Why sustainability?

There has never been a better time to delve into the topic of sustainability and tackle climate change, which is said to be one of the biggest and most urgent challenges faced by this generation.

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said that there is a greater than 90 per cent chance that global warming over the last 50 years is due to human activity.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), demand for resources now exceeds the planet's capacity to replenish its ‘natural capital’ by about 30 per cent and the global carbon footprint has grown more than 10-fold since 1961. If we continue as we are we will reportedly need the equivalent of two planets by the mid-2030s to maintain our lifestyles.

Carbon dioxide levels in the earth's atmosphere have reportedly increased by 30 per cent in the last 200 years and concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are said to be currently at their highest for 800,000 years.

Our carbon footprint has grown more than 10-fold since 1961 due to our insatiable appetite for resources such as timber and paper, water, energy, agricultural crops, meat and dairy products, fish and seafood, and land for infrastructure – not to mention the impacts associated with disposing of waste products.

As a result, claims the WWF, the populations of nearly 1,700 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish have declined on average by nearly 30 per cent since 1970 and as many as 50 countries now suffer seasonal or permanent fresh water shortages.

Meanwhile, the IPCC predicts a probable global temperature rise of between 1.8°C and 4°C by the end of the century if current levels of greenhouse gas emissions continue and states that possible global temperature changes by the end of the century could be as high as 6.4°C, while sea levels around the world are likely to rise by 28-43cm by the end of the century.

In 2007, the UK government published the draft Climate Change Bill. The Bill aims to set legally binding targets for reducing emissions by 80 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050.

What can be done? Some changes to the climate are inevitable, but there is still time to positively influence the future. We can help minimise further changes and adapt to the new situation through decisions and actions, which are often quick and easy to put into practice.

To learn how you can make a difference and ensure your business and lifestyle are ready for a more sustainable future come along to the 2009 ITI International Conference on 16 and 17 May and learn all about it. You can download the booking form here .