About Single Planet Living
If the planet were a business and the citizens of the world its customers, the executive board should be anxious. At face value the business is enjoying huge demand and growth. But behind the scenes, the supply chains are being overworked, it is using up resources at an unprecedented rate and causing material damage to its support systems. "Business as usual" looks unsustainable.
But the planet is not a company, nor is there anything closely resembling a board. Governments have the power to create change, but feel constrained without the support of big business. Businesses fear regulation and are reluctant to take action without the support of their customers. Many consumers want to see change but not if it involves a great deal of effort and expense. Competing priorities and vested interests mean that change is slow and laboured.
Take transport for example. As long as Governments talk about integrated transport, while car manufacturers talk about 'like-for-like' growth and citizens are deciding between a season ticket or a new car, the potential win-win of prosperity and sustainability is remote. If, however, those three groups worked together, the possibilities become tantalising...imagine a "roadmap" around cars where technological innovation is supported by public policy and consumers are given incentives to make different decisions about when and how to use cars...suddenly, the journey towards a more sustainable and prosperous world becomes not only possible, but exciting too.
You only have to think of organic food, timber from well-managed forests and energy efficient fridges to realise that, by working together, it is possible to transform the choices we make about products and drastically reduce their environmental impact. Since 80% of our environmental impact typically comes from the food, home, transport and holiday aligning consumer products and services with the resources and natural systems of the planet is central to strategies for sustainable development.
WWF's Living Planet Index states that if everyone in the world lived the same lifestyle as we do in the UK we would need three planets worth of resources. Nonetheless we also live in a world where 60% of the world's people still live in absolute poverty and where all countries rich and poor need to work together to reduce carbon.