WBCSD Annual Review 2006 NEW.qxp - Sustentabilidad.uai.edu.ar

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Deforestation, Brazil Destruction of a stretch of Amazon rainforest to enlarge a cattle ranch. “When the century began, neither human numbers nor technology had the power radically to alter planetary systems. As the century closes, not only do vastly increased human numbers and their activities have that power, but major, unintended changes are occurring in the atmosphere, in soils, in waters, among plants and animals, and in the relationships among all of these.” Brundtland Report, 1987
Ecosystems From Initiative to Focus Area “The loss and degradation of ecosystem services will affect business through higher operating costs, reduced operating flexibility and increased regulation. It will also provide important opportunities for businesses – if we are prepared.” Business Responses to Ecosystem Challenges, 2006 In November 2005, the Council established the Sustaining Ecosystems Initiative (SEI) to catalyze the business sector response to the ecosystem opportunities and challenges outlined in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). Given the pace of change of ecosystems issues, the WBCSD Executive Committee decided in October in New York to turn the SEI into the Ecosystems Focus Area. This strategic move matches significant changes in the mindsets of business leaders. Some thoughtful companies already understand that encouraging ecosystem sustainability can be profitable in the long term, and can create new business opportunities, including new technologies and products that can stem degradation, rehabilitate ecosystems, or increase efficiency of ecosystem service use. Winter movement patterns of northern fur seal pups from St. Paul Island (dark gray), St. George Island (black), Bogoslof Island (white) and San Miguel Island (light gray) from Ocober-November 2005 until 31 December 2005. Also, businesses are recognizing that they both affect and depend on ecosystem services. After many years of divergent views, it appears that the business community, NGOs and academics are gradually realizing they share the same concerns. The debate is shifting to the concept of sustainable management and use of nature versus the old paradigm of “setting aside” natural resources. The value and sustainable use of ecosystems services must be part of economic planning and decision-making; otherwise nature will always be treated as a second priority. Action In March the WBCSD and BCSD Brazil supported a range of side events involving the private sector at the 8 th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Curitiba, Brazil. A WBCSD statement to the CBD outlined the role of industry in meeting CBD objectives and positioned the Council as a dialogue platform with global business. A direct relationship with the CBD secretariat has been developed, and a WBCSD article on ecosystems, business and markets was submitted to the CBD’s flagship publication, Gincana. The WBCSD embarked on a one-year pilot project to develop an “Ecosystem Services Review” (ESR). In partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Meridian Institute, this project will develop and test an ESR methodology allowing companies to better understand their ecosystems impacts, dependency and assets – and to respond accordingly. Syngenta, Rio Tinto, Mondi and BC Hydro are part of this pilot project. In November we published an Issue Brief on business and ecosystems called Ecosystem Challenges and Business Implications in partnership with the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the WRI and Earthwatch. 23
Page 1 and 2: NOW THEN& Celebrating the 20 th ann
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Chairman’s Mess
Page 5 and 6: Chairman’s Message “The ability
Page 7 and 8: President’s Message “After a de
Page 9 and 10: About the WBCSD The WBCSD brings to
Page 11 and 12: Many of its findings echo through t
Page 13 and 14: Focus Areas Energy & Climate Focus
Page 15 and 16: The Focus Area is aiming to better
Page 17 and 18: Development Focus Area “We are co
Page 19 and 20: Moving forward The FACT agreed to b
Page 21 and 22: The Business Role Focus Area “We
Page 23: The FACT worked in close cooperatio
Page 27 and 28: Projects Energy Efficiency in Build
Page 29 and 30: Sustainable Forest Products Industr
Page 31 and 32: Sustainable Mobility Hybrid fuel ce
Page 33 and 34: Chemicals Research analyst at a lab
Page 35 and 36: Mining, Minerals and Sustainable De
Page 37 and 38: Implementing Sustainable Developmen
Page 39 and 40: The Regional Network “The Greenho
Page 41 and 42: practices - a tool that AED Costa R
Page 43 and 44: Advocacy WBCSD LD Council meeting M
Page 45 and 46: To subscribe to any of the newslett
Page 47 and 48: United Nations Framework Convention
Page 49 and 50: Executive Committee Honorary Chairm
Page 51 and 52: Nokia Mr. Veli Sundbäck Stora Enso
Page 53 and 54: WBCSD Personnel (beginning 2007) Pr
Page 55 and 56: Business Role Electricity From Chal
Page 57 and 58: Eco-efficiency Learning Module Eco-
Page 59: Glacier melt (1980 and 2002) A fan

WBCSD Annual Review 2006 NEW.qxp - Sustentabilidad.uai.edu.ar

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?