BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY AND A HEALTHY PLANET

The following discussion took place In April 2020. We aimed at confronting our points of views on the contradictory forces that needs to be handled to address the sustainability challenges ahead of us. The key ideas are summarised on figure 1

Unless we re-invent how we operate both in business and as a society, the limits we are experiencing will constrain and de-scale our economic activities.

The equation is becoming clearer every day. The planet can no longer sustain the present rate of economic and demographic growth without significant damage. Our ability to enjoy a safe and prosperous life is being eroded by constraints in resources and environmental conditions. Our world today is interconnected and uncertain, so even if we put all of our efforts and attention into addressing a single challenge, unintended and unexpected consequences can create other challenges and issues. An unknown virus pops up in a wet market in the centre of China and quickly spreads around the planet. Unless we re-invent how we operate both in business and as a society, the limits we are experiencing will constrain and de-scale our economic activities. Whether we call this prevention or adaptation, change is needed. We are facing a tremendous challenge with a multitude of contradictory forces. Social and environmental aspirations offer contradictory