For real results on climate, look beyond Copenhagen
– Aron Cramer is the president and CEO of BSR, a global business network and consultancy focused on sustainability. He is also coauthor of the forthcoming book Sustainable Excellence (Rodale 2010). The views expressed are his own. –
(Updated on December 17th to correct figure in McKinsey study in paragraph 7.)
As world leaders seem uncertain about whether a binding treaty is even possible at Copenhagen, it’s important to remember what was already clear: Twelve days in Copenhagen were never going to solve climate change anyway.
No doubt, these negotiations, now extending into 2010, are crucial. The sooner we can seal a global deal to reduce emissions, the sooner we can avoid catastrophic climate change. But as important as the treaty negotiations in Copenhagen’s Bella Centre are, even a successful outcome will be for naught if boardroom decisions and factory processes aren’t reoriented toward a low-carbon future.
To steer the world in that direction, business must change how it operates, with a shift of historic proportions. Otherwise—like the Kyoto Protocol of 1997—a new international climate agreement won’t achieve its goals.
Making this change requires business to focus on innovation, efficiency, mobilization, and collaboration—and that work must start now.
At every turning in point in history, from the advent of the railroad to the internet revolution, innovation has redefined our economy. Solving climate requires exactly the same thing. Everything about a climate-friendly economy—from the basic products we use to the places we shop to how we commute—will look different.
Collaboration is the key to economic growth
– Aron Cramer is president and CEO of BSR, a global business network and consultancy focused on sustainability. The views expressed are his own. —
As the World Economic Forum’s “Summer Davos” meeting in Dalian, China, gets underway, it is a bit chilling to think back to how the financial crisis was unfolding in real time during last year’s event.
As the 1,000 leaders gathering for this year’s event spend three days debating how to restore economic growth and social stability, the need to focus on a long-term transition to a more sustainable economy is clearer than ever.
Doing this will require unprecedented cooperation among businesses and consumers. The companies that build new business models and innovative products and services will win in the reset world, and shape an economy that avoids disruptions like the one that erupted last fall.
At this year’s meeting, I am chairing two workshops, where we will explore how to build new models of production and consumption that hold the potential to create not only a return to growth, but to a more sustainable model of growth.
Arising from an interlocking set of crises, three immense challenges stand before us. We must:
1. Return to economic growth while deleveraging massive debt. 2. Transition to a low-carbon economy that uses natural resources more efficiently. 3. Create new social contracts both inside and between nations.
Dear Editor,Your article on World Economic Forum and related economic growth are very knowledge oriented.When compared to previous decades,now a days,many countries have started doing the new ,real economic thoughts to their action oriented schedules.Due to new,real and progressive thinking,major under developed countries are turning to developing nations.Why,because collaboration and co-ordination on trade,education,tourism,exchanges of goods and services,and knowledge sharing for better economic and social growth.We knew very well that,historically said about China.India,South Africa and Brazil branded as old,traditional set up.Now, everything is changing at jet speed.As per your reporters,and coverages of latest extra ordinary better co-operation and co-ordination by China and India with Australia,Iran,Japan and with famous western countries are created,produced and showing fantastic results on many sectors.Your one sentences can be agreed by all economic thinkers-A year after the Great Recession,we know not only what the challenge is but also what the answers look like.I think that all recent developing,big nations will participate and will raise new queries for long pending issues in forth coming World Economic Forum.Your subject can be very useful to Economics school of thoughts.Lastly , I want to finish my comments —–Together We Can and Together We Will.This slogan will be practicable at this economic juncture.
