Climate Action

World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

Climate Journal reporting — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 09:47:22 +0000

World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

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SDGs

Climate Action

Business Sustainability

Topic

Business Sustainability

A special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact, will officially launch its Irish chapter on November 28th at Dublin’s Exo Building to accelerate actions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact will open the exclusive event where senior representatives from business, government, academia, and civil society will explore how ambitious change can be implemented for a more sustainable future in Ireland.

At the current COP29, the UN Climate Change Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ojiambo emphasised that the world is “so far off in terms of climate targets and where we need to be" and that providing clear pathways for the private sector is crucial.

The launch event will provide more insights about the UN Global Compact and programmes such as the Forward Faster initiative, a global platform for credible, ambitious corporate action to guide companies on where to make the most significant impact the fastest.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager, highlights that Ireland needs forward-thinking leaders from the private sector committed to prioritising sustainability.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager

“The official launch of the network in Ireland marks a groundbreaking milestone towards driving positive, sustainable change. New members can expect to join like-minded organisations that will advance their business beyond mere regulatory compliance towards sustainable actions that add true value through longevity and profitability.”

She adds that since only 17% of the United Nations’ SDGs are on track to be achieved by the 2030 original deadline, introducing the Forward Faster initiative in Ireland to increase accountability and transparency is a major step in accelerating change.

“The Forward Faster initiative will be adopted in Ireland by focusing on key areas where businesses can drive rapid progress on the SDGs. These include gender equality, climate action, living wages, water resilience, and sustainable finance,”

Whelan explains.

The Forward Faster initiative by UN Global Compact aims to accelerate actions to deliver on SDG targets by 2030.

The launch event will feature high-level discussions with national and international speakers, including David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, and Noel Keeley, CEO of Musgraves Ltd and other influential figures, to provide insights, facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster collaborations.

To join the UN Global Compact Network Ireland, businesses must align their operations with the Ten Principles covering human rights, labour standards, environment, and anti-corruption. This requires a public commitment from their CEO and submitting an annual Communication on Progress (CoP).

Regarding benefits for businesses, Whelan says: “Participants receive access to a range of training sessions, workshops, and best practice resources that guide them in embedding sustainability into their operations. Furthermore, they gain visibility for their leadership in sustainability and are supported in meeting emerging regulatory requirements related to sustainable business practices, helping them remain competitive in a changing global economy.”

The UN Global Compact Network Ireland will provide companies with tailored support, resources, and learning opportunities to accelerate their progress while encouraging them to take bold action and lead the way in creating a more sustainable and resilient economy.

To make membership accessible to businesses of all sizes, the annual fee is tiered based on company size and revenue so new registrants can join the network of existing Irish members such as An Post, DAA, Smurfit Kappa, Ryanair, ICON plc, and AIB.

With over 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, involving 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact has become the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative since its launch in 2000, accelerating change at scale to deliver on the SDG targets by 2030.

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Making a world without plastic pollution a reality

Szilvia Szabó — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:55:40 +0000

Making a world without plastic pollution a reality

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Plastic Pollution

Climate Action

Topic

Plastic pollution

Changemaker insight with Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund

Whether we consider biodiversity loss, polluting fossil fuels, or climate disasters, the picture is clear: we must change systems at scale.

Although change doesn`t happen overnight, and if you recall any recent personal endeavours to change something in your life, from shifting to a healthier diet to squeezing in more exercise, you will agree that change is difficult.

One of the most pressing global challenges we face is plastic pollution, given that every year a staggering 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

As Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Erin Simon drives positive change across industries in packaging and material sustainability while leading one of WWF`s flagship campaigns, “No Plastic in Nature”.

“Mount Everest. The streets in your neighbourhood. Tropical beaches on remote islands. Your local park. The Mariana Trench. What do all of these places have in common? You can almost guarantee that you will find plastic waste in every one of them”, says Erin about the scale of the plastic challenge.

For a global issue like plastic pollution, Erin stresses the importance of collective action.

She believes that to combat this crisis, we need as many people as possible to support and contribute to the solution, but for that to happen, we need to overcome our differences.

Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

“Divisiveness continues to paralyse us as a global community across many complex issues. We get caught up in one way or another and lose the ability to create shared solutions. With plastic pollution, there are ways to find common ground and benefits for communities, the planet, and the private sector – we just need to come together to find them.”

She further explains that collaboration is not just about working together more broadly as “we can't just inspire everyone to go off and act on their own”.

However, plastic is not only an environmental issue since it disrupts livelihoods and has been linked with various human health implications, negatively impacting lives worldwide.

While we still don’t know how much plastic ingestion is safe for humans, there is growing agreement among a broad group of scientists that plastics are responsible for significant harms to human health, the economy, and the earth's environment.

Plastic pollution pose a threat to human health according to variouos research. Image: Canva

Erin feels strongly about the power of collaboration and delivering justice as she explains that “our oceans don't adhere to country borders, and neither can our solutions - success for a few will not equal success for the planet”.

The plastic pollution crisis is quickly reaching a tipping point, even though, in March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed to establish a legally binding international agreement to address the issue.

“Despite voluntary initiatives and national regulations, marine plastic pollution has increased by 50% in the last five years and is projected to triple by 2040”,

Erin explains.

Crafting a treaty that will make a real difference requires strong and specific agreements that will hold countries accountable for building better systems for waste management and recycling while finding alternatives to plastic to avoid exhausting natural resources is at the top of WWF`s agenda.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution will gather in late November to have the final negotiations, which, as WWF describes, is the “last critical moment to prevent irreversible economic, health, and environmental damage from plastic pollution”.

On the promising side, some countries already recognise the importance of addressing the plastic crisis. For instance, Colombia, Jamaica and Panamá announced joining forces in 2023 through a shared initiative to reduce plastic pollution from coastal and urban environments by allocating $ 42 million to support a holistic approach to improve city-level circularity.

Looking into the future, Erin shares her vision:

“We need to design solutions for the future we want, not the reality we are in. I am not saying we don’t need to be grounded, but we need to think outside of today’s barriers if we want actual change.”

One example she highlights where collaboration sparked real change is the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, jointly convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF, where she managed to bring major companies such as Walmart, Target, The Coca-Cola Company, and Procter & Gamble to the treaty negotiating table.

She notes that many of these businesses are not only in favour of a treaty like this but have become vocal champions for it, helping grow industry buy-in, adding that “plastic producers are a large part of the problem but also a vital part of the solution”.

An area where Erin sees a massive mindset shift is necessary is looking at the economics of plastics differently.

“We often measure progress in dollars and cents – which is how our world works, but it also prioritises that and colours our ability to get creative. The question of “who is going to pay for it?” plagues problem solvers and deprioritises communities and ecosystem services that often bear the brunt.”

In her opinion, to turn the tide and make a world without plastic pollution possible, a global treaty that provides rules for all countries to abide by and enables solutions like policies and funding that smooth the way for implementation would be essential.

The role of advocacy cannot be overstated despite the fact that the plastic crisis is one of the most well-recognised global issues, and 85% of Americans somewhat or strongly agreed in a recent WWF poll that plastic waste pollution is a serious and concerning problem that requires immediate political action to solve.

As part of her work to raise awareness, Erin Simon takes the stage alongside other changemakers to share insights about their changemaker journey at the Greentech Festival conference in Los Angeles on November 14-15.

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Trailblazer collaboration sets new narrative for investing in climate action

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:23:36 +0000

Trailblazer collaboration sets new narrative for investing in climate action

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Climate Action

Nature-based Solutions

Nature Conversation

Collaboration

Topic

Climate Action

While Ireland has the optics of being a green island, it has one of the lowest rates of forest coverage in the European Union.

According to the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, the country witnessed a drastic decline, with only 1 percent of native woodlands remaining compared to 80 percent six thousand years ago.

This might strike as an environmental issue far away from business as usual. Still, a newly forged alliance between a local family business and a charity writes a different narrative.

The Canopy shopping centre in Sligo facilitated a unique collaboration when its owners decided to acquire nearly 90 acres of land for restoration to support Hometree, a charity dedicated to establishing and conserving permanent native woodland.

Situated along the Easkey River in South Sligo, this land is a unique blend of peatland, blanket bog, pockets of ancient Hazelwood, and species-rich grassland.

Ray Ó Foghlu, Hometree's Development Lead, says: "We hope this location will become a showcase site for us and local landowners will see what is possible.

We have plans for a farmer outreach programme here, providing information and financial support for woodland creation along the Easkey River, besides other educational and community programmes.”

Bird`s eye view of the land along the Easkey River in South Sligo to be restored by Hometree. Image:Vincent Monahan, Duck Upon Rock Productions

Hometree's mission to restore Ireland's ancient oceanic woodlands aligns perfectly with The Canopy`s aim to go beyond the obvious when it comes to sustainability in its business strategy.

Neil Monahan, Director of The Canopy, says they were already familiar with the charity`s work.

When a piece of land became available, they started designing a project that could benefit the environment and people locally, in addition to the business sustainability element of managing their carbon footprint.

“Carbon offsetting can seem distant, but we can make it more relatable with this model. We are also in a unique position to create something entirely new, which can also provide learnings and data to other companies,”

Neil says.

He recalls that initially, they didn`t realise the magnitude of this project and all the positive `side-effects` that later justified their investment on multiple levels.

“At first, it was more about land restoration and planting. Then we realised the added benefits of having such rich biodiversity on site that we can further enhance and the opportunity to use this site for education and community engagement.”

Ray adds that as a science-led organisation, Hometree is now working on establishing the ecological baseline for this area by doing walkovers and surveys in addition to using drones and low-orbit satellites so they understand what`s there right now, allowing their expert team to draw up a tailor-made restoration plan.

He also emphasises that with these types of lands, preventing carbon from being released is the biggest win with restoration.

Ray Ó Foghlu (left) and colleague, Jon Dunt (right) from Hometree. Image: Vincent Monahan, Duck Upon Rock Productions

“It`s like putting a cap on a bottle since peatlands are slow to capture carbon but quick to release it,” Ray says, adding that globally, only 3% of the land is covered by peatland, but it holds 30% of the carbon, making degradation a significant threat."

Currently, they are planning for a 12–24 month period, putting measurable indicators into place so they can integrate the learnings to develop the project further.

Besides the positive environmental and community impact, Neil highlights that it makes perfect business sense since their new branding introduced in 2023 revolves around sustainability.

“We carefully designed the interior spaces of the shopping centre, integrating live plants and trees, even adding a green street within the facility where people can enjoy this environment all year round. We are also implementing solar panels to harness renewable energy besides exploring other areas to improve our sustainability.”

They also actively engage with small, sustainable local businesses and facilitate programmes to engage visitors through art, awareness weeks, educational exhibitions, and other events.

Neil admits that they are on the journey to fully explore the potential of a larger-scale sustainability strategy that would help them properly measure their impact across all main activities and engage their stakeholders, especially the shops operating in the centre.

Still, these initiatives have already proven that taking climate action locally as a business brings multiple direct and indirect benefits, including cost efficiency, brand awareness, and customer engagement.

Therefore, they are committed to building on these initial steps and continuing to make a positive impact, including their land restoration project, which they envision as a long-term collaboration with Hometree that can transform local communities and help with climate mitigation.

When asked how the land could look if they succeed, Ray says he would be glad to feel wet under his foot walking these lands instead of dry and crunchy, to see a great variety of native birds returning alongside other species, and to see a site buzzing with life.

He adds that involving farmers is crucial to making this a reality. In the past 2.5 years, he has worked with hundreds of farmers on land restoration and biodiversity projects.

“I believe observation is the beginning of devotion – you have to see it to fall in love with something. In this case, once we can make farmers see what they have on their farms and understand the benefits, it can change their perspective, and they could become advocates for nature with an additional sense of pride.”

Ray hopes that this specific project at the Easkey River will act as an accelerator by delivering tangible results, feeding into their work to restore 4000 acres of native land through facilitating natural regeneration.

Although significant funding and dedicated resources will be needed to achieve their overall goals with the Wild Atlantic Rainforest project, the first steps are promising.

Headline image: Ray Foley and Jon Dunt from Hometree / Photo by Vincent Monahan, Duck Upon Rock Productions

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Meaningful local climate actions spotlighted in UNDP`s new campaign

Szilvia Szabó — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:58:01 +0000

Meaningful local climate actions spotlighted in UNDP`s new campaign

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Climate Communication

Topic

The Climate Action Explained new video series was launched by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to take viewers on a world tour featuring viable and scalable climate solutions from all corners of the world to spark action.

The four episodes available on YouTube, hosted by UNDP’s Goodwill Ambassador and actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, cover specific topics representing high-demand and high-opportunity areas of impactful and ambitious climate action.

They focus on how forests can help fight climate change, sustainable energy, climate adaptation and youth inclusion, featuring solutions from 12 countries across five continents, including Cambodia, Ghana, Georgia, Egypt, Panama, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

How do we adapt to climate change? - Climate Action Explained video series

“The climate crisis can feel overwhelming and scary, but we do have the solutions we need to address this challenge head-on,”

said Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, regarding the campaign.

She added that “what we now need is to boldly scale up these solutions, together.”

In the climate adaptation episode, a citizen of Tuvalu, a country comprised of nine islands in the South Pacific, illustrates the devastating impact of flooding, which has damaged the homes of many community members living in more exposed areas.

Finance Minister of Tuvalu Seve Paeniu says the only way for his country to protect its shores and people is to reclaim land, build upwards, and rehabilitate the coastal foreshore, which they started to work on in their capital city.

The case of Tuvalu serves as a chilling preview of the challenges many coastal nations will face as sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, reinforcing the urgency of finding effective adaptation strategies.

The journey takes viewers further to Kenya, where water scarcity is an everyday battle – another issue already affecting many people worldwide.

Yvonne Nyokabi, UNDP Kenya Project Officer, explains that involving local communities and harnessing their knowledge is crucial in finding viable adaptation strategies while ensuring the livelihood of these communities.

Another well-known topic that still lacks mainstream solutions, explored in the Climate Action Explained video series, is “How do forests help fight climate change?”

Local voices from Ecuador share the fact that they lost over 60 per cent of their forests due to agriculture and other activities, which caused environmental damage and provoked social challenges involving indigenous tribes

How do forests help fight climate change? - Climate Action Explained video series

The Life Plan program that is implemented there supports local people in making informed decisions about managing their environment and lives in a way that restores and protects natural habitats while allowing them to stay connected with their heritage and make a living.

Deforestation is far from being an isolated issue, and Ghana is one of the many countries facing this challenge.

The campaign spotlights how they are working to restore and protect over 300,000 hectares of land to maintain sustainable forestry management that would help not only people now but also generations to come.

Finding clean energy sources is a top priority in making a low-carbon economy a reality, and the “What does clean energy look like?” episode highlights challenges alongside available scalable solutions.

In the series, the need for electricity is showcased through a hospital in Zimbabwe that requires access to energy 24/7 to meet the needs of its patients and save lives.

This hospital and hundreds of other facilities have benefited from the “Solar for Health” program, which provides solar panels to generate electricity and lower emissions.

The campaign also emphasises the importance of including young people in climate action, as they will be the ones dealing with the impacts of climate change.

How are young people becoming climate leaders? - Climate Action Explained video series

An example from Georgia features a youth inclusion project that trains Young Climate Ambassadors through a program encouraging participants to implement small-scale but impactful projects in their local communities.

This can be as simple as bringing attention to underutilised parks to inspire people to reconnect with nature and enhance their overall well-being.

Additionally, case studies from India and Panama point out the vital role of education and making information accessible to youth of all ages, highlighting that this is not at all evident to be included in state-provided educational programs.

The Climate Action Explained video series is part of UNDP’s efforts to ignite public conversation and mobilise action on climate change ahead of the COP30 climate negotiations, which will be held in Brazil in 2025.

“By presenting the solutions already available in developing countries around the world, Climate Action Explained aims to show that meeting climate targets is possible if we set the right priorities and deliver the right support – from climate finance to knowledge to technology - needed to implement them,”

says Mehmet Erdogan, Communications Lead at UNDP Climate Hub.

He adds that depending on the interest and support in this trailblazer video series, the organisation hopes to produce more episodes in the future, as there are many more stories to tell and issue areas that are demonstrating impact.

The video series is also underpinned by the work of UNDP’s flagship initiative, Climate Promise, and the newly established UNDP Climate Hub, which delivers the UN Systems’ most extensive portfolio of support on climate action in nearly 150 countries worth over $2 billion in grant financing.

Headline image: Getty Images

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Irish beach clean-up to amplify ‘Water for Peace` message as part of global UN movement

Szilvia Szabó — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:48:16 +0000

Irish beach clean-up to amplify ‘Water for Peace` message as part of global UN movement

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As part of the United Nations World Water Day, celebrated on March 22nd every year, Irish not-for-profit WiseWater will host a special beach clean-up event on Saturday, March 23rd, at Garrylucas Beach in County Cork.

The central theme for this year`s global event is `Water for Peace`, and the organisers of this local gathering aim to join the movement by collecting rubbish at the beach and forming a large peace symbol made up of the trash and people participating.

Elaine Moynihan, Co-Founder of WiseWater, says:

“We want to make a stand together to preserve, protect and care for our water environment.

Our event is about sending the message that ‘every drop counts’, and together, we can create waves of positive change.”

Elaine Moynihan and Katie McShane, Co-Founders of WiseWater

This year, the UN has chosen this specific theme to highlight that water can create peace or spark conflict and that water scarcity, pollution, or unequal access can cause disputes between communities and countries.

They highlight that as the climate crisis escalates and global populations grow, we must conserve and protect water resources as we depend on them to ensure public health, operate food and energy systems, and create economic productivity with environmental integrity.

According to the 2022 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, roughly half of the world’s population was already experiencing severe water scarcity for at least part of that year.

With this special event, creating a giant symbol of peace, Elaine hopes to bring heightened awareness to water and ripple out to make waves of changing our relationship with water.

Young people getting involved in citizen science with WiseWater at Ballinaspittle river. Image: WiseWater

She emphasises that “the sea relentlessly regurgitates plastics and debris, remnants of our human consumption” and that we need to better look after our most precious resource, water.

Elaine adds:

“In Ireland, we often take water for granted, but we would like to raise awareness about the importance of behaviour change when it comes to water usage and the importance of preserving our water environment.”

Explaining their approach, she says they believe that to make people want to care for and protect our environment, they first need to have a relationship with it.

Therefore, they invite people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in this community event, enjoy a day out, and help with the beach clean-up while becoming part of the movement.

Anyone interested in joining, only need to show up at 11.00 on Saturday, March 23rd at the Garrylucas Beach in County Cork.

WiseWater also offers educational workshops for schools, community groups, and workplaces to raise awareness and inspire change by making a connection between our personal well-being and the preservation of water habitats.

Some of their activities include investigating the water quality of local rivers or streams, organising `source to sea` expeditions and connecting communities to local wells through cleanups and discoveries.

Their team has hosted many beach clean-ups in the past and arranged for the rubbish to be collected with Cork County Council, just as will be the case on this occasion.

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How to foster climate leadership?

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 17:48:22 +0000

How to foster climate leadership?

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Sustainability Leadership

Climate Action

Topic

Leadership

Today, we are increasingly aware of the planetary challenges and how they intersect with our lives.

However, what seems to remain untouched is the set of beliefs, values, assumptions, mental processes, and paradigms that we hold and share: our mindset.

How do we transition to a sustainability mindset?

Dr Isabel Rimanoczy, author of the Sustainability Mindset book, identified 12 Principles for a Sustainability Mindset and created a framework that can be applied in higher education.

She says:

“If I were to name some of the characteristics of people who can generate change, I would start with self-reflection.”

Dr Isabel Rimanoczy, author of the Sustainability Mindset book

She further explains that reflection is all about stepping back, slowing down, giving time for myself and looking at where I am heading with what I am doing now.

"Having a sense of higher purpose, whatever it is for you, also helps you not just randomly react to life's demands but use this purpose to be your compass."

Of course, there are other factors, but to be in a position to change something, you first need to stop and realise your situation.

Isabel shares:

"While we carry off the everyday things we need to get done, going through our to-do list, we are simply not suited to listen or learn.

Being conscious about what is out there for us and how we behave and operate is a great power.

I like to compare consciousness to a curtain that once you open, you cannot close again, and once you look behind it, you cannot un-see those things you find there.”

They surveyed over 20,000 students about changing mindsets, and one thing that emerged is that once the shift in thinking happens, it brings the need to share this discovery with others so they wouldn’t feel alone with their new thoughts.

This practically means that they start talking with their boyfriend, girlfriend, neighbours, friends, parents, etc.

In collaboration with other experts, Isabel launched the Sustainability Mindset Indicator (SMI) to help leaders map their current mindset concerning sustainability.

This is the first instrument to map and profile where an individual is on their journey towards a Sustainability Mindset.

The SMI is a questionnaire consisting of 36 bipolar statements, exploring three dimensions of our mindset for sustainability: the cognitive, the behavioural and the affective.

It offers a personalised report that highlights the unique skills and opportunities to shape a better world.

It also provides questions for reflection to expand awareness and leverage personal resources.

The 12 Principles for a Sustainability Mindset is introduced by Dr Isabel Rimanoczy in her book.

Dr Ciarán Ó Carroll, sustainability consultant at Change by Degrees and lecturer on the Postgraduate Course on Sustainability Leadership at the Technological University in Dublin, says that the current trend in sustainability leadership is to focus on integrating holistic and systemic approaches.

This would include concepts such as the Doughnut Economics model, which seeks to balance human needs with the planet's ecological limits, adding that there's a strong emphasis on climate justice, ensuring that efforts to combat climate change are fair and equitable.

Regarding sustainability in organisations, Ciarán says:

“While leadership commitment is crucial for setting the vision and allocating resources, a ground-up movement is essential for embedding sustainability into the culture and operations of the business.

The ideal mix involves leaders who set the agenda and empower employees at all levels to contribute ideas and take action, fostering a culture of innovation and shared responsibility.”

Dr Ciarán Ó Carroll, sustainability expert and lecturer

He emphasises that we need visionary leaders capable of inspiring and motivating their teams and open to learning and adapting.

“Successful examples include leaders who practice participatory decision-making, allowing teams to contribute to sustainability initiatives and those who adopt a coaching style, facilitating personal and professional growth within the context of sustainability goals."

Ciarán believes that sustainability leadership prioritises long-term ecological and social well-being over short-term profits, emphasising collaboration and inclusivity, and requires a deep understanding of ecological limits and social equity.

Based on his experience teaching postgraduate students, he says that the most challenging aspect is overcoming scepticism and demonstrating the tangible benefits of sustainability initiatives.

This involves not only highlighting the ethical and regulatory imperatives but also showcasing how sustainability can drive innovation, reduce costs, and enhance brand loyalty.

“That includes setting meaningful, ambitious goals, regularly measuring and reporting on progress in a transparent manner and fostering a culture that values sustainability as essential to the business's success,” Ciarán explains.

Once you have that understanding, you can move forward with implementing sustainability strategies.

But you need to avoid making it a box-ticking exercise.

Reflecting on his experience as a lecturer, he adds:

“The most challenging part for many students is often integrating sustainability into traditional business models and strategies, requiring a deep understanding of both sustainability principles and business acumen to create solutions that are both effective and viable.”

For Ciarán, one of the most influential people in sustainability leadership is Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, Chair of The Elders Foundation and fierce advocate for climate issues.

“Her work brilliantly showcases how leadership, when combined with a deep commitment to justice and equality, can drive significant progress in sustainability.”

What he also finds fascinating is Robinson`s ability to articulate the interconnectedness of climate change, social equity, and human rights and then mobilise action at both grassroots and global levels.

“Mary Robinson exemplifies the kind of leadership that sees the bigger picture and acts with compassion and conviction, making her a true role model in sustainability leadership.

Her work is a reminder that to truly address the challenges of sustainability, we must look at them through a lens that encompasses not just the environmental impact but also the social and ethical implications.”

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Companies going quiet about their climate efforts is becoming a massive global trend

Szilvia Szabó — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 09:13:09 +0000

Companies going quiet about their climate efforts is becoming a massive global trend

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Climate Communication

Climate Action

Climate Change

Business

Topic

Climate Communication

In recent years, business climate communication has become a spotlight issue to fight off greenwashing, and watchdogs are regularly fining companies for misleading marketing and advertising activities, as has happened lately to Shell with one of their public campaigns on green energy.

Besides, new regulations are shaping the landscape as the EU Parliament and Council new rules are coming to ban generic environmental claims and provide consumers with better product information from 2026.

All these changes seem to put too much pressure on companies, making them afraid to go public about their climate initiatives or plans.

According to the latest Net Zero Report released in January by South Pole, a global organisation supporting companies to achieve net zero emissions, the majority of surveyed companies are intentionally keeping quiet, decreasing their climate communications, otherwise known as 'greenhushing', despite increasing investment in carbon management and climate action.

Data collected from climate-conscious companies revealed that 70 per cent of them admit to 'greenhushing', which is present across nearly every major sector worldwide, from fashion to tech, consumer goods, oil and even environmental services.

The report explored why companies choose not to publicise their climate strategies or goals and deliberately decrease or cease external communications around them by surveying over 1,400 companies with dedicated sustainability leads across 12 countries and 14 sectors.

Reflecting on the result, John Davis, Interim CEO of South Pole, said:

“It reveals that regulation, industry requirements on reporting on climate goals and heightened scrutiny from various stakeholders are the core reasons for companies keeping quiet about their climate goals and progress.”

Scaling down communication happens despite most surveyed respondents (81 per cent) claiming to be on track to meet their net zero goals and recognise the value of communicating climate action.

John Davis, Interim CEO of South Pole. Image source: South Pole

Consumer goods companies marketing food, beverages, and household goods were more likely to be `greenhushing` (86 per cent), more than the oil and gas industry (72 per cent).

Controversially, 93 per cent of surveyed companies see communications as crucial to commercial success, and nearly half (46 per cent) say that customer demand is the number one reason to pursue net zero targets for the third year in a row.

Yet, they are holding back on connecting climate action and communication.

Besides customers, the desire to have better oversight of supply chain risks and to future-proof operations are the leading drivers for pledging net zero goals, surpassing the need to stay ahead of the competition.

Drivers to set net zero company targets over the years. Image source: Net Zero Report 2024, South Pole

Nearly half (44 per cent) of surveyed businesses claimed that due to lack of clarity and changing regulations, they find it more difficult than before to communicate about their net zero plans and actions despite the vast majority (81 per cent) of companies saying it is good for their bottom line.

The study showed that 2025 to 2030 is the most common net zero target year range, which raises some questions about delivering meaningful results.

The Net Zero Report found that over three quarters (76 per cent) of researched companies claim to be increasing their budgets to meet their net zero targets, and the vast majority say they feel like they are “on track" to meeting targets.

“Our latest research shows that too many companies in the surveyed cohort are working towards highly optimistic, possibly even unrealistic, net zero target dates of by 2030 or earlier.

The coming years will either bring unprecedented industry transformations or deep disappointments,”

says Franziska Sinner, Senior Director of Climate Strategies at South Pole.

She adds:

"What remains crystal clear today, however, is that corporate leaders must step up and speak up if we are to make a dent in this terrifying climate challenge.”

According to another research by Net Zero Tracker, the number of company net zero targets has risen by more than 40 per cent in 16 months from 2022 to 2023 based on numbers from assessing 1000 companies' net zero targets from the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies.

However, only 4 per cent of these commitments meet the revised ‘Starting Line criteria’ set out in 2022 by the UN Race to Zero campaign, aiming to have clear and specific measurements and actions in place for carbon offsetting, reduction, and reporting progress.

This resonates with results based on analysing South Pole’s proprietary database of 77,000 listed companies, showing that only 8 per cent have set a net zero target, with 92 per cent having no targets or progress.

The data collected by South Pole in the Net Zero Report for the fourth year strongly suggests that most companies struggle to find the confidence to go public about their carbon management mainly because of their fear of scrutiny by stakeholders, regulatory requirements, and lack of guidance on best practices.

The lack of communication can jeopardise progress on climate action in the business community since there will be no best practices to follow or lessons to learn from.

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Can sustainability be funny?

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:02:26 +0000

Can sustainability be funny?

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Master students can choose to write comedy scripts on sustainability issues as part of a unique course at the Management Program of the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

Dr André Martinuzzi, creator and leader of this trailblazer course, shares insights on using the power of humour to help students better understand and deal with complex sustainability topics.

Environmental protection, social responsibility, and sustainable development are often perceived as killjoys, and young people typically feel pessimistic about their future.

When we started looking for new and innovative ways to motivate students to engage with serious sustainability issues, we found that humour might be a promising method. It has the potential to help increase students’ self-motivation and awareness of current sustainability challenges, such as climate change or poverty.

Dr André Martinuzzi, Head of the Institute for Managing Sustainability Vienna University of Economics and Business

The idea sparked as I watched late-night comedy shows for quite some time and was very impressed by John Oliver’s ‘Last Week Tonight’ and Hasan Minhaj’s ‘Patriot Act’. Instead of making fun of daily life or commenting on day-to-day politics, they both explain scientifically challenging subjects in a hilarious way.

The more I watched these shows, the more I asked myself if it was possible to give students the task of developing comedy scripts instead of writing seminar papers.

On this basis, with two assistants, Florian Findler and Angelo Spörk, we designed and continuously improved a course where students use humour by working in a group, creating scripts in the style of late-night comedy. To our knowledge, no one has tried this before.

Within the scripts, humour is not used to make fun of serious issues. Instead, it is used to illustrate sustainability challenges in a scientifically sound and easily understandable way while raising awareness.

In order to do that, students have to understand the basics of humour and comedy scriptwriting, need the courage to be funny and have the freedom of creativity while dealing with serious and rather complex issues.

Many of them tell us that humour helps them communicate better about challenging topics in their peer groups and reach people who would otherwise not be interested in the subject.

Students have created scripts that cover various topics such as the Sharing Economy, E-mobility, fast fashion, greenwashing, food waste, supply chains, and smart homes.

A good punchline is surprising and reveals a more profound truth.

Therefore, developing good comedy takes expertise because humour is more than just fooling around.

Based on the experiences and evaluations of the three courses we already delivered, we learned a few lessons:

Humour is a craft and not a talent, which requires practising.
Students better understand a specific topic by writing comedy scripts than by writing standard seminar papers.
Humour can be integrated into courses that are not genuinely funny. Students reported that this approach helped them to boost their creativity and imagination.

Our experience has also shown that humour can point out grievances. At the same time, exaggerated characters can make people realise their own unsustainable behaviour or ask the question, 'Do we really want to go there?’.

We created a dedicated website to share more about our learnings so others can explore options for implementing this method.

Writing comedy scripts can help young people better engage with sustainability and social issues.. Image: Getty Images

Naturally, there are some challenges in integrating this approach into teaching.

Teachers may see the use of humour as inappropriate for academic subjects and find it beyond their abilities to support students sufficiently through empowerment and steering. The question also arises if this approach can be used on topics like extinction, climate change, or human rights, which are very serious issues and where urgency could be diluted by humour.

Of course, this approach is unsuitable for classes that aim to teach the basics as quickly as possible.

For the students, humour can also be a coping strategy to better deal with emotionally stressful issues such as biodiversity loss, human rights violations or climate change.

For example, one student said, 'if you don't laugh about it, you should cry', while another student shared, "humour helps me not to feel powerless, to gain emotional distance and to be able to talk about things that I otherwise tend to repress".

Students look forward to this course because it is entirely different from the typical classes at a business school.

The course design consists of the following elements:

Students work in groups of 5-6 on major sustainability challenges, such as land use, low-cost airlines, cruise ships, fast fashion, food waste, animal suffering, or bee mortality.
Together they carry out brief background research and co-develop a collection of materials on the recent problem, its causes and possible solutions.
Simultaneously, they take part in basic improvisation theatre training, gain insight into the building blocks of humour and learn how to develop sketches, jokes and punch lines.
Each student group develops the concept for a comedy script, containing an elaborated storyline and first humorous examples.
In several rounds of rehearsals and presentations, they receive feedback regarding scientific background, storytelling and humour.
Finally, the students give an 8-10 minute performance of their scripts in front of the classroom.

The course has already been implemented three times, received excellent feedback from the students and won the "Best of Austria Award" thanks to its innovative approach.

Headline image: Getty Images

This content is a piece of an article originally published in the "Make change happen" issue of Profit with Purpose Magazine.

The Summer 2022 edition of the magazine is focusing on making cities sustainable and inclusive, and is available here >>>

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Can clay help us to counter the heat?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:36:29 +0000

Can clay help us to counter the heat?

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Heatwaves

Responsible Research and Innovation

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Heatwaves instantly result in increased use of air conditioning, which already accounts for considerable energy consumption. Is there a better option?

Written by

Ellen Albertsdóttir & Adrian Grist

Turning on the air conditioning is the logical response for many to counter the heat.

However, it is not just a burden to the environment but also a financial blow to the pocket. It is an issue which prompted architect and researcher Marwa Dabaieh at Malmö University in Sweden to develop an eco-cooling system.

Air conditioning is the norm in Egypt, where Dabaieh tested her cooling system despite being very expensive to purchase and operate. Another issue in such countries is that many residents live outside the electricity grid.

Furthermore, the need for cooling systems will also increase in countries with modest average temperatures as heatwaves become more commonplace, as we are experiencing this already.

Marwa Dabaieh is a researcher working on the eco-cooling system made out of clay; Docent and associate professor at Malmö University.

As an expert in sustainable and environmentally conscious architecture, Dabaieh’s innovation relies on a self-assembly concept. This solution aims to keep indoor temperature and humidity low by using traditional ‘shisha funnels’ made of clay to construct a cooling system.

The goal is to lower the indoor temperature by 10 °C by combining clay funnels, water, and the natural power of sun and wind.

The experimental attempts so far have been promising. In a recently published scientific article, Dabaieh presents a reduction of the indoor temperature by 2 °C during an experiment in Cairo. Since then, she has achieved a decrease of 6 °C.

The next step for Dabaieh is to continue the development of the sustainable and passive cooling system.

“Clay is not expensive, which makes the construction price affordable. But it is expensive to develop the method. I am driven by pure passion for this but still need resources to take the pilot project further.

Now I hope to find innovation support that would allow me to scale up the project,” says Dabaieh.

The next step for her is to continue the development of a sustainable and passive cooling system with economical benefits.

“Some people, such as pensioners, the unemployed and refugees, cannot afford air conditioning. This means that mortality risks increase when heat waves become more common. Tragically, this happens when it could be resolved by being better prepared,” adds Dabaieh.

"This passive eco-cooling solution does not require any extra energy or electricity and can offer a practical solution to enhance the living conditions of low-income populations."

Using traditional ‘shisha funnels’ made of clay to construct natural cooling systems can help manage extreme heat.

This project is being developed at the Malmö University, which has close collaboration ties with the Forum for Social Innovation Sweden, the national knowledge and collaboration platform for social innovation and social enterprise.

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Where are the women from the COP26 climate conference?

Bronagh Loughlin — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 09:45:25 +0000

Where are the women from the COP26 climate conference?

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The SHE Changes Climate activist campaign calls for 50:50 gender balance in all climate decision making, highlighting that only 16% of the COP26 UK Leadership team are women.

The SHE Changes Climate activist campaign revealed that only 16% of the COP26 Climate Conference Leadership team are women and calls for change to have at least a 50% representation of diverse women at their top levels, now and in the future.

The movement aims to bring inclusiveness and diversity to the COP26 negotiations and all future discussions on climate change.

To achieve that, they have launched the #5050Vision campaign, calling for all parties to be represented in decision-making because it affects all parties.

We caught up with Co-Founder and Co-Conspirator Antoinette Vermilye to learn more about their plans to achieve their 50:50 vision.

Antoinette shares more about the SHE Changes Climate movement: “It is a campaign that firstly targets the UK as the host country of this year’s COP to bring an equal representation of women to its leadership team.

This time a year ago, there were zero women on it. Less than 50 days before COP26, we only had three women comprising 25% of the top-level team.

Antoinette Vermilye, Co-Founder and Co-Conspirator of the She Changes Climate campaign

We are demanding more diversity and inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability to the COP26 negotiations.”

Organisers are inviting people to join the campaign online by using a digital toolkit and supporting the cause through a GoFundMe page.

On 9th November they will held a SHE Changes Climate Day, presenting live panels and interviews at The Pipe Factory, in the art district of Glasgow.

Antoinette explains why it is crucial to address the lack of representation in this and any future COP and propose solutions:

“Generally, male-dominated perspectives lean towards decisions made through a narrow lens that tends to be more economical and technological biased rather than leveraging the wisdom of indigenous peoples and nature-based solutions.

We are actively excluding the perspectives of the majority of stakeholders, such as gender, youth, diversity groups.

Doesn't it make sense to have all parties bringing their own experience, expertise, and perspectives to the ingredients of a solution?”

According to the 2021 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report, it will take 145.5 years to attain gender parity in politics globally if don't take action.

Antoinette explains further: “Women are on the frontline of climate change, often portrayed as victims, usually due to socio-economic conditions that are defined by a patriarchal society. Despite bearing the brunt of climate change consequences, women display remarkable resilience and resourcefulness.

But women are not being given a chance to speak or demonstrate their perspectives. They are systematically underrepresented at all levels of decision making."

It has been estimated that advancing gender equality could add $12 trillion to the global economy.

Women disproportionately suffer the impacts of disasters, severe weather events, and climate change because of cultural norms and the inequitable distribution of roles, resources, and power, especially in developing countries.

A UNDP report showed that “80% of people displaced by climate crises are women".

Founders of SHE Changes Climate believe that for all life to survive on this planet, we need a balanced representation of all humankind; making crucial decisions about our future, the future of our children and the future of every living thing on this planet.

They are committed to ensuring women - across a broad spectrum of ethnicity, class, disability, age, etc - are in these roles to make the crucial decisions to save humanity.

SHE Changes Climate was founded in late 2020 by Antoinette Vermilye, Bianca Pitt and Elise Buckle, with the aim to bring diversity and inclusiveness, transparency and accountability to the COP negotiations on Climate Change.

They started out in December 2020, by sending an open letter to the UK Government, calling on them for greater accountability and transparency on male/female parity on the UK COP26 leadership team.

The letter has been supported by over 450 male and female environmental leaders and gained significant visibility for the topic.

Read a full interview with Antoinette Vermilye from SHE Changes Climate in the Winter 2021/22 edition of the Profit with Purpose Magazine >>

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