Businesses need to open their eyes to the benefits of measuring and valuing natural capital says global leader for energy & cleantech Nathan Goode.
Nathan Goode on the outlook for renewables in 2015
Real estate and construction is probably not the first sector that comes to mind when you think about environmental sustainability. The construction process consumes large amounts of natural resources and energy, and can create significant waste. While the progress of development continues to add to our quality of life, the built environment is responsible for approximately two-fifths of global energy use and a third of carbon emissions. This means that, from design to demolition, the buildings in which we live, work and play have a huge impact on the environment.
Technology is at the cutting edge of efforts to make growth more sustainable. As the global population swells and more people move into higher consumption classes, the demand for food, for energy, for water, will all increase. But the resources our planet offers will not. Clearly the status quo is not sustainable.
Efficiency and cost savings are big business in hospitality and tourism. It's hard to think of another sector which was such an early adopter of environmentally-friendly business practices.
Nathan Goode calls for a change of narrative in the sustainability debate.
With momentum building towards the UN Climate Change Conference in Peru, new figures from IBR reveal that businesses leaders in emerging markets are more focused on the sustainability of their operations compared with peers in developed markets.
Investor calls for transparency and the rise of social media have thrust the impact businesses have on the economy, the environment and society more firmly into the spotlight. Drawing on more than 2,500 interviews with business leaders in 34 economies, Corporate Social Responsibility: beyond financials, looks at how companies are responding to this challenge; how they are making their operations more sustainable and what role they feel integrated reporting can play.
