In this blog I’m turning my attention to Dr. Robert Goldman’s future predictions on CLIMATE, COASTAL and ENERGY CHANGES

Climate change will have a strong economic impact in the future. It is anticipated that by 2050, more than 40% of the world’s population will live under severe water stress, resulting in floods or drought that, combined, can put the economic value of assets at risk to record highs. Becoming efficient with resources is socially responsible and cost beneficial.

WATER AS A MAJOR ASSET
Water is an asset not a liability. Driven by global population growth and rising water scarcity, the UN reports that 75 percent of the world’s available freshwater is already polluted. Under-investment in water management is exacerbating the problem, causing serious impacts on human health and the environment.

A key challenge is the high capital cost, and high energy requirements, of current wastewater treatment and management systems. Desalination plants will spring up worldwide to create massive needed fresh water from sea ocean water. The ability to use biotechnology to extract resources, such as energy, from waste, and the dropping cost of industrial automation, will begin to change our approach to managing water globally. Rather than a liability, wastewater will be viewed as an environmental resource, providing energy and clean water to communities and industry, and ushering in a truly sustainable and economical approach to managing our water resources.

Where we get our energy from will change dramatically. The U.S. military has pledged to get half its energy from renewable resources by 2020, and the Navy whole-heartedly believes it can turn to 50 percent biofuels by then. It makes political sense not to rely on volatile regions for energy, and this push could mean both cleaner vehicle fleets and a major bump in the competitiveness of biofuels in the market. The strangle hold that Middle Eastern oil holds will soon be an ancient memory. Biofuels and renewable clean energy are growth industries of the future – Oil and coal are on their way out.

Organisations need to adapt to increasing regulations controlling energy efficiency, waste, water leakage, urban congestion, transportation efficiency, land degradation, freight impact, and other factors.

Allowing employees to work virtually also reduces the need for facilities and helps organisations minimise their carbon footprints.

With Climate change being such a ‘hot potato’ and not something that’s going to simply ‘go away’. I wonder if you have given consideration to ‘breaking away from the norm’ in terms of working practice and be more clear and visual with your eco credentials. My good friend Anthony day runs a great podcast ‘The sustainable futures report’ on all things Eco which can be found here.