Dr Morne Du Plessis Environmental Excellence

Striving for Environmental Excellence

The Human Ecological Footprint (1961-2003)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100

Year

1 billion in 1800

4 billion in 1975

2 billion in 1920

6.5 billion in 2005

World Population (billions)

Source: UN Population Division 2004; Lee, 2003; Population Reference Bureau

WORLD MAP OF RELATIVE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

The World’s Priorities

Advertising

UNDP Human Development Report 1998

$435 billion

Basic education in the USA$6 billion

Beauty products in the USA$8 billion

Ice cream in the USA$11 billion

Water & sanitation in the USA$9 billion

Basic health care in the USA$13 billion

Pet food in the USA$17 billion

•Regulating•Benefits

obtained from regulation of ecosystem processes

•Cultural•Non-material benefits from ecosystems

•Provisioning

•Goods produced or provided by ecosystems

UniqueEcosystem Services

Photo credits (left to right, top to bottom): Purdue University, WomenAid.org, LSUP, NASA, unknown, CEH Wallingford, unknown, W. Reid, Staffan Widstrand

The Balance Sheet

CropsLivestockAquacultureCarbon sequestration

Capture fisheriesWild foodsWood fuelGenetic resourcesBiochemicalsFresh WaterAir quality regulationRegional & local climate

regulationErosion regulationWater purificationPest regulationPollinationNatural Hazard

regulationSpiritual & religious Aesthetic values

TimberFiberWater regulationDisease regulationRecreation & ecotourism

Enhanced Degraded Mixed

Bottom Line: 60% of Ecosystem Services are Degraded

Ecological Footprint By Component, 1961-2003

Built-up landNuclear energyCO2 from fossil fuels

Fishing groundForestGrazing landCropland

Energy intensity of economy per unit GDP (in 2004)

Energy intensity (MJ/US$)

Japan 5United Kingdom 6Italy 7Germany 7France 8United States 9Mexico 11Brazil 13Canada 14China 36South Africa 36India 41Russia 82

Worldwide average 13

Climate change

2000 2040

“Millions at Risk”MILLIONS AT RISK

There is …………. HOPE

• We can cope with projected doubling of global energy demand

• We can harness known resources and proven technologies

• We can reduce climate-threatening emissions by 60-80%

Output of ClimateSolutions Model

Potential for Energy Savings in South Africa (by 2030)

Transport Sector 47 %

46 %Buildings

Fossil-fuel power generation

20 %

www.wwf.org.za/hero

We CAN if we

establish a culture of environmental

responsibility

among business and industry

Why emphasize business?

Top 200 corporations generate 1/3 of global economic activity, and

their combined sales are BIGGER than combined economies of all countries excluding the biggest 10

Earth’s Life-support System Human Societies

Economies

Triple-bottom line view ofSustainable Development

Earth’s Life-support System

Human Societies

Economies

Sustainable Development

Evolutionary History of Corporate Responsibility

NotNot My BusinessMy Business

Reducing Reducing ImpactImpact

Zero Zero Impact Impact

Net Positive Net Positive ImpactImpact

Selling Solutions to Selling Solutions to the World’s problemsthe World’s problems

Philanthropy toPhilanthropy toOffset ImpactsOffset Impacts

Compliance Compliance And BeyondAnd Beyond

Risk Mgmt & Risk Mgmt & Cost EfficienciesCost Efficiencies

The “Green Choice” Alliance

Promoting Responsible Production

AWARENESS LEVEL

SECTOR SIZE (no. of individuals)

Consumer Awareness Campaigns

Market Mechanisms

‘Voluntary’ Procurement Commitments

Eco-labelling/ Procurement

Advice

‘Voluntary’ Producer

Commitments

Producer ProductsRetailersRestaurantsSupermarkets

Consumers

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Policy implications

CO2

Timber, fish, meat, crops

OR

Transport, housing, commodities, services

INCREASING DEBT !!

THREE SCENARIOS

TODAY’S DECISIONS DETERMINE THE FUTURE

“We have an opportunity for greatness which has never been offered to any civilisation, any generation in human history, to act as a generation to do the right thing. 

If we fail to act on it, we will become the most vilified generation in human history”

Dr Roger Payne

President, Ocean Alliance