SUSTAINABILITY

Prince Charles said, “This battle against climate change is surely the most defining and pivotal challenge of our time. We cannot ignore the symptoms and should act now to restore the health of the planet before it is too late. This, of course, will require an unprecedented transformation of our communities, science, societies and lifestyles. All predicated on the move to a low-carbon and circular economy.”

While climate change is the world’s most critical sustainability issue, protecting the world from resource depletion, pollution and ecological catastrophe is also one of our greatest opportunities. Solving this crisis via a positive synthesis between environment, conservation on the one hand and economics on the other will make businesses stronger, nations more prosperous, and humankind safer.

The disruption and hazards that climate change brings include changing rainfall patterns, more intense weather events, more frequent serious droughts, and coastal inundation. The environmental and economic costs are increasingly apparent as are major social and public health implications. Ecological and environmental protection can be achieved through a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy. At the same time, carbon neutrality needs to be achieved worldwide in the second half of this century, with no more greenhouse gases being emitted to the atmosphere than are removed from it.

We will ensure a just transition away from an economy heavily reliant on fossil fuels to one based on clean energy and green technology. Our response to climate change will drive one of the most significant economic transformations in modern history. We must have a plan to address the challenges posed, and create new opportunities for our businesses and industry – and secure the jobs of the future.

While climate change is a big challenge, it is also a great opportunity. The proliferation of low-carbon and carbon-neutral technologies will create jobs, strengthen local economies, and help us safeguard our energy security. Low-carbon skills, goods, and services are increasingly valuable in a world looking for solutions in areas such as renewable energy and lower agricultural emissions.