AA

2025 Ethical Leadership Week 8

Week 8 - Environmental Sustainability Overview

Presented by EBU (European Business Institute), Luxembourg.

Major Challenges of Environmental Sustainability

  1. Global Warming

  2. Loss of Diversity

  3. Water Insecurity

  4. Energy Insecurity

  5. Food Insecurity

  6. Waste Disposal / Pollution

  7. Population Growth

  8. Loss of Ocean Life

Challenge 1: The Carrying Capacity of the Planet

  • Increasing Population: The world's population continues to grow, creating heightened demand for food, energy, and material goods. This escalation places immense strain on natural resources.

  • The equation: Increasing population combined with increasing demand for food, energy, and material goods leads to unsustainable pressure on the planet’s resources.

  • Population Growth Statistics: Historical data from 1950 to 2100 shows forecasts indicate continued growth, with the current increase rate being approximately 1.1% per annum. This growth leads to implications, including a potential doubling time for the population.

  • Bartlett’s Laws of Sustainability:

    • 1st Law: "Population growth and/or growth in rates of consumption cannot be sustained."

    • 2nd Law: "Stopping population growth is necessary for sustainability."

  • Carrying Capacity Factors: Factors that determine the maximum number of people the planet can sustain include:

    • Number of people

    • Energy consumption

    • Food consumption, particularly fish and agricultural products

    • Production from limited resources

    • Pollution of air and water

    • The impact of carbon footprint on global warming.

    • Paul Gilding's perspective highlights that "The Earth is Full," indicating serious concerns over exceeding the Earth's capacity.

  • Ecological Footprint: According to the 2018 Living Planet Report, the Earth has a total surface area of 125 billion acres, of which only 25% is productive. The ecological budget equates to approximately 4 productive acres per person, noting that 1 hectare is approximately 2.7 acres.

Challenge 2: Global Warming

  • Assumption 1: Scientific consensus indicates that global temperatures are rising, supported by data from the Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index, which reveals a historical increase over time.

  • Data Contribution: The findings are bolstered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

  • Consequences of Warming: Expected outcomes of a 2 degrees Celsius increase include:

    • Increased flooding

    • More frequent droughts

    • Loss of fresh water sources

    • Melting of polar ice and glaciers

    • Coral bleaching leading to loss of marine biodiversity

    • Negative impacts on crop yields and essential agricultural production.

Challenge 3: Energy Demand

  • A notable increase in energy demand is occurring alongside dwindling oil reserves.

  • Forecasts: BP's forecasts suggest significant growth in demand for diverse energy types, emphasizing the essential role of renewables and nuclear energy in meeting future needs.

Challenge 4: Food Insecurity

  • Global Population: The current population is nearing 8 billion, with alarming statistics:

    • 2 billion people live on degrading land and are likely to face hunger.

    • 1 billion individuals are already suffering from hunger.

    • Over 300 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.

    • An additional concerning statistic is that approximately 1.5 billion people face health issues due to obesity, while significant amounts of food produced are wasted.

Challenge 5: Ocean Destruction

  • Threats to Fishing: Around 400 fish species are now endangered, with 60 already extinct.

  • Future Risks: Projections indicate catastrophic losses in marine biodiversity by 2050 due to overfishing and other oceanic pressures.

  • Additional Issues: Critical challenges include plastic waste in oceans and increasing ocean acidification, both detrimental to marine life and ecosystems.

Challenge 6: Water Insecurity

  • Current Crisis: Over 3 billion people around the world are suffering from severe water shortages, and freshwater availability has notably decreased.

  • Historical Conflicts: There have been nearly 400 documented conflicts related to water scarcity, highlighting the geopolitical implications of water insecurity.

Challenge 7: Loss of Biodiversity

  • The Living Planet Index illustrates a continuous decline in species populations from 1970 to the present.

  • Currently, approximately 25,000 species are facing threats of extinction, indicating a critical loss in biodiversity that affects ecosystems and human life.

Challenge 8: Pollution and Waste

  • The growing issue of pollution continues to pose a significant threat to sustainability practices globally.

Circular Economy Solutions

  • Suggested steps for transitioning towards a circular economy environment include:

    • Annual triple-line reporting to evaluate social, environmental, and financial outcomes.

    • Implementation of environmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track progress and impacts.

    • Formation and strengthening partnerships with environmental organizations to enhance sustainability efforts.

    • Investment in research and development to innovate sustainable technologies and practices.

    • Extensive education and partnerships with providers to foster awareness and commitment to sustainability.

    • Enhanced communication of sustainable practices within businesses and communities.

    • A focus on 'Conscious Capitalism' to ensure responsible supply chains and ethical business practices that respect environmental limits.

Key Quote

"The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." - Gandhi.