Davos leaders have traditionally looked to the long term and have largely been keen on helping all nations of the world to benefit from economic development. But with politicians and businesses tied up with short term concerns about the economic crisis there’s a risk at least that efforts to spread development and to ward against the threat of climate change may go on hold, at least for a time. Reuters News asked delegates at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting to share their thoughts on whether we should be concerned about development and sustainability slipping down the global agenda.
Davos debate: What happens to development and sustainability amid crisis?
Poor countries are still reeling from the impacts of higher food prices, and facing increasing challenges from climate change. Many are badly equipped to deal with the widespread impacts of the financial downturn. It is a time of unprecedented global challenges. If ever there was a moment for an unprecedented global response, it is now.
Sooner or later - sooner we hope - the global economy will rebound. Markets will recover, and stocks will rise. Nature, on the other hand, does not do bailouts, writes Jonathan Lash, president of the World Resources Institute.
The future health of our planet is jeopardized by the greenhouse gases emitted by our industrial society. But can we afford an expensive energy policy in this time of economic distress? writes Robert Engle, Nobel laureate and professor at New York University Stern School of Business.Best Comment
Go Green and Go Clean are most effective solutions for Climate Change Economic Slowdown and Economic Dispairity. Now World must first boost demand for non farm sectors by boosting sustainable affordability for non farm sectors through job generation in farming forestry irrigation water management roads rural devlopment renewable energy and clean energy etc.
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By investing in green business and stimulating new growth in that direction you can ensure benefits in the short and long term. I would suggest business models dealing with recycling, conservation of resources(energy,etc), as well as improving education in impoverished countries (farming practices,environmental protection,renewable crops,irrigation etc.)
Davos 2009 Conference Shows The World At An Economic Crossroads……
http://wcgfairfield.blogspot.com/2009/01 /davos-2009-conference-shows-world-at.h tml
Davos delegate video comment: John Chidsey, Burger King CEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b14ypPZ4N yE
Davos delegate comment — Shadow UK Chancellor George Osborne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH9r5UhFw Ck
Davos delegate video comment: Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJONgFkDx fc
Go Green and Go Clean are most effective solutions for Climate Change Economic Slowdown and Economic Dispairity. Now World must first boost demand for non farm sectors by boosting sustainable affordability for non farm sectors through job generation in farming forestry irrigation water management roads rural devlopment renewable energy and clean energy etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLK04zYsz lw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR52kNlWV D4
This crisis is a tremendous opportunity for global leaders and the proper organs to seat down on the table and finally agree on a certain common set of Environmental rules. It is time to re-establish our Economic compass and embrace environmental friendly policies.
Long-term investment is always financed by short-term profits. Longer term environmental solutions to post peak oil resource depletion and climate change have to be paid out of economic growth today.
The key is how the economic surplus is re-invested. Is it re-invested for the long-run towards sustainable development and protecting environmentally sensitive areas, or are short-term profits diverted towards such worthy goals as social welfare and income re-distribution that may or may not support or compliment those long-term economic and environmental goals. That is a public policy choice.
You can have any social system you want including a cradle to grave welfare state, but only if you have the economy to pay for it. If you have to borrow from foreigners, or from unborn generations of future taxpayers, then you cannot afford the social system you have. Likewise expecting someone else to pay for your sustainable development is also not realistic in the long-run, and especially not in the middle of a financial crisis.
Who are YOU kidding with this talk about the environment?
It’s the proverbial sand in the eyes of the public. It means that whatever financial and business corruption got the world economies in a bad situation will continue because the environment is “more important”.
Of course, Burger King is so caring about the environment that they couldn’t care less about the land management of their beef supplying countries:how cattle graizing impacts the land and water resources of whole nations like the United States. How big do you think the carbon footprint is from millions of head of cattle?
The United Kingdom politicians are hardly anybody to take seriously regarding the “environment” because it exports tons of toxic, hazardous and radioactive trash to third world countries to keep their own tree huggers happy.
TheUnited States has clearly exported their production industries to third world countries so it doesn’t have to see the trash being made in its own backyard. That is why it’s so easy to listen to hypocrites about taking care of the enviroment.
Burger King’s plastic cups, plates and paper napkins create whole mountains of trash. Plastics that don’t biodegrade and choke wildlife. Nice Enviroment. For every combo meal paid look at the trash created. How about having a glass of milk in a real cup?
And Shell, well,sufficient to say the name.
Because it is so easy for first world country consumers to forget that computers create large amounts of pollution because they are not made in their backyard, and even that they are not “recycled” in their backyard, thatt’s easy to talk about the environment online and how trash is killing the earth.
Rant finished.