BEYOND CARBON:Carrying Capacity and the Ecological Footprint of Business
Mathis Wackernagel
BEYOND CARBON: Carrying Capacity and the Ecological Footprint of Business
Mathis Wackernagel, PhD Sustainable Brands, June 1, 2009
We are entering a new era…
Ecological Creditors and Ecological Debtors
Ecological Creditors and Ecological Debtors
The Ecological Footprint
CARBON footprint
www.footprintnetwork.org/atlas
PIONEER COUNTRIES SO FAR Switzerland Japan United Arab Emirates Belgium Ecuador Luxembourg Finland EU
My life (1962 – onwards)
Annual Deficit adds up to a global Ecological Debt
UN’s Most Moderate Scenario My life
From nicety to necessity…
15
Sustainability Wedges and an End to Overshoot (WBCSD)
20b
Impact: The Eco-Footprint of a General Retailer (vintage poster facsimile)
Energy company (reduce impact) Waste management (increase value) Cement production (compare to competition) Finance (analyze investments) Food (demonstrate commitment) Construction (track performance) Packaging (compare to competition) Electronics (drive innovation)
Ecological Footprint thinking:
• You can pinpoint the challenge: a complex, ecologically constrained world
• You can more easily communicate benefits of aggressive sustainability efforts
• You can identify business risks & opportunities
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