The leader of the world calls for revolution
Sounds like the world’s ostensible leader is frustrated. There’s been an incredible amount of heel-dragging and back-peddling from many of the economic and political elite at Davos:
“Here at Davos – this meeting of the mighty and the powerful, represented by some key countries – it may sound strange to speak of revolution,” he said. “But that is what we need at this time. We need a revolution. Revolutionary thinking. Revolutionary action. A free market revolution for global sustainability.
It is easy to mouth the words ‘sustainable development,’ but to make it happen we have to be prepared to make major changes – in our lifestyles, our economic models, our social organization, and our political life. We have to connect the dots between climate change and… water, energy and food.
We need you to step up. Spark innovation. Lead by action. Invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy for those who need them most – your future customers. Expand clean energy access in developing countries – your markets of tomorrow.
…Together, let us tear down the walls… between the development agenda and the climate agenda. Between business, government and civil society. Between global security and global sustainability. It is good business – good politics – and good for society.
In an odd way, what we are really talking about is going back to the future. The ancients saw no division between themselves and the natural world. They understood how to live in harmony with the world around them. It is time to recover that sense of living harmoniously for our economies and our societies.
Not to go back to some imagined past, but to leap confidently into the future with cutting-edge technologies, the best science and entrepreneurship has to offer, to build a safer, cleaner, greener and more prosperous world for all. There is no time to waste.’
Corporations sign on… for action?
And he’s trying to spark action, not just words. This week he also inaugurated an initiative called Global Compact LEAD, in which 54 global companies including Shell and Nestle committed to be at the “cutting edge of environmental, social and governance issues” for sustainable development.
Hopefully he’ll be able to keep the pressure to make this initiative something real, and not just another greenwashing PR exercise.
Follow UN Global Compact on Twitter
Pages: 1 2
About Jeremy Bloom
