What does it take to achieve sustainability?

Report from the Sustainable Business SIG Debate held October 21st 2010

Three generous and game experts in sustainability sparked thoughtful debate and free flowing discussion on what we can do to prevent 'eco-doom' and establish globally sustainable production and consumption. The event was held at the Clydesdale Bank in London and was attended by 44 alumni and corporate guests.

The panel of experts who had agreed to address the huge question posed by the debate in only ten minutes each were: David Strong Chairman of the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, Andrew Kluth Group Sustainability Director at Halcrow, and Robin Stafford Head of Sustainable Consumption at WWF.

Interestingly all the panel felt it necessary to locate sustainable actions or solutions in the context of the problems of unsustainability. Problems that governments, organisations and individuals appear to continue to underestimate. Andrew Kluth highlighted evidence that average temperature rises of four degrees (rather than the two frequently assumed) could be with us by 2060. Climate change, water shortages, ocean pollution, biodiversity loss and conflict all pose massive risks and costs. David Strong stressed that we need to address the established stock of buildings and not just new-build and that frequently ineffective targets create more 'greenwash' than genuinely sustainable construction.

So what actions are required? The panel stressed systemic thinking, legislation to price carbon emissions, effective performance management and a strategic approach to reduce damage and identify opportunities. In questions and answers we heard that whilst China was heavily committed to coal burning power stations it fully understood the problem and was investing to take a global lead in solar power and other mitigation. It was argued that BRIC countries had an understanding that their development would be different to that of the past and they had the opportunity to leap-frog developed nations. There were very thoughtful contributions from the audience about a failure of imagination in leadership at all levels in society and our collective failure to address consumption adequately or to create an appealing vision of a sustainable future. The quality of corporate sustainability reporting and the extent to which it accurately reflected organisational practice also received critical consideration. We also explored the much cited injunction from Mahatma Ghandi 'to be the change, we want to see in society'. The WWF argument that we need to 'Shrink and Share' highlights many areas for personal action in our decisions concerning our diet, housing and transport. A show of hands indicated perhaps a quarter of the audience were currently succeeding in reducing their air travel. In the terms of the metaphor of our sustainable journey it was clear we all had a long way to travel but it was equally apparent in the final conversation over drinks that we had taken sustenance from our gathering, and that so refreshed we should take bolder steps.

Many thanks to Clydesdale bank for providing us with a venue for the debate.