk R
epo
rt 2
01
6
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What’s the business response?
75% of S&P 500 now
publish a sustainability,
responsibility, or
‘citizenship’ report
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A sustainable future…
New analysis of 40,000 CSR reports
developed by the Technical University of
Denmark (DTU).
Less than 5% of organisations made
references to planetary or ecological limits.
Only 31 organisations have actually
engaged with these limits, to define
science-based performance targets.
Of these, mainly for 2oC limit for climate
change.
Not even ‘best in class’ are reporting on
actual progress towards changes planned.
Data Source: Bjørn et al (2016) Is Earth recognized as a finite
system in corporate responsibility reporting?
“Do we really mean it?”
© earthshine solutions ltd.16
On current progress…
How many are still feeling optimistic?
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Good news – there is cause for hope!
Important shifts are happening…
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Responsible growth – within planetary boundaries!
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Disruption: towards sustainable business models
Eco-effective as well as eco-efficient in delivery!
NORSK OMBRUK AS
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The investor world is waking!
“Companies that undertake true sustainability
efforts outperform competitors who don’t.“
(Harvard Business School)
Morningstar: Investment
industry's first sustainability rating
on 20,000 funds globally – help
investors avoid risk of stranded
assets, and generate best long-
term returns.
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Sustainable Development Goals: Our big pivot!
Commit to the #Businessworthy mission.
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The sweet spot: aligning opportunities and SDGs
Source: Monday Morning, Global Opportunity Report (2016)
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Systems thinking, applied…S
ourc
e: W
WF
Liv
ing P
lane
t 2
01
2
Can we be become truly sustainable, if the system within which we operate is itself
unsustainable, and if it does not support and enable sustainable behaviors?
We need to explore our relationship with our economic &
regulatory domain…
Pressure to deliver…
Continuous growth
Maximise profit
In the short-term
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We need to get smarter…
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Going SMART!
“Research that will serve to promote global, sustainable development within a circular, low-
emission economy compatible with the planetary boundaries and in line with the international
development goals.”
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Mission critical!
Global asset value losses, arising from climate change
impacts only, could range from $2.5 - $24 trillion. (LSE, 2016)
Translate into business impacts: if we lose up to 30%
income, how much of our profits are left?
© earthshine 201627
Thank you!
@mike_earthshine
