Volume 11, Issue 1 by The Solutions Journal

Letter from the Editor

or this inaugural issue of Solutions 2020, we have partnered with contributors from a diversity of sectors and organizations to present some of the most creative solutions to inspire sustainability action around the world. Two articles highlight the urgent need to improve sustainability capacity, commitment, and outcomes in the fossil fuel industry – one focused on the state of carbon capture technologies and one focused on the overall innovation opportunities being pursued by oil and gas companies worldwide. We also draw close attention to banking and finance with an article about the ways sustainability is deeply embedded at Bank of the West and an article that generally reviews Larry Fink’s recent publication of a call for climate, sustainability, and equity key performance indicators (KPIs) across the banking and finance sector.

The challenge of evolving our policies, institutions, and places to support shared prosperity on a healthy planet is considerable, but it can be done. These approaches are sorely needed. We faced a devastating 2019, filled with extreme temperatures, flooding, and fires that continue to rage most notably in Australia but also around the world. Some of the highest estimates place the loss of animals in the Australian bushfires at 1.5 billion, a nearly incomprehensible statistic that shudders the heart. It can be overwhelming to consider the scale and complexity of the solutions we need to address such widespread suffering. In spite of the desperate need for systemic and coordinated change, many struggle with where to begin and which interventions to prioritize. The

Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Ph.D The Solutions Journal Editor-in-Chief

challenge of evolving our policies, institutions, and places to support shared prosperity on a healthy planet is considerable, but it can be done. Several articles in this issue highlight the ways diversity, equity, and inclusion impact sustainability outcomes; Indigeneity, religious pluralism, and the North-South divide operate to structure access to the best knowledge, services, and technologies. These contributors remind us that interventions are needed at all levels of our cultural and ecological systems, and significant efforts need to be made to devise strategies that work in cash-strapped, marginalized places and to include more diverse voices and perspectives in all places. Global coverage of the climate crisis can leave us discouraged and overwhelmed, but there is certainly room for optimism in 2020. As our Editorial Board member Gus Speth writes in his editorial, there are many signs that at so many levels, the tide is turning. Movements are activated and spreading convincing messages, local governments are innovating in exciting ways that are improving the health and prosperity of their residents, international policy mechanisms are providing clearer guidelines, and subject experts around the world are tireless in their efforts to clarify the metrics and measures needed to chart a course for accelerated action. We are part of this movement, and I know you and I and our wonderful Solutions community will not give up our efforts to search out and amplify the best practices and cutting edge pathways required to build a sustainable and desirable future. In deepest solidarity,

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Solutions For a sustainable and desirable future

Contents WINTER 2020

Features

Editorial

Building Global Institutional Synergies to Accelerate the Ambition Mechanism of the Paris Agreement by Swapna Pathak & Siddharth Pathak

The Paris Agreement was designed and universally adopted to unfold a dynamic process of reviewing and ratcheting up GHG emission reduction commitments over time to limit the increase of global temperature under 2â °C by the end of this century. However, the current political inertia within the Paris Agreement has weakened its ambition mechanism and global emissions are unlikely to peak even by 2030.

A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem by G. Melodie Naja, Loren Parra & Thomas Van Lent

There is a spectrum of possible costly solutions to the problem of excess Phosphorus entering and impairing aquatic ecosystems. New, cheaper and more adaptable techniques are required to remove excess Phosphorus from impaired freshwater bodies worldwide. The $10 million George Barley Water Prize, structured in stages to mimic the commercial development of new technologies, was designed to incentivize research in solving the ongoing Phosphorus problem.

Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry by Conor Merrigan

One of the most perplexing challenges of our time is how to balance increasing energy demand with a transition to a sustainable future. The oil and gas industry plays a large role in the former, and must find ways to engage in the latter. This article explores emergent solutions and paths forward to do so.

The search for real answers begins with Solutions

Letter from the Editor by Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Ph.D.

Noteworthy An interfaith coalition for climate action by Dana Vigran & Happy Tiara Asvita In Jakarta, Indonesia, an interfaith coalition of religious leaders is coming together to tackle climate change. Jakarta residents are experiencing increasingly frequent and severe flooding and the role of religious leaders in addressing this challenge should not be underestimated. 6

Not Neutral: How Banks Can Help Drive Energy Transition by Ben Stuart The banking sector wields tremendous power to help solve climate change. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Bank of the West, an industry leader in sustainability, restricts its financing of ventures that harm the planet. Now the bank is releasing a new digital tool to empower environmentally-conscious consumers. 11

Join the Solutions Team Become a part of the global Solutions team. Applications are invited for volunteer section editors. Have Solutions delivered to your door or devices with our PDF subscription. Keep up to date on our latest articles and gain exclusive access to online and face to face Solutions events.

Envisioning

Perspectives

Through the Kitchen Window: A Vision of a New America

Making Sense of the Cents: Assessing the Costs and Future of Carbon Capture Technologies by Caravaggio Caniglia

by Gus Speth

The costs and relative successes or failures of carbon dioxide capture initiatives are examined. In particular, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at point sources such as coalfired power plants, and Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies are considered. Perspectives on the costs and viability of different carbon capture technologies are investigated. 14

Take a moment to look out the window and imagine a very different America, one in which the pursuit of the common good is more important than the pursuit of profit. You will find that if you look in the right direction, you can see signs of that vision taking concrete shape. That should encourage us that the realization of a new American Dream is within our grasp 85

Happy New Year 2030 by Robert Costanza

The world in 2030 has turned out far better than expected in 2020. This occurred because a few vanguard countries started the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) as part of the larger Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll). They helped change the primary goal of societies from mindless GDP growth to improving sustainable wellbeing. 88

Reviews Adapt or Perish - The Solution is Out There by Alexander Rucker A review of David Wallace-Wells’ most recent book: The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming. Focusing on the possible solutions to the devastating problem that plagues the world today, climate change. 77

Being Green is Not Always Easy in Investing by Christine Moriarty The ESG investment space is changing and fast and there is significant more interest in the area than thirty years ago. As attention grows, the investor needs to be more prepared and ask more questions. There is more to the greening of their investments than meets the eye. 19

Feeding the future: what role for cities? by Bonnie Birch In the context of climate change and a burgeoning global population, food systems are under growing scrutiny as awareness of their environmental, health and social justice impacts rises. City level governments are increasingly leading the charge to create more sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems. Considering the city of Melbourne, Australia as a case study, this article examines how such transformation is occurring through integrated city planning, alternative food networks and urban agriculture. 28

BlackRock’s Blunt Truths About Climate: Climate Responsive Investing Trumps Climate Denial But Can it Address Climate “Apartheid”? By Dr Anilla Cherian

BlackRock’s blunt truth that "climate risk is investment risk" trumps climate denial but does it really address the climate apartheid scenario where the poor suffer vastly inequitable burdens of climate risk and vulnerabilities? Decades of intergovernmental climate negotiations which are now stalemated have resulted in segregated sustainable energy and climate change silos within the UN context. Climate and clean energy responsive investment needs therefore to focus on countries like India, and especially in cities which are undeniably the loci and the frontline for action on clean energy and climate justice and resiliency solutions. 34

Leading on-the-land Science Camps with Indigenous Youth: Towards Reciprocity in Research by Andrea J. Reid, John-Francis Lane, Stephanie Woodworth, Andrew Spring, Renee Garner & Kristen Tanche

Handy Business Sustainability Reference Book: Mainstreaming Sustainability by Sabrina Watkins Suzanne Farver’s book in its updated second edition is an excellent compendium of tools, processes and perspectives on implementing sustainability. Although it is used for classes as a “sustainability 101” text, this review approaches the content scope and depth from the perspective of someone implementing sustainability in an organization. 79

In Canada and globally, natural science researchers wishing to engage Indigenous communities now face a new reality that requires a respectful approach to trust-and relationship-building. Here, we detail two distinct but highly parallel approaches to landbased education to serve as a guide for other researchers (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) looking to engage Indigenous communities through similar means. 39

Interconnectedness for a Sustainable World by Conor Merrigan One of the most perplexing challenges of our time is how to balance increasing energy demand with a transition to a sustainable future. The oil and gas industry plays a large role in the former, and must find ways to engage in the latter. This article explores emergent solutions and paths forward to do so. 68

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Contributors

The Solutions Journal Editor-in-Chief: Beth Schaefer Caniglia Associate Editors: Robert Costanza Hunter Lovins Ida Kubiszewski David W. Orr History Section Editor: Frank Zelko Noteworthy Section Editor Shar Olivier Book & Envisioning Editor: Bruce Cooperstein Media Reviews Section & Sustainable Business Editor: Mairi-Jane Fox Print and Online Graphic Designer: Sarah Adams Editorial Board Gar Alperovitz, Vinya Ariyaratne, Robert Ayres, Peter Barnes, Bill Becker, Paulette Blanchard, Lester Brown, Alexander Chikunov, Cutler Cleveland, Raymond Cole, Rita Colwell, Bob Corell, Herman Daly, Thomas Dietz, Josh Farley, Lorenzo Fioramonti, Jerry Franklin, Mairi-Jane Fox, Susan Joy Hassol, Richard Heinberg, Jeffrey Hollender, Buzz Holling, Terry Irwin, Jon Isham, Wes Jackson, Tim Kasser, Frances Moore Lappe, Rik Leemans, Wenhua Li, Tom Lovejoy, Manfred Max-Neef, Peter May, Jacqueline McGlade, Bill McKibben, William Mitsch, Mohan Munasinghe, Norman Myers, Shar Olivier, Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Bill Rees, Wolfgang Sachs, Ken Sagendorf, Peter Senge, Rebecca Sheehan, Vandana Shiva, Anthony Simon, Gus Speth, Larry Susskind, David Suzuki, Mary Evelyn Tucker, Alvaro Umaña, Sim van der Ryn, Peter Victor, Mathis Wackernagel, Eugene Wilkerson, Robertson Work, Mike Young In Memoriam Ray Anderson Ernest Callenbach Elinor Ostrom Subscriptions http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/subscribe Email: solutions@thesolutionsjournal.com Sponsorships & Partnerships http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/sponsor Email: solutions@thesolutionsjournal.com On the Cover

Photo by _freakwave_ on Pixabay.

1. Happy Tiara Asvita—Happy is a climate change and sustainable development enthusiast. She has background in urban planning and climate change. Currently, Happy is the Project Assistant for the Ambitious City Promises Project at ICLEI Indonesia.

human communities that recognize our connection to one another, the planet and all its life, and the universe. He draws on various tools including natural building, regenerative development, biomimicry, and permaculture to promote a sustainable future.

2. Bonnie Birch—Bonnie Birch is currently a student at the Australian National University’s Crawford School, undertaking a Master of Environmental Management and Development. She graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and International Relations) and Science (Environmental Management) in 2015. Bonnie has a particular interest in agriculture and food security policy and the intersection between natural resource management and development issues.

5. Robert Costanza—Robert Costanza

3. Caravaggio Caniglia—Caravaggio

Caniglia majored in chemistry at Columbia University, where he graduated in 2019. He will commence graduate study in the fall. His passions range from the environment to tomato sauce. 4. Scott Cloutier—Scott Cloutier is

an Assistant Professor and Senior Sustainability Scientist in Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability. His research and applied work explore and address processes of sustainable community development. He focuses on alternative forms of developing

4 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

is Chair of Public Policy at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. He has authored or coauthored over 350 scientific papers, and reports on his work have appeared in Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, The Economist, The New York Times, Science, Nature, National Geographic, and National Public Radio. 6. Naamal De Silva—Naamal works in the areas of inclusion, biodiversity conservation, and education to solve problems related to vision, strategy, priorities, and changes in direction. She is the founder Mayla, which supports the people who protect nature. Through consulting, events, mentoring, and storytelling, we create threads of connection between people, perspectives, and places. 7. Thomas Van Lent—Vice President of Programs at the Everglades Foundation. Dr. Van Lent works on providing scientific and technical support to non-governmental environmental organizations. His responsibilities include presenting expert analysis of hydrologic, engineering, and ecological information to assist in development of

Contributors

19 18

Everglades restoration alternatives and meeting Everglades restoration and protection objectives. 8. Conor Merrigan—Conor Merrigan is an experienced sustainability leader currently overseeing the sustainability program at Spirit Environmental. He has worked at scales ranging from building products to cities and works with clients to develop actionable sustainability plans to reach their custom goals. Past work has included managing statewide commercial energy programs, boutique consulting as a national leader in the application of the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system, and covering a wide range of sustainability solutions with nationally recognized consulting firms. 9. Christine Moriarty—Ms. Moriarty is a financial speaker, author and coach. She has taught as an adjunct at the college level for over twenty years. She is living her dreams by residing in the Green Mountains and helping others make peaceful, practical, prosperous financial choices. 10. G. Melodie Naja—Director of the Science Department at the Everglades Foundation. Her current research interests focus on identification and removal of pollutants impacting water quality in the Everglades. Her skills include water quality modeling, optimization and application of practical remediation processes. 11. Siddharth Pathak—Siddharth Pathak is the Director of Partnerships at the 2050 Pathways Platform. He oversees the relationship of the Platform with member governments, stakeholders and prospective partners to support them in developing a 2050 strategy.

12. Swapna Pathak—Swapna Pathak is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Politics at Oberlin College. Her research focuses on conflict and environment, global environmental politics, and environmental policy in developing countries. 13. Loren Parra—Director of the George Barley Prize at the Everglades Foundation. Loren previously worked as the Regional Director for former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, where she served as a liaison to federal agencies for all local, state, and regional officials in Miami-Dade County, managed outreach with local stakeholders, and oversaw constituent communications throughout the district. Loren holds an MBA from the University of Florida. 14. Andrea Reid—Andrea Reid is a Nisga’a Ph.D. Candidate in Biology at Carleton University. For her interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to fish and fisheries research in East Africa, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Northwest, she has been named a National Geographic Explorer, Fellow of The Explorers Club, and NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassador. In 2021, Andrea will join the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries as an Assistant Professor and Chair of their new Indigenous Fisheries Research Unit. 15. Alexander Rucker—Alexander J. Rucker is currently a full time student at Regis University studying Business Administration with a special focus in Marketing and Project Management. Born and raised in Sacramento California, he has grown up around some of the devastating consequences of climate change. The wildfires in Northern California prompted him to

focus on becoming well educated so that one day he can use his knowledge of business and the environment to influence corporations to become involved in the fight for climate justice 16. Gus Speth—James Gustave (“Gus”) Speth is distinguished fellow and co-chair of The Next System Project at The Democracy Collaborative and associate fellow at the Tellus Institute. His leadership in the environmental movement has included being cofounder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, founder of the World Resources Institute, and key roles in the administration of President Jimmy Carter and at the United Nations. He has also authored or co-authored several books; his most recent is America the Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy (Yale Press, 2012). 17. Samantha Selway—Samantha Selway is a student at Arizona State University who will be graduating in summer 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Sustainability. Her research focuses on internal development and alternative ways of viewing ourselves, each other, and the environment. She uses her knowledge of resiliency, complexity, and systems thinking to find innovative ways to create a sustainable future. 18. Ben Stuart—Ben Stuart is Bank of the West’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. He believes corporations today can have a positive impact on the planet while doing good business. Prior to Bank of the West, Stuart spent more than 20 years working in regulated industries including Charles Schwab and American Express. 19. Dana Vigran—Dana is a communi-

cations professional who has worked with international organizations in

Guatemala, Germany, the U.S. and the U.K to help them craft and share stories that further their work. With a background in gender and development and youth rights, Dana is committed to fostering locally-led, sustainable development. Dana has an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalization from the London School of Economics and a BA in History and Theater from Occidental College. 20. Sabrina Watkins—Sabrina Watkins serves on the boards of Future 500, Presidio Graduate School, and Balsam Mountain Trust and works directly with companies to constructively bridge between business and activism to deliver more integrated, environmental, social, and economic results. She retired from ConocoPhillips in 2017 after nearly a decade as global head of sustainability, with responsibility for corporate policies, positions, implementation strategies, results, and reporting. During her tenure, the company reduced over 7 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, saved over $100 million, and reduced shareholder concerns all within an efficient implementation framework. 21. Stephanie Woodworth—Stephanie Woodworth is passionate about connecting youth to the land and water through land-based education practices and pedagogies. She completed her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Kinesiology at the University of Toronto and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Ottawa in Geography. Her doctoral research is in partnership with Dehcho First Nations and Northern Water Futures to explore the impacts of on-the-land camps in the Dehcho land claim region for local Indigenous youth.

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Idea Lab Noteworthy

An interfaith coalition for climate action by Dana Vigran & Happy Tiara Asvita

n a hot and sticky Jakarta day in February 2019, religious leaders representing the six official religions of Indonesia —Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism— made their way across the city to a meeting hosted by DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. The aim of this was to bring together key stakeholders and build an inclusive approach to tackle climate change.

The role of Jakarta’s religious leaders in this sweeping goal should not be underestimated. Home to over 10 million residents, Indonesia’s capital is a bustling megacity experiencing the growing pains of rapid urbanization. From congestion and worsening air pollution to slums and sanitation problems, the city has an abundance of challenges equaled only by the spirit, resilience and faith of its diverse communities.1,2 Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population with over 200 million believers, and Jakarta, the urban heart of the country on the island of Java, boasts incredible religious and ethnic diversity.3 The Istiqlal Mosque in central Jakarta is the largest in Southeast Asia and stands barely 100 meters from the Jakarta Cathedral. In a country where religion is a central element of public life, religious leaders are uniquely positioned as figures of authority on social issues ranging from family life to politics to environmental responsibility. The religious leaders that came together that day are now working alongside the local government to raise awareness of the existential threat that climate change poses to the city and to support their communities to make change. This effort is in line with the urgency of the climate crisis. Jakarta residents are experiencing increasingly frequent and severe flooding as the city itself is sinking at an alarming rate of up to 20 cm per 6 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

year in some areas.4 This threat is not lost on the sinking capital’s leaders as plans to relocate the nation’s capital to Borneo were announced in August 2019.5 One representative each from the six official religious groups formed a working committee that aims to actively advocate for the care and respect of the environment through their respective teachings. Together, they are crafting interfaith guides to tackle climate change.

The Istiqlal Mosque in central Jakarta is the largest in Southeast Asia and stands barely 100 meters from the Jakarta Cathedral. In a country where religion is a central element of public life, religious leaders are uniquely positioned as figures of authority on social issues ranging from family life to politics to environmental responsibility.” These guides will take the form of a book series targeted at religious leaders and their congregations. The first book is made up of a collection of essays, one from the perspective of each

Idea Lab Noteworthy

religion, on climate change and the relationship between humans and the environment. Next, each religious group will publish a pocketbook of eco-preaching with verses on key topics of their choice such as water, air, land and waste to be shared widely with their congregations. Lastly, each group will contribute an article that will be compiled into a guide on the challenges and opportunities of running an eco-friendly worship house. This three-part book series is an “interfaith perspective on how to save the world,” says Nita Roshita, a community development expert working with religious leaders, DKI Jakarta and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, on this initiative. The aim of the initiative - to raise awareness of climate change and protect the environment makes for a strong alliance between the diverse religious groups in Indonesia. “All of the religions in Indonesia have one thing in common, that we see the earth as our home,” says Nita. “We may all see it from a slightly different perspective, but this is our home - the only home that we have.” Environmentalism is not new in religious teachings. Religious organizations around the world have a history of environmentalism on a global stage. On the signing of the Paris Agreement, 270 high-level faith leaders, alongside over 4,000 believers, submitted an Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders that expressed their “support for the full and ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement.”6 The Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) has issued six fatwas (rulings by religious authority) related to the environment such as FATWA Number 04/2014 on Protection of Endangered Species to Maintain the Balanced Ecosystems.7 The MUI’s fatwas address issues ranging from water

recycling in mosques to environmentally friendly mining. However, this eco-preaching initiative takes a more personal and grassroots approach. “What’s new,” says Nita, is that religious leaders, “really have to get involved actively and personally to

All of the religions in Indonesia have one thing in common, that we see the earth as our home,’ says Nita Roshita, a community development expert working with religious leaders. write something on eco-preaching,” and then, “they are bringing these preachings to the very common believer.” The aim of this initiative is to

Representatives from religious groups visited Az-Zikra Mosque to learn about Eco – Mosque activities. Credit: ICLEI Indonesia, 2019.

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Idea Lab Noteworthy

bring an awareness and concern for the environment into the hearts and minds and daily lives of communities of faith across Jakarta.

The origin story The idea for this interfaith book series on climate change first came from DKI Jakarta as they increased their efforts to engage city residents more directly in climate action. Through the Ambitious City Promises project, Jakarta is working alongside other growing Southeast Asian cities such as Hanoi, Vietnam, and Pasig City in Metro Manila, Philippines, to drive bottom-up, grounded climate action. The project was inspired by the Promise of Seoul, Seoul Metropolitan Governments’ comprehensive climate action plan that provides a model of inclusive, ambitious, citizen-driven action. Working with these communities requires a commitment to engage with them at a deeper level. To do this, these ambitious cities conducted in-depth stakeholder mapping exercises and extensive public consultations. For DKI Jakarta, it was clear from the very beginning that religious leaders would be an integral part of the conversation on how to raise awareness and broaden climate action throughout the city. As central community leaders, they are influential allies in the mission to tackle climate change from the ground up through awareness raising, behavioral change and public pressure.

For DKI Jakarta, it was clear from the very beginning that religious leaders would be an integral part of the conversation on how to raise awareness and broaden climate action throughout the city.

“It is necessary to have collaboration and cooperation between the city government and religious leaders in terms of increasing the climate awareness for citizens and the religious community,” says Erni Pelita Fitratunnisa, Head of Environmental Governance and Cleanliness Division at the Environment Agency of DKI Jakarta. “Environmental management will not be sufficient if only carried out by the government 8 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

but also needs participation from the community.” Religious leaders also see the importance of their role in raising awareness of climate change and promoting environmental protection in their communities. “Climate change and environmental damage is mostly a result of human action and occurs due to lack of awareness of the existence of nature as a gift created by Allah,” says Dr. Hayu Prabowo, Head of Environmental Breeding and Natural Resources Institute of MUI. Dr. Prabowo is leading the development of Islamic contributions to the interfaith book series. “The effective way to tackle climate change and protect the environment is through behavior change,” he says. “Religion has an important role in making these changes.”

A unified focus on the earth According to Nita, the priority is to bring the focus back onto earth and the environment. “What comes out in general from preachers is always about the relationship between humans and God and that’s all. We’ve almost forgotten about the relationship between humans and the environment,” she says. But this is not due to lack of teachings on how to treat the earth. Dr. Prabowo confirms that “Islam not only regulates the relationship with God, but also regulates the relationship between human beings and their natural environment.” Nita says this is a common teaching across many religions. “When we shared the idea [of the interfaith guides] everyone said ‘oh, we actually have that kind of teaching on how to save the earth’ and now they are trying to collect their own teachings relating to the environment. It’s really exciting.” This commonality across religious teachings allows for a strong coalition and a unified movement towards renewed environmentalism. Religious leaders “realize they don’t talk much about the environment and it’s about time. Because climate change is real. This is the time that all religious leaders really have to come together and bring awareness to their believers,” says Nita. Clearly, care for the earth is a needed and unifying value that can bring benefits beyond increased environmentalism. “Whenever we talk about religion it is always connected with something violent, or about terror,” says Nita. She

Idea Lab Noteworthy

says that this is a shared sentiment throughout the group whenever they meet. “Let’s not talk about terrorism,” they say. “We all agree that we hate violence and terrorism. How do we get people talking about climate change?” This interfaith coalition can be an effective way to build bridges and reach diverse communities across Jakarta as the city and religious leaders are focusing their attention on the issue at hand. “Through the issue of climate change we can actually come together with all faiths to save Jakarta’s environment,” says Nita. The book series which is due to be released in February 2020 is already creating a buzz in certain communities in Jakarta. “Whenever I post about the project on my social media,” Nita shares, “everyone says ‘when can we read it?’ Everyone is excited to see how other religions see the world.” Not only are Jakarta residents excited, religious and city leaders have lots of ideas about how to put this book series to good use. “This module is good for students and the

wider community,” says Js. Liem Liliany Lontoh, SE., M.Ag., Head of the Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia and lead writer of the Confucian contributions to the interfaith book series. “It is good for solving environmental problems with examples of concrete action in the modules [such as saving water, reducing plastic waste and planting trees].” She emphasizes that these guides should be more than just words: “We have put more emphasis on concrete actions rather than just boasting verses that we have read in the scriptures.” DKI Jakarta sees great potential for these guides to be used “to inform the public through both socialization and publication,” says Fitratunnisa, but also to, “develop special training so that the preachers can learn to deliver the information to the people in more detail and have more understanding.” This initiative starts with awareness raising about the realities of climate change and promotes a bottom-up, behavioral change approach, but

 Media briefing to announce the ACP project, including an initiative with the religious groups. Credit: ICLEI Indonesia, 2019.

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Idea Lab Noteworthy

religious and city leaders know they must go further to create systemic change that can truly tackle the climate challenge. Nevertheless, this interfaith coalition is growing in strength and numbers and is united in its mission to protect our earth and environment. After all, it’s the only home we have.

Istiqlal Mosque with the Jakarta Cathedral in the background. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgments: This article was made possible by the Ambitious City Promises project and supported by the dedicated project team. Ambitious City Promises is implemented by ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability and funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The ICLEI World Secretariat is responsible for project management and coordination. ICLEI Southeast Asia Secretariat and ICLEI East Asia Secretariat are also implementing partners. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is a supporting partner.

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References 1. Mustasya, T. and Andriyanu, B. Jakarta's enemy is air pollution. The Jakarta Post [online] (June 2019). https://www. thejakartapost.com/academia/2019/06/29/jakartas-enemy-is-airpollution.html 2. News Desk. Slums remain a fact of life in Jakarta, ministry finds. The Jakarta Post [online] (May 2019). https://www. thejakartapost.com/news/2019/05/28/half-of-jakarta-is-slumministry-says.html 3. Pew Research Center [online]. https://www.pewresearch.org/ fact-tank/2019/04/01/the-countries-with-the-10-largest-christianpopulations-and-the-10-largest-muslim-populations/ 4. Kusumawijaya, M. Jakarta at 30 million: my city is choking and sinking – it needs a new Plan B. The Guardian [online] (November 2016). https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/ nov/21/jakarta-indonesia-30-million-sinking-future 5. Lyons, K. Why is Indonesia moving its capital city? Everything you need to know. The Guardian [online] (August 2019). https:// www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/27/why-is-indonesiamoving-its-capital-city-everything-you-need-to-know 6. Interfaith Climate Change Statement to World Leaders. [online] (2016). http://www.mipandl.org/faith_resources/Interfaith_ Climate_Change_Statement_2016.pdf 7. Fatwa, The Indonesian Council of Ulama, Number 04/2014 On Protection of Endangered Species to Maintain the Balanced Ecosystems. [online] (2014). https://jliflc.com/wp-content/ uploads/2019/04/Fatwa-MUI-English-Jun-2014.pdf

Idea Lab Noteworthy

Not Neutral:

How Banks Can Help Drive Energy Transition by Ben Stuart

t home, I have solar panels. I bike to the store. I eat less meat, and I use less water. I shun single-use plastics.

I do all this. And yet…I know it’s not enough. I know it’s important. But, it’s not enough. Why? Stopping climate change is not just up to individuals anymore. It’s up to everyone—even people and industries the average person might not associate with protecting the planet. That includes banks. Awareness is growing that financial institutions have a key role to play based on what they finance or don’t finance. This notion was eloquently expressed by the environmentalist Bill McKibben when he wrote for The New Yorker that, “money is the oxygen on which the fire of global warming burns.” Simply put, the banking industry represents the nexus between people’s money and what money actually does in the world. Given this de facto position at the center of climate change, what banks don’t finance is just as important as what they do. U.S. banks currently have $14 trillion on deposit.1 But that money—which is really my money, your money, businesses’ money—doesn’t just sit in a vault. It goes out into the world and finances things—including industries you or I may not want to support. Industries that accelerate global warming, for example. For centuries, banks’ financing power has accompanied and even helped drive societal evolution via the activities they finance. Banks have

played a meaningful role in the development of industries from agriculture to transportation. This is still true today when it comes to energy and climate, but with a key difference: The stakes for humanity have never been higher, which means the need for action—not just words—has never been more urgent.

Let’s Leapfrog Bridge Technologies Since the Paris climate accord was drafted in 2015, progress on global warming has not come as fast as many would like—including at the recent COP25 summit in Madrid, where world leaders failed to agree on details for a global carbon market. But it’s not just about elected officials; the banking industry can do better, too. The

 When you put your money in the bank it doesn’t just sit there. It goes out into the world and finances things. Credit: Bank of the West.

For centuries, banks’ financing power has accompanied and even helped drive societal evolution via the activities they finance. Rainforest Action Network’s most recent Banking on Climate Change report found that 33 banks worldwide poured $1.9 trillion into fossil fuels between 2016 and 2018. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 11

Idea Lab Noteworthy

While the idea of quitting fossil fuels cold turkey might sound appealing, many today acknowledge that successful energy transition from non-renewable to sustainable power sources will require a long-term process that includes broad partnership, collaboration and planning. Here, the banking industry has tremendous

The stakes for humanity have never been higher, which means the need for action—not just words—has never been more urgent. potential to help accelerate this process—and not just for altruistic reasons. It’s also smart business. Consider the example of tar sands mining, a sector that has received more than $50 billion in financing since 2016. Here’s what it takes to extract oil from tar sands: After clearing an area entirely of vegetation, bitumen (essentially a semi-solid form of petroleum) is removed from deep below Earth’s surface, then separated from sand and water, then transported to a facility for processing, then sent to a refinery. To fill up your SUV, two tons of tar sands must be mined! What if that $50 billion had instead been invested in solar or wind? Not only could we be years ahead on the path toward successful energy transition—we’d likely have uncovered significant business opportunity as well. This is what the energy transition means. Let’s move away from expensive, harmful bridge technologies tied to fossil fuels and move toward What is your bank financing?

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sustainable energy sources that are better for the planet and for humans.

A Time for Action, Not Empty Commitments With this in mind, Bank of the West has policies in place to restrict or prohibit financing of certain industries harmful to the planet. We took action back in 2017 because we understood that what banks don’t finance is just as important as what they do finance. That’s why we don’t provide financial products or services to companies whose primary business is connected to oil from tar sands or oil and gas from shale. We don’t finance Arctic drilling projects. We’ve also restricted our financing of coal-fired power plants. The same applies to other activities we believe harm the planet, including palm oil production and big tobacco. Palm oil production is a significant cause of tropical deforestation, while micro-plastics from the 4.5 trillion cigarette butts that litter our planet each year can be found in 70 percent of seabirds and 30 percent of sea turtles.2 We have the strongest environmental stance of any major U.S. bank. At a time when many companies make hollow pledges and commitments, we are taking action. Based in San Francisco, we’ve seen first-hand the devastating floods and wildfires in Northern and Southern California fueled by climate change. At the same time, conscious banking is part of our global purview as a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which is playing a leadership role in accelerating the energy transition.3 Bank of the West is part of BNP Paribas’

Idea Lab Noteworthy

network of like-minded banks in 72 countries. That global reach is relevant—what’s at stake here is the preservation of our planet.

The Power of Banking Meets the Power of People Environmentally conscious financing policies and a global purview matter in today’s changing world. Bank of the West is the only major bank accepted as a member of the international envi-

The road to a sustainable future is one of action, which for us begins with our financing policies, and also involves finding products and services that will help businesses and consumers take action to protect our planet.

with the Swedish fintech company Doconomy to empower our customers to measure the CO2 impact of what they buy.4 Doconomy’s cloud-based software tracks the CO2 emissions of every transaction, thus allowing consumers to better understand the impact of their purchases.5 The card-connected digital tool lets users review the environmental impact of their shopping on-demand. Through Bank of the West’s Doconomy collaboration, consumers will be empowered to reduce their carbon footprints thanks to increased knowledge about the environmental effects of their purchases. This, we believe, will help leverage the power of banking to fight climate change. Our customers will be able to measure their day-to-day impact and act accordingly to use their spending power to help protect the environment—all while knowing their money is with a bank that shares their values and stewards their deposits to finance a more sustainable future.

 Micro-plastics from the 4.5 trillion cigarette butts that litter our planet each year can be found in 70 percent of seabirds and 30 percent of sea turtles. Bank of the West has policies in place to restrict or prohibit financing of certain industries harmful to the planet, like big tobacco. Credit: Bank of the West.

References ronmental organization 1% for the Planet. We’re also the only major bank accepted as a member of Protect Our Winters, which is working to reverse climate change. Earning the recognition of these powerful groups is gratifying, but we know our bank is on a journey and we certainly don’t have all the answers. The road to a sustainable future is one of action, which for us begins with our financing policies, and also involves finding products and services that will help businesses and consumers take action to protect our planet. In December, Bank of the West became the first U.S. bank to team up

1. US Banks Total Deposits: 14.04T USD for Q2 2019. [online]. https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_banks_total_deposits. 2. Rainey, James. (2018, August 27). Plastic straw ban? Cigarette butts are the greatest source of ocean trash. [online]. https:// www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/plastic-straw-ban-cigarettebutts-are-single-greatest-source-ocean-n903661. 3. What does being a leader in sustainable finance mean? [online]. https://group.bnpparibas/en/news/leader-sustainable-financemean. 4. Bank of the West BNP Paribas First U.S. Bank to Team with Doconomy To Enable Customers to Track CO2 Impact of Purchases. [online]. https://www.bankofthewest.com/about-us/ press-center/press-releases/2019/2019-12-10-first-us-bank-toteam-doconomy.html. 5. Doconomy AB. [online]. https://doconomy.com/en/.

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Perspectives

Making Sense of the Cents: Assessing the Costs and Future of Carbon Capture Technologies By Caravaggio Caniglia

hen I was first introduced to the idea of carbon capture, it seemed to me a moonshot technology, the sort of thing that sounded too good to be true. A lot of people have that first impression, I have found, and it is not helped by skepticism within the activist community on account of carbon capture’s considerable support from oil and gas companies.

Nonetheless, as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made abundantly clear1, net negative emission technologies will be necessary if we wish to limit global warming to 1.5o C by the end of the century. In particular, the widespread deployment of bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and use of captured carbon dioxide in industries without a clear alternative, such as cement manufacture, will be essential to the fight against climate change. How quickly carbon capture technologies will develop is therefore hugely important. This question is met with dramatically different responses from supporters and skeptics, however. Royal Dutch Shell’s Sky Scenario suggests that 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide could be captured and stored annually by the early 2030s, incentivized by carbon taxes in most industrialized countries2. Companies such as Climeworks, which aims to capture 1% of annual global carbon dioxide emissions by 20253, showcase the ambition that would make Shell’s targets feasible. Whether that ambition is well-founded is a separate concern, though. When it comes to eliminating carbon dioxide emissions at fossil fuel-powered energy plants, the data are not encouraging. Large-scale  Greenhouses are a niche market for captured carbon dioxide. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 15

Perspectives

 A coal-fired power plant in Indonesia. Capturing emissions at coal facilities remains a major goal for CCS and has drawn the attention of companies like NRG. Credit: Dominik Vanyi on Unsplash.

carbon capture and storage (CCS) retrofits tasked with eliminating carbon dioxide in coal and gas-fired power plants’ flue gases have thus far been limited in scope and excessive in cost. One of two major operational facilities, SaskPower’s Boundary Dam project in Saskatchewan, Canada, aimed to capture 90% of carbon dioxide emitted in the flue gas of its Unit 3, but has failed to reach that mark4. It achieved only 40% capture in its first year of operation and, in its first three years of activities, plant operational hours were limited to just 50% of possible time online. Meanwhile, CCS doubled the cost of power generation at Unit 3, leading SaskPower to conclude that closing the remainder of the Boundary Dam facility was preferable to retrofitting for CCS4. NRG Energy’s Petra Nova facility in Texas has run into similar problems. Though it has met goals of capturing roughly one third of the W.A. Parish Coal Plant’s carbon dioxide emissions, it has done so at a cost of $60 per megawatt hour4. Furthermore, the CCS system requires enough energy to operate that a natural-gas generator was installed in the W.A. Parish facility with the explicit purpose of providing electricity to carbon capture machinery. The emissions from the new generator totaled 450,000 tons in 2017 and 20184, seriously denting the already rose-tinted4 figure of

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over one million tons of carbon dioxide captured in 10 months that NRG cites5. Unfortunately, these two projects are the most successful large-scale CCS retrofits. Both operate using post-combustion carbon capture, meaning that flue gas consisting of 5-15% carbon dioxide is passed through solvent, sorbent, and/ or membrane systems for separation (mainly into nitrogen and carbon dioxide)6. Pre-combustion capture, wherein oxidized fuel is gasified to create a synthesis gas (syngas) that can be transformed into primarily hydrogen and carbon dioxide via the water gas shift reaction, should theoretically be more efficient because of the higher concentration of carbon dioxide in syngas relative to flue gas7. Nonetheless, installation of pre-combustion capture technology comes at a steep cost. An attempt by Southern Co. to deploy pre-combustion CCS at a coal-fired plant in Kemper, Mississippi cost triple its $2.4 billion projection before being abandoned4,8. Just retrofitting for gasification at Duke Energy’s Edwardsport, Illinois coal-fired power plant cost over $3.5 billion on a projected budget of roughly $2 billion, and performance and cost issues have prevented installation of CCS components4. Furthermore, transportation costs have prevented the economical shipping of captured carbon dioxide thus far. Both the Boundary Dam and Petra Nova projects have been enabled by the presence of nearby oil drilling, employing captured carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery

Unfortunately, these two projects are the most successful large-scale CCS retrofits. (EOR) operations at nearby wells4,8. Inadequate infrastructure for carbon dioxide transport has limited the geographic scope of potential CCS operations. Additionally, once a sufficient quantity of oil is removed from a well by EOR, there is potential for carbon dioxide that had been pumped into the well to be re-released4. Particularly in the case of the Petra Nova facility, this concern has led to skepticism about whether captured carbon from the W.A. Parish Plant will

Perspectives

simply see delayed release. Exceeding budgetary restrictions with limited success achieving target performance is not uncommon during implementation of new technology on an industrial scale. It is concerning for the future of CCS, though, that the cost competitiveness of coal-fired plants has dramatically decreased in the past decade4. Rather than using CCS technology to retrofit existing plants and eliminate coal emissions, in the event of a carbon tax it may be more economical for electricity providers to pursue cheaper renewable energy sources such as solar. It is not difficult to imagine the overhead costs of CCS retrofitting delaying research in the technology and, therefore, deployment in the bio-energy plants that both the IPCC1 and Shell2 cite as essential net-negative emission energy providers. While the future of CCS implementation at conventional hydrocarbon-fueled power stations is unclear, captured-carbon-to-fuel pathways present an avenue for turning carbon dioxide into a profitable commodity. Carbon Engineering, headquartered in British Columbia, focuses on direct air capture (DAC), sending air through a capture solution that isolates carbon dioxide, and aims to turn that carbon dioxide into synthetic, carbon-neutral fuels. The company can currently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a cost of $100 per ton and use it to produce synthetic fuels at a market price of $4 per gallon9. These promising developments have attracted major investments from Bill Gates, as well as oil companies such as Occidental Petroleum and Chevron10. They also offer a pathway by which military vehicles that could not easily transition away from liquid fuels might be able to eliminate their emissions9. Other DAC companies, such as Climeworks, based out of Switzerland, have found niche markets for carbon dioxide. Though their carbon footprint is far from the scale of the energy or concrete industry’s, beverage companies and greenhouses have proven willing to use carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere in their production chains, since there exists a set of consumers willing to buy carbon-neutral beverages and produce even at a slightly elevated price3. Climeworks’ sorbent-based technology allows it to build small-scale DAC units that can

Concrete production is a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon capture technologies provide an avenue by which to limit its environmental impact. Credit: Simone Hutsch on Unsplash

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remove carbon dioxide from the air for a cost in the neighborhood of $500 per ton, though the company believes it can reduce this price to $200 per ton in the next few years3. If it can succeed in

Exceeding budgetary restrictions with limited success achieving target performance is not uncommon during implementation of new technology on an industrial scale. It is concerning for the future of CCS, though, that the cost competitiveness of coal-fired plants has dramatically decreased in the past decade.4

turning captured carbon into fuels or plastics, the scaling-up that would be necessary to remove 1% of annual emissions from the air by 2025 might be possible, if still unlikely. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 17

Perspectives

While DAC technologies have shown promise, both their currently small scope and, in many cases, their support from oil interests have led to significant skepticism in the activist community11. Carbon capture at emissions sources suffers from the same predicament. The Sunrise Movement, for instance, proposed in January of 2019 that any Green New Deal avoid investments in carbon capture technologies12, despite the fact that the IPCC and the United Nations (UN) are

feedstocks for BECCS systems. Companies and initiatives aiming to turn captured carbon dioxide into fuel or materials, or that use it to make concrete13,14, will only become more profitable and more scalable as time goes on, and that is a good thing for the climate. References: 1.

Metz, B, Davidson, O, de Coninck, H, Loos, M, Meyer, L, eds. IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage. Cambridge University Press: New York, 2018.

Sky: Meeting the Goals of the Paris Agreement [online]. https://www.shell.com/promos/

Denial of the scientific consensus has generally been the platform of oil companies, not of activists, and for my two cents we would behoove ourselves as environmentalists to heed the IPCC’s advice.

business-customers-promos/download-latestscenario-sky/_jcr_content.stream/1530643931055/ eca19f7fc0d20adbe830d3b0b27bcc9ef72198f5/shell-scenariosky.pdf 3.

Gertner, J. The Tiny Swiss Company that Thinks it Can Help Stop Climate Change. New York Times (February 2019).

Schlissel, D, dir. Wamsted, D, ed. Holy Grail of Carbon Capture Continues to Elude Coal Industry. Institute for

in agreement on the necessity of carbon capture development for reaching 1.5o C (and probably 2o C) maximal warming goals set forth in the Paris Agreement1. While a number of democratic presidential contenders have included carbon capture in their climate proposals, Senator Bernie Sanders has insisted that it is not a true solution to climate change11. Denial of the scientific consensus has generally been the platform of oil companies, not of activists, and for my two cents we would behoove ourselves as environmentalists to heed the IPCC’s advice. Conventional utilities companies support carbon capture because it gives them an avenue by which to remain relevant in a world where carbon taxes seem imminent in most developed countries. This interest aligns with the IPCC and UN’s recommended climate policy, so it does not seem sensible to resist it for the sake of a moral victory. Rather, we would be better served addressing specific issues relevant to net-negative emissions, such as land-use considerations in the growing of

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Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, 2018. 5.

Petra Nova: Carbon Capture and the Future of Coal Power [online]. https://www.nrg.com/case-studies/petra-nova.html

Post-Combustion CO2 Capture [online]. https://www.netl.doe. gov/coal/carbon-capture/post-combustion

Pre-Combustion Carbon Capture Research [online]. https:// www.energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/carbon-capture-andstorage-research/carbon-capture-rd/pre-combustion-carbon

Dubin, K. Petra Nova is One of Two Carbon Capture and Sequestration Plants in the World. EIA, 2018.

Conca, J. Carbon Engineering - Taking CO2 Right Out of the Air to Make Gasoline. Forbes (October 2019).

10.

Brigham, K. Bill Gates and Big Oil Back This Company That’s Trying to Solve Climate Change by Sucking CO2 Out of the Air. CNBC (June 2019).

11.

Mosley, T, Hagan, A. The Future of Carbon Capture: An Old Idea to Fight Climate Change Gets New Look. WBUR (October 2019)..

12.

Meyer, R. The Green New Deal Hits Its First Major Snag. The Atlantic (January 2019).

13.

Carbon Capture Process [online]. https://www.co2concrete. com/carbon-capture-process/

14.

Harvey, C. Cement Producers are Developing a Plan to Reduce CO2 Emissions. Scientific American (July 2018).

Perspectives

Being Green is Not Always Easy in Investing by Christine Moriarty

he environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment space is changing and fast. There is a significantly more interest in the area than there was thirty years ago when I first entered the industry. As attention grows, a generation of millennials are leading this trend, but there is more to the greening of investments than meets the eye. Going mainstream may be critical to ESG investment growth but how do you sort through the plethora of mutual funds and investment options to discover how to invest your money? For perspective, there has been a strong presence of socially responsible investments (SRI) in the marketplace for many decades. Yet, the prevailing feeling of traditional investment firms and their leaders is that this was a niche that was not worth paying attention to. So, the small number of dedicated mutual fund companies and SRI investment firms carried on unnoticed by many. They were not seen as a threat or of interest to standard financial investment firms. For example, one of my first bosses, pulled out my recommendations for SRI mutual funds for a client during our prep session. He said SRI was a fad and not appropriate for these high net worth clients. A few days later, he bolted down the hallway towards my cubicle. That same boss had stepped out of that client meeting to find me because the clients had asked for SRI options, and he wanted to present the ones he had ditched two days earlier. I quickly educated him and handed him the supporting documents. I was still not privy to attending the meeting with my recommendations.

That was where the SRI industry sat—on the periphery—rather than a player in the financial world. Today’s industry shift is happening due to demand rather than internal motivation from inside the industry. The financial industry is listening and focused on millennials. Why? These businesses know that $30 trillion will be changing hands in the near future as the generational wealth shifts to the Millennial generation. 1 Is this for real? Does the industry as a whole care about ESG? Maybe. Though the industry has been making inroads over the years, I am apprehensive from what I have been seeing. While interest in SRI (or ESG as it is more often called) has been growing over the years, now there is a whole generation who is interested in investing this way. This is good and bad for a former niche investment area that has caught the attention of the bigger investment firms. Why am I concerned, even as this important ESG area grows? First, millennials are a powerful lobby and great for bringing attention to this issue, www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 19

Perspectives

yet they are also inexperienced investors who may not be prepared to truly understand their options and what is presented to them. They may be so swept up in the fact that ESG investing is an option, that they do not ask enough other questions. They may want to be green investors, but their naiveté may not serve them to accomplish their goals. Second, ESG and SRI investing are not well defined terms, opening up the area to confusion. To add to this confusion, some additional new investment terms have entered the mutual fund industry: ESG consideration, ESG informed investments, impact funds and a rating by Morningstar a leader in mutual fund rating for sustainability.2 Third, according to the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, sustainability and impact investing has reached $12 trillion in the U.S. – up by 38% since 2016.3 How does the average investor decide in a time when SRI is growing? Or is it? There is a tendency in the industry to “greenwash.” This means taking traditional investments and repackaging the group of stocks as ESG investments.4 Because of the lack of standard screens, large investment firms can design “new” funds and 20 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

label them as being informed by ESG considerations. Some investors will see this label and gladly invest without doing their due diligence. Fourth, the firms that are selling the ESG products to investors may have a product that invests in truly responsible companies who follow ESG guidelines. However, that does not mean the firm itself is sustainable. More often than not, investment firms fall short on the governance side of socially sound investing. They have few women in leadership positions and even fewer minorities. So does investing with a firm that does not align with your overall investment goals make sense when they are making money from your investment dollars? Fifth, each investor has to make personal choices that fit their own idea of ESG investing. This may expand or limit their options as they seek to align their investments with their personal choices. Will your funds be invested in energy? Guns? Tobacco? With many more common and accessible mutual funds using

There is a tendency in the industry to “greenwash.”

and integration of ESG, the line becomes blurred as to what is truly focused on the sustainable future the investor envisions and what is the product the business wants to sell. The busy investor has to look beyond the label. Finally, there are the reasons that businesses are touting their products. Is it for the purpose of supporting a better future for all or is it to better the future of the company? Many are just rising to the ESG occasion under the guise of serving the client but are not really on board themselves. In a recent speaking engagement, I was in the corporate boardroom with the company’s

Perspectives

investment group. The focus was building ESG and marketing and selling their new SRI team to investors. I was a speaker to support this type of investing. There were thirty participants in the room. I asked a simple question and the answer was pretty telling. “Who here has ESG investments?” Not one hand went up. No one was supporting ESG with their own dollars yet was being asked to sell the idea and ESG investments. The landscape may be changing as far as attention and focus for the larger institutions. Yet, this is a product not a passion for most companies. That struck me as a perfect example of an industry out of touch with what is going on out in the world and not ready for the truly rooted greening of America sought out by the new generation of investors. Business as usual for them. One more product to understand, learn about, and sell. Still on the periphery are investment organizations that have been committed to this area for decades. They started not with the goal to draw in millennials, but because of a passion and a belief in SRI investments. They set the stage and created the basis for this shift that is being built on by large financial institutions.

money to a higher standard, whether you are investing your first thousand in a mutual fund or a million in a purely ESG firm. Footnotes 1. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/financial-services/ library/managing-millennial-money.html 2. https://www.morningstar.com/articles/922371/more-funds-areformally-considering-esg-in-their-investment-processes 3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilyeoh/2019/10/26/sustainableinvesting-heres-what-millennials-need-to-know-in-the-us/#3848f88d1e8a 4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilyeoh/2019/10/26/sustainableinvesting-heres-what-millennials-need-to-know-in-the-us/#3848f88d1e8a

What is one to do? Here is a quick list whether you are evaluating your slow growing retirement investments or finding the right manager for your recent large payout: 1. Understand your own investing priorities. What issues matter most to you? What do you absolutely not want to invest in? Don’t invest until you are clear on these personal choices. 2. Take the time to ask questions and dig deeper before you place your money with a mutual fund or an investment manager. You can learn the depth of their commitment beyond the gloss of the latest ESG terms and investment returns. Taking the time to learn more will align your investments with your goals. 3. Seek out tried and true investment companies with a mission in place. The companies that have been in the SRI space for the past twenty years have weathered the market swings, the negative press and kept at their ESG mission. They have the knowledge, expertise and understanding of personal preferences to hold your www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 21

Perspectives

Interconnectedness for a Sustainable World By Samantha Selway & Scott Cloutier

f we are going to open humanity up to a global story beyond one of overconsumption, stress, and unsustainable practices, we first need to change the stories within ourselves. Living in America, we mask our stress and fear behind small doses of pleasure obtained through consumption. Stress in America has increased in recent years and is more likely to cause physical symptoms than in the past.1 We have to change our relationship with our past, present, and future so that we can change our relationship with others and the environment. By coming from a place of love and compassion for ourselves, we can spread those values and reach in unity for a sustainable future.

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Perspectives

The purpose of this paper is to share my research about interconnectedness and how it might serve a sustainable future. Interconnectedness is the oneness we feel within ourselves, with others, and with the environment. It comes from a deep understanding that, in the grand scheme of things, we are all connected. Even on a microscopic level, we each have organelles working together in every cell that are connected and transmitting information from one cell to another. They form organs and organ systems that come together to create a whole person. Each person is part of a larger social structure that is also inherently embedded in the surrounding environment. In science, we call these socio-ecological systems. One common example is the waste management system, which includes people coupled with land and aquatic ecosystems. There are countless other examples of socio-ecological systems on the planet and they all impact one other. Essentially, we all are of significance and have a place in the world. We are exactly where we need to be right now and it is in the present that we make a difference. That difference starts in who we choose to be in every present moment.

Achieving Interconnectedness There are many ways of reaching a state of interconnectedness and they all have merit. My research considers three specific pathways to reaching a state of interconnectedness: experiential, intellectual, and embodied. Below, I briefly highlight these pathways with one exemplar for each, selected for the impact it has, as supported

Essentially, we all are of significance and have a place in the world. We are exactly where we need to be right now and it is in the present that we make a difference. That difference starts in who we choose to be in every present moment. by science and my own personal experiences. The experiential pathway is exemplified by connecting to nature, the intellectual pathway delves into neuroscience, and the embodied pathway explores psychedelics. I also see a significant fourth pathway, religion and spirituality, but it would require its own paper. Next, I briefly highlight what I

 Diagram of the three pathways toward interconnectedness and example practices for each pathway. Credit: Samantha Selway.

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consider, based on my personal research and experience, to be an effective practice for each pathway. Inherently, there are many practices for every pathway and no pathway has a practice that does not include the other pathways as well. In other words, every practice affects us experientially, intellectually, and from an embodied perspective. Yet, I personally feel some are more influential than others and have arranged this article as such. My intention is to empower you as a reader to find what practices make sense for you to follow in your journey toward interconnectedness. The diagram below shows these three pathways with correlating practices, including more examples than written in this piece to remind readers that they have options and there are many different ways to reach a state of interconnectedness. It is a personalized experience and will be different for anyone who goes on this journey.

Connecting to Nature Pathway As we become more urbanized, we get further away from the natural environment. Our ancestors spent generations evolving with the Earth and only recently have we become disconnected from it. Yet, spending time in nature keeps us grounded and connects us back to our ancestors by reminding us how we used to live. Nature also improves psychological, social, and emotional well-being as well as makes us more mindful.2 It can also restore cognitive function after immersion3 and boost positive affect.4 The University of East Anglia also recently discovered that “exposure to greenspace reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease… and levels of salivary cortisol, a physiological marker of stress”.5 Essentially, spending time connecting to nature can benefit our mind and body while making us feel rejuvenated, calm, and improving our overall well-being.

Connecting to Nature Practice: Diaphragmatic Breathing Try the act of resting one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach while breathing deeply, extending the stomach and not moving the chest. This act is called diaphragmatic or belly breathing, and it results in numerous health benefits including reduced stress, anxiety, and increased positive affect.6 Diaphragmatic breathing is used to lessen 24 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

the stress response and engage the parasympathetic nervous system. When we are stressed, we often times unknowingly hold our breath or take slow, shallow breaths, causing our fight-orflight system to engage and make the response worse. Diaphragmatic breathing deactivates that stress response and encourages relaxation. This technique can be used throughout the day and is recommended for at least 15-20 minutes daily or as little as 5 minutes before a stressful event.7 It is also an excellent practice to do outside with the intention of connecting to nature. As our bodies relax and return to a state of calm, opportunities increase to listen to the sounds of the trees and the wind. We become centered and grounded when practicing diaphragmatic breathing outside purely by becoming immersed in the experience and with the intention of connecting to nature. This practice is the first I cover because it brings us back to a state of balance, which can also be found in all undisturbed natural systems and processes.

Neuroscience and Ontology Pathway The intellectual pathway is neuroscience and ontology. Ontology is “the branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relation of being”.8 This topic is meant to help the intellectual and more linear thinkers to understand that we are inherently good, connected, and altruistic. Ulluwishewa9 studies this topic and states that greed and fear “are not intrinsic to human beings,” but that we are selfless and loving. It is very easy to dismiss this, but mirror neurons have evolved so that we can feel what others feel, making it so we want them to feel good so that we in turn feel the same. We as humans have evolved by helping each other and living in close knit communities that have only very recently changed. Our neuroplasticity has allowed us to find the best ways to stay afloat in past and current environments, but we can also transform ourselves into new experienced states of love, connection, and inner harmony.10

Neuroscience and Ontology Practice: Gratitude Gratitude is defined as the affirmation of good in the world that comes from outside ourselves.11 This practice reminds us that we are inherently

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connected to the people around us because it focuses on the good that we see in our lives and how we give to and gain from others. It was chosen for the intellectual practice because it involves taking time to sit and think about what you are grateful for. The most effective way of practicing gratitude is to make it a habit, either by journaling or setting aside time to give thanks every day. Robert Emmons, a researcher that has been studying gratitude for over a decade, discovered a myriad of beneficial effects from keeping a gratitude journal. Emotionally, people feel more alive and have more positive emotions if they practice gratitude.11 Physically, people experience stronger immune systems, become less bothered by aches and pain, lower their blood pressure, and even get better sleep and exercise more.11,12 Socially, gratitude helps connect people by making them more generous, compassionate, forgiving, and outgoing.11 Emmons also says that gratitude helps us stay present, not take things for granted, become more stress resilient, and have higher self-esteem.13

Psychedelics Pathway Lastly, I focused on psychedelics because I personally knew little about them. I knew that many people had used them and that there are massive stigmas associated with them, but since I had no knowledge on the subject, I wanted to learn more and practice checking my biases. I found evidence that debunked some of the common concerns about psychedelics, which includes potential psychological or neurological damage, suicidal behavior, or addiction.14-17 I learned that psychedelics have been used for generations by Indigenous societies for spiritual enlightenment and that specific substances such as psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, and LSD are being clinically tested to help with mental illness with positive results.18,19 The history of these substances does not change that they are illegal in many places, likely due to stigma but also because of side effects

such as nausea, vomiting, and changes in heart rate. Yet, their use can help people reach a state of interconnectedness when an intention is set beforehand and there is a professional, shaman or psychiatrist, who can help guide the experience.15,18, 20

 This diagram shows that there are many different pathways and practices that were not covered in this article that can used to bring interconnectedness to one’s life.

Psychedelics Practice: Yoga Not all psychedelic experiences require the use of drugs. Yoga is a psychedelic practice because it impacts the body and mind. Yoga improves mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. With statistical significance, yoga has been shown to decrease mood disturbances, improve negative affect, and reduce self-reported tension and anxiety even when compared to regular exercise.22 It is a practice that can be adapted to suit most physical limitations and with related techniques, can improve flexibility and strengthen muscles.22 Spiritually, yoga can bring people together and deepen one’s sense of spirituality by incorporating other aspects of yoga such as reading moral www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 25

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 Practicing mindfulness meditation. Credit: Pixabay.

doctrines.22 Those who do yoga can use it as a way to cleanse the body and prepare the mind for

If we come from a place of interconnectedness, we can put our biases aside, truly communicate, and work together toward a single vision of a sustainable future. further internal practices.23 In the end, practicing yoga can improve all states of well-being, can be altered to fit a person’s needs, and can cultivates a sense of interconnectedness through its practice.

All-Encompassing Practice: Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness Meditation is an all-encompassing practice that can be used during breathwork, a gratitude practice, and yoga. For this reason, it was chosen as a practice that can used regardless of pathway and to enhance other practices. 26 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

Mindfulness is a state of heightened awareness of internal and external experience, present-centered focus, and detachment from judgement.24 This allows us to be aware of the meaning we naturally attach to events, such as good or bad. In reality, there are as many different views of the world as there are people. We can recognize it as our own interpretation and set it aside, so that we can be content, balanced, effectively manage our emotions, transcend the ego, and bring love to all of our relationships. This practice cultivates a sense of well-being within the practitioner so they may share it with the world and make a difference one interaction at a time.25 For this reason, meditation also has been used as an effective treatment for various mental health conditions.26-28

Conclusion Interconnectedness, or the sense of oneness with the world, can improve mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. It can help us have a

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non-judgemental and empowering relationship with ourselves, others, and the environment. It can be attained many ways and by using many different practices. This research provides fundamental knowledge of interconnectedness for the purpose of empowering readers to incorporate interconnectedness practices in their lives and in the way that works best for them. These practices promote love, connectedness, humility, openmindedness, and a non-judgemental attitude. This is important because if we come from a place of interconnectedness, we can put our biases aside, truly communicate, and work together toward a single vision of a sustainable future. Just as the world is inherently connected, so too is interconnectedness and sustainability. Sustainability is about creating a world that works for everyone, including future generations. I would like to see people come together with love and use their united power to create a sustainable world that works for everyone. References 1. American Psychological Association. Stress in America [online]. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2017/statenation.pdf 2. Howell, AJ, Dopko, RL, Passmore, HA & Buro, K. Nature

ourselves. (Ballantine Books, New York, 2008). 11. Emmons, R & Stern, R. Gratitude as a Psychotherapeutic Intervention. Journal of Clinical Psychology 69, 846-855 (2013). 12. Emmons, R. Why Gratitude Is Good. [online] (2010) https:// greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good. 13. McCullough, M, Tsang, J & Emmons, R. Gratitude in Intermediate Affective Terrain: Links of Grateful Moods to Individual Differences and Daily Emotional Experience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 86, 295-309 (2004). 14. Gable, R. Toward a comparative overview of dependence potential and acute toxicity of 802 psychoactive substances used nonmedically. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 19, 263–281 (1993). 15. Strassman RJ & Qualls CR. Dose-response study of N,Ndimethyltryptamine in humans. I. Neuroendocrine, autonomic, and cardiovascular effects. Archives of General Psychiatry 51, 85–97 (1994) (doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950020009001). 16. Johansen, Pål-Ørjan & Krebs, T. Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study. Journal of psychopharmacology 29, 270–279 (2015) (doi:10.1177/0269881114568039). 17. Le Dain, G. The Non-medical Use of Drugs: Interim Report of the Canadian Government’s Commission of Inquiry. p.106. Physical dependence does not develop to LSD (1971). 18. Nichols DE. Psychedelics. Pharmacological reviews 68, 264– 355(2016) (doi:10.1124/pr.115.011478). 19. Griffiths, R et al. Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with lifethreatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology 30, 1181-1197 (2016). 20. Leary, T, Metzner R & Alpert R. The Psychedelic Experience (University Books, 1969). 21. Noggle, JJ, Steiner, NS, Minami, T & Khalsa, S. Benefits of Yoga

connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness.

for Psychosocial Well-Being in a US High School Curriculum:

Personality and Individual Differences 51, 166–171. (2011) (doi:

A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of

10.1016/j.paid.2011.03.037). 3. Bratman, G, Hamilton, J & Daily, G. The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1249, 118-136 (2012). 4. Mayer, FS, Frantz, CM, Bruehlman-Senecal, E & Dolliver, K. Why Is Nature Beneficial? Environment and Behavior 41, 607–643 (2008) (doi: 10.1177/0013916508319745). 5. Study: Spending Time Outside Is Good for You. Laboratory Equipment (2018). 6. Fish, MT (2018). A Primer on Stress and Applications for Evidence-Based Stress Management Interventions in the Recreational Therapy Setting. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, LII, 390–409 (2018) (doi: doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2018V52-I4-9013). 7. Harvard Medical School. Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response [online] (2018). https://www. health.harvard.edu/mind-and- mood/relaxation-techniquesbreath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response 8. Merriam-Webster. Ontology [online] (2018). https://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ontology. 9. Ulluwishewa, R. Development Aid as a Gift of Love: Re-inventing Aid on a Spiritual Foundation. Problems of Sustainable Development 12, 109-118 (2017). 10. Begley, S & Begley, S. Train your mind, change your brain: how a new science reveals our extraordinary potential to transform

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics 33, 193-201 (2012). 22. Iyengar, BKS. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali. Philosophy East and West 46, 291-292 (1996). 23. Rao, R et al. Role of yoga in cancer patients: Expectations, benefits, and risks: A review. Indian Journal of Palliative Care 23, 225 (2017) (doi:10.4103/ijpc.ijpc_107_17). 24. Vago, DR & Silbersweig, DA. Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Vol:6 (2012) (doi: 10.3389/ fnhum.2012.00296). 25. Anuruddha, Bodhi, & Narada. A comprehensive manual of Abhidhamma: the Abhidhammatta Sangaha of Acariya Anuruddha. (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1999). 26. Segal, ZV, Williams, JMG & Teasdale, JD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: a new approach to preventing relapse. (The Guilford Press, New York, 2002). 27. Bowen, S et al. Relative efficacy of mindfulness-based relapse prevention, standard relapse prevention, and treatment as usual for substance use disorders: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry 71, 547–556 (2014) (doi:10.1001/ jamapsychiatry.2013.4546) 28. Linehan, MM. Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: Implications for the Treatment of Substance Abuse. PsycEXTRA (1993) (doi: 10.1037/ e495912006-012).

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Feeding the future: what role for cities? By Bonnie Birch  Melbourne, Australia. Credit: Alf Scalise, from Pixabay.

lobally, food systems are becoming sites of ‘experimentation and contestation’ as state and civil society actors gain awareness of their environmental, public health and social justice ramifications.1 In the context of climate change and a burgeoning global population, all food system activities—production, processing, packaging, distribution, retailing, and consumption—are under increased scrutiny. This is evident in highly urbanised nations like Australia, where industrialised food systems interact with the spatial form and socio-economic inequalities of cities to produce perverse outcomes including non-communicable diseases and food insecurity. Although food policy is not a traditional focus of city-level governments, cities are now leading the charge to create more environmentally sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. Using the city of Melbourne, Australia as a case study, this article will examine how this transformation is occurring through integrated city planning, alternative food networks, and urban agriculture.

28 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

City-food system interactions in Australia The challenge of feeding Australia’s growing population has a distinctly urban dimension. Approximately 83 per cent of Australians reside in capital cities, and of the forecast national population growth of 11.8 million by 2046, 75 per cent is expected to occur in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.1,2 While cities are hubs of innovation and cultural diversity, they often have large ecological footprints.3 For example, research suggests that Melbourne will require at least 60 per cent more food by 2050.4 Meeting this demand will be challenging within the current ‘productionist

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paradigm’ of Australian agriculture, whereby ‘the principles and logic of industrial production’ are applied to boost food output.5 Characterised by large-scale, mechanised farming of monocultures reliant on cheap fossil fuels inputs, the sector has contributed to soil degradation, water scarcity, and approximately 13 per cent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.6,7 Urban expansion is also associated with the loss of fertile peri-urban farmland, which in the state of Victoria accounts for around 59 per cent of vegetable production.8 Even with such local production capacity, Australian cities remain largely reliant on long, complex supply chains to meet food demand.9 Consequently, urban consumers have become disconnected from the origins of their food, arguably making it easier for them to disregard its ecological consequences, such as food waste.10 Australian cities have also become ‘placeless foodscapes’ whereby most fresh produce is available year round regardless of seasonality, while traditional culinary cultures are disappearing from households.11 For example, Indigenous youth living in urban areas may have limited experiences of customary food sharing practices and ‘bush tucker’, although this is increasingly marketed to tourists.12 The placeless nature of Australia’s urban food systems is also reinforced by the market concentration of the grocery sector, with three major supermarkets

controlling 60 per cent of fresh food sales, reducing the market share of small-scale, independent retailers.13 Limited diversity, along with the major supermarkets’ use of sophisticated ‘just-

Cities are now leading the charge to create more environmentally sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems. in-time’ logistics—allowing them to keep limited stockpiles—reduces the level of redundancy and resilience in the food system. This is problematic given projections of more frequent extreme weather events under climate change that could disrupt Australia’s road transport network.10 The dietary impacts of city living are also significant, and urbanisation is associated with greater consumption of convenience foods processed or prepared outside of the home, more sedentary lifestyles, and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases.14 Australia is generally considered ‘food secure’ because domestic farmers provide 90 per cent of fresh food consumed by Australians and export enough food for over 40 million people.15 Despite this abundance, food security only exists ‘when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access

Seedlings for sale at CERES Environment Park in Melbourne. Credit: Sheffield Hammer



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to sufficient, safe and nutritious foods’.16 By this definition, low-income households, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, refugees, the homeless, older people and those living with disabilities are more likely to experience food insecurity.17 Indeed,

Urban consumers have become disconnected from the origins of their food, arguably making it easier for them to disregard its ecological consequences. urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are three to six times more likely to be food insecure than their non-Indigenous counterparts; and also experience higher rates of obesity.18,19 Such trends are not particularly visible in cities, where Indigenous people often belong to heterogeneous and dispersed communities, which may lead outsiders to question their Aboriginality.19 Socioeconomic inequalities are also being exacerbated by urban gentrification, which can displace low-income households to the city periphery where access to transport determines access to healthy food.20 Moreover, in the context of climate change, urban food security will likely be affected by rising food, fuel, and utility costs, placing further financial stress on low-income households.21 Despite these clear interactions between food and the environmental, health, and social justice outcomes of urban environments, city governments have only recently become more involved in food policy.

The New Urban Food Agenda Over the past decade, cities have turned their attention to solving the above problems through a new urban food policy agenda. The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact established in 2015 highlights the crucial role of cities in shaping sustainable food systems through integrated policy development.22 Indeed, city governments are in a unique position to influence food systems through the levers of ‘land use planning, infrastructure development, transport, environmental conservation, housing and economic and community development’.21 Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), city governments are seeking to address interlinked challenges such as: 30 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

ensuring food security and improving nutrition (SDG 2), improving health and well-being (SDG 3), and making cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11).23 In doing so, they must promote urban food systems that operate within planetary boundaries, for example, through policies that support a circular bio-economy approach to minimise food waste, or encourage increased consumption of plant-based foods.24,25 Cities could also promote a ‘cosmopolitan localism’ approach to sourcing food sustainably, which balances local products from short supply chains with responsibly produced and traded imports that contribute to culturally appropriate diets for immigrant populations.26 This multi-dimensional issue demonstrates the need for cities to support inclusive food systems by incorporating diverse stakeholder perspectives and knowledge into planning and decisionmaking. One mechanism for achieving this is the formation of advisory bodies—such as the Food Policy Councils of Bristol and Toronto—which bring together government, private sector, and civil society actors over multiple scales and policy arenas. Cities can also build inclusivity by forging positive linkages with surrounding rural areas that encourage more geographically even economic development.25 Inclusive city governments breed resilience, as the resultant information exchange and networks created lead to better cohesion and responsiveness within food systems during emergency situations.27 Therefore, the advent of a new urban food agenda is prompting city level governments to create more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems.

Operationalising the new urban food agenda Melbourne provides a leading example of how cities can positively shape sustainable food systems through integrated planning and supporting alternative food networks and urban agriculture. The City of Melbourne’s holistic Food Policy highlights its key responsibilities for food systems governance: education and community development, leadership and advocacy, building and strengthening partnerships, regulation and infrastructure management, and research.22 The recently established Melbourne Food Alliance

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will play a key role in operationalising this policy, bringing together experts in food production, supply and distribution, diet and nutrition, access, waste, local government, and academia to establish projects and partnerships for food systems reform.28 Another key example of integrated food planning in Melbourne was the state government funded ‘Food for All’ project, which ran from 2005 to 2010.29 Major outcomes of this project included the establishment of home grocery delivery services for vulnerable residents, a community bus that travels weekly to low-income areas and schools to sell fruits and vegetables, and school-based kitchen gardens that integrate knowledge about ‘gardening, composting, healthy eating and cooking’ into the curriculum.30 Alongside such local government initiatives, a range of alternative food networks based on the principles of ‘small, slow and shared’ have emerged in Melbourne. 31 For example, the CERES Environment Park runs ‘Fair Food’—an ethical, affordable food delivery service that sources seasonal fruit and vegetables from local farmers. The service aims to pay farmers a fair price, employs asylum seekers, and invests its profits in environmental education.32 A further alternative food network that services Melbourne’s urban indigenous population is the Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place. This community organisation hosts a food cooperative that receives donations of surplus fruits and vegetables and distributes them to people in need in exchange for their time volunteering at the organisation. The cooperative has been highly successful as it positions Indigenous people as active members of their community rather than passive recipients of welfare.31 The City of Melbourne connects its citizens to such initiatives through its ‘Community Food Guide’ that lists food-related

networks, services, and education providers.33 In Melbourne the relationship between food and the city is also being reshaped by urban agriculture (UA). This term encompasses community gardens, city farms, guerrilla gardening, backyard,

balcony and rooftop gardens, as well as technologically innovative practices like Building-Integrated Agriculture and Vertical Farming.10,34 In Australia, consumer concerns about the health and environmental implications of conventional food systems have led to increased demand for local products, including those produced within the city.35 However, reviews of UA’s potential contribution to sustainable food systems are mixed. UA may help to realise synergies between built and natural environments and human activities, a key factor in achieving SDG 11.35 For example, it has the potential to mitigate the urban heat island effect, make productive use of small, underutilised urban spaces, and improve nutrient cycling through re-using organic and water wastes.36,37 Yet, these benefits are dependent on the specific location and practices used. In terms of public health, participation in UA is linked to greater access to

 Community based urban agriculture can help to build stronger social networks. Credit: Elaine Casap from Unsplash.

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fruits and vegetables, increased physical activity, and stronger social networks.31 Many UA practitioners are also part of non-market economies whereby food surpluses are exchanged or gifted to other community members, thus reversing the notion of food as a commodity. Those involved in the CERES Urban Orchard Project in Melbourne not only share fresh produce, but also horticultural and culinary knowledge and novel seeds.32 In this way UA can contribute to the diversity of food in the city, and may help people to reconnect with their cultural food traditions. Although UA is unlikely to make cities food self-sufficient, it may build overall food system resilience by supplementing food supplies in the event of a major supply chain disruption.10 Despite its advantages, critics question the social justice credentials of UA, which requires significant time, skills, physical capacity, and land to grow food, potentially prohibiting involvement of disadvantaged demographics.38

The rise of alternative food networks and urban agriculture in Melbourne is creating positive cityfood interactions outside of traditional market based perspectives.

urban food movement to leverage the power of the public realm to deliver more ambitious reform of the food system’ in future.41

Conclusion Cities have emerged as the vanguard of food systems innovation. This is because the environmental, public health, and social justice impacts of unsustainable food systems are clearly manifested in cities—impacts that are likely to be intensified by climate change and rapid urbanisation. Furthermore, city-level governments control major levers of food systems change such as transport and community development. Consequently, cities like Melbourne have shifted focus to integrated urban policy and planning that fosters more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. Alongside this change, the rise of alternative food networks and urban agriculture in Melbourne is creating positive city-food interactions outside of traditional market-based perspectives. As each city faces unique challenges, it is important that food policies are context specific, however future opportunities for trans-local food systems governance should be embraced. References 1. Friedmann, H. Discussion: moving food regimes forward: reflections on symposium essays. Agriculture and Human Values 26, 335-344 (2009), p. 335.

The City of Melbourne actively supports UA, for example through financial support for community projects and educational workshops on growing food in small spaces.39 However going forward, key challenges will include UA’s infrastructure requirements, the lack of data on current UA production, and growing competition for land and water in cities. Indeed, Melbourne’s redensification strategy to reduce urban sprawl is likely to raise urban land prices, and may reduce the viability of UA.40 This underlines the challenge of managing trade-offs in integrated planning, and reconciling the goals of multiple actors. While Melbourne’s local councils and alternative food networks have taken important actions to improve food system sustainability, the underlying problems of industrialised food systems require state and federal government attention. Nevertheless, by aligning local actions across cities, it may be possible to scale up to a ‘trans-local 32 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Estimated Resident PopulationGreater Capital City Statistical Areas, cat. no. 3218.0 [online] (2016). www.abs.gov.au. 3. Infrastructure Australia. Future Cities: Planning for our growing population [online] (2019). www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/ policy-publications/publications/files/future-cities/Future-CitiesPaper.pdf. 4. Seto, KC & Ramankutty, N. Hidden linkages between urbanisation and food systems. Science 352, 943-945 (2016). 5. Sheridan, J, Larsen, K & Carey, R. Melbourne’s foodbowl: Now and at seven million [online] (2015). https://research.unimelb.edu. au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2355155/Melbournes-FoodbowlNow-and-at-seven-million.pdf. 6. Lang, T & Heasman, M. Food Wars: Public Health and the Battle for Mouths, Minds and Markets 2nd edn (Earthscan, London, 2015), p.26. 7. Pannell, D & Roberts, A. Public goods and externalities: Agrienvironmental policy measures in Australia. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers [online] 80 (2015). www. oecd-ilibrary.org/agriculture-and-food/public-goods-andexternalities_5js08hx1btlw-en. 8. Department of the Environment and Energy. Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: September 2018 [online] (2018). www.environment.gov.au/system/files/ resources/4391288e-fc2b-477d-9f0b-99a01363e534/files/nggi-

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quarterly-update-sept-2018.pdf. 9. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

fao.org/3/ca3151en/CA3151EN.pdf. 26. EAT-Lancet Commission. Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food

Protecting Melbourne’s strategic agricultural land [online] (2019).

Systems: Food, Planet, Health [online] (2019). https://eatforum.org/

https://engage.vic.gov.au/protecting-melbournes-ag-land.

content/uploads/2019/04/EAT-Lancet_Commission_Summary_

10. Burton, P, Lyons, K, Richards, C, Amati, M, Rose, N, Des Fours, L, Pires, V & Barclay, R. Urban food security, urban resilience and climate change [online] (2013). www.nccarf.edu.au/sites/default/ files/attached_files_publications/Burton_2013_Urban_food_ security.pdf. 11. Vieira, LC, Serrao-Neumann, S, Howes, M & Mackey, B. Unpacking components of sustainable and resilient urban food systems. Journal of Cleaner Production 200, 318-330 (2018). 12. Morgan, K & Sonnino, R. The School Food Revolution: Public Food and the Challenge of Sustainable Development (Earthscan, London, 2008), p.37. 13. Skinner, K, Pratley, E & Burnett, K. Eating in the City: A Review of the Literature on Food Insecurity and Indigenous People Living in Urban Spaces. Societies 6 (2016). 14. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Report of the ACCC Inquiry into the Competitiveness of Retail Prices for Standard Groceries [online] (2008). www.accc.gov.au/ system/files/Grocery%20inquiry%20report%20-%20July%20 2008.pdf 15. Knorr, D, Khoo, CSH & Augustin, MA. Food for an Urban Planet: Challenges and Research Opportunities. Frontiers in Nutrition 4 (2017). 16. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). National Food Plan: Our Food Future [online] (2013). www.ftaaus. com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JUNE-national-food-planwhite-paper1.pdf. 17. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The State of Food Insecurity in the World [online] (2015), p. 53. www.fao.org/3/a4ef2d16-70a7-460a-a9ac-2a65a533269a/i4646e.pdf. 18. Lawrence, G, Richards, C & Lyons, K. Food Security in an era of neoliberalism, productivism and climate change. Journal of Rural Studies 29, 30-39 (2012). 19. Bramwell, L, Foley, W & Shaw, T. Putting urban Aboriginal and

Report.pdf. 27. Morgan, K & Sonnino, R. The urban foodscape: world cities and the new food equation. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3, 209-224 (2010), p. 212. 28. Smith, K & Lawrence, G. From disaster management to adaptive governance? Governance challenges to achieving resilient food systems in Australia. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning 20, 387-401 (2018), p. 390. 29. City of Melbourne. Melbourne Food Alliance [online] (2019). www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/healthy-support-services. 30. Vichealth. Food for All [online] (2018). www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/ programs-and-projects/food-for-all. 31. Browne, J, Laurence, S & Thorpe, S. Acting on food insecurity in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: Policy and practice interventions to improve local access and supply of nutritious food [online] (2009), p. 12. www.pdfs.semanticscholar. org/88fa/cb39cd108e471de0b76e673af92190d695b0.pdf. 32. Edwards, F. Small, Slow and Shared: Emerging Social Innovations in Urban Australian Foodscapes. Australian Humanities review 51, 115-134 (2011), p.115. 33. CERES Fair Food. About Us [online] (n.d). www.ceresfairfood.org. au/about-us/. 34. City of Melbourne. Community Food Guide [online] (n.d.). www. melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/communityfood-guide.pdf. 35. Benis, K & Ferrão, P. Potential mitigation of the environmental impacts of food systems through urban and peri-urban assessment approach. Journal of Cleaner Production 140, 784-795 (2017). 36. Norman, B. Canberra must be greener to cope in a hotter future. The Canberra Times, 22 February [online] (2019).www. canberratimes.com.au/politics/act/canberra-must-be-greener-tocope-in-a-hotter-future-20190221-p50z8t.html. 37. Ackerman, K, Conrad, M, Culligan, P, Plunz, R, Sutto, M,

Torres Strait Islander food insecurity on the agenda. Australian

Whittinghill, L. Sustainable Food Systems for Future Cities: The

Journal of Primary Health 23, 415-419 (2017).

Potential of Urban Agriculture. The Economic and Social Review

20. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). A picture of overweight and obesity in Australia 2017 [online] (2017). www.

45, 189-206 (2014). 38. Nogeire-McRae, T, Ryan, EP, Jablonski, BBR, Carolan, M, Arathi,

aihw.gov.au/getmedia/172fba28-785e-4a08-ab37-2da3bbae40b8/

HS, Brown, CS, Saki, HH,McKeen, S, Lapansky, E & Schipanksi,

aihw-phe-216.pdf.aspx?inline=true.

ME. The Role of Urban Agriculture in a Secure, Healthy and

21. Muriuki, G, Schubert, L, Hussey, K & Roitman, S. Urban Food Systems—a renewed role for local governments in Australia. Food Systems Discussion Paper 2 [online] (2019), p. 8. www.gci.uq.edu. au/filething/get/12853/Urban%20Food%20Systems%20in%20 Australian%20Cities_Background-compile.pdf. 22. City of Melbourne. Food City: City of Melbourne Food Policy [online] (2012). www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ SiteCollectionDocuments/com-food-policy.pdf. 23. Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. About us [online] (n.d.). www. milanurbanfoodpolicypact.org. 24. United Nations (UN). Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development [online] (2015). www.un.org/ga/ search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. 25. Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). FAO framework for the Urban Food Agenda [online] (2019). www.

Sustainable Food System.BioScience 68, 748-759 (2018). 39. Horst, M, McClintock, N & Hoey, L. The Intersection of Planning, Urban Agriculture, and Food Justice: A Review of the Literature. Journal of the American Planning Association 83, 277-295 (2017). 40. City of Melbourne. City of Melbourne Annual Report 2017-18 [online] (2018). www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ SiteCollectionDocuments/annual-report-2017-18.pdf. 41. Carey, R, Sheridan, J & Larsen, K. Food for thought: Challenges and opportunities for farming in Melbourne’s foodbowl [online] (2018). https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/ handle/11343/214114/Foodprint%20Melbourne%20Food%20 for%20Thought%20July%202018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. 42. Morgan, K. Nourishing the city: The rise of the urban food question in the Global North. Urban Studies 52, 1379-1394 (2015), p. 1391.

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BlackRock’s Blunt Truths About Climate: Climate Responsive Investing Trumps Climate Denial But Can it Address Climate “Apartheid”? By Dr Anilla Cherian

n the waning days of 2019, millions spurred by the laser-focused climate activism of young Greta Thunberg, who campaigned for climate action across the world, were left crushed that the 25th UN annual climate negotiations conference ended in utter disarray.

Despite extending the two-week Madrid meeting for an additional two days, and after 25 such consecutive annual climate conferences convened in diverse cities, countries failed to deliver 34 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

essential outcomes such as setting a rulebook for the Paris Agreement (PA), and designing a global carbon market. On June 1, 2017, United States (US) - the world’s second largest aggregate GHG emitterannounced its decision to unilaterally withdraw from the PA. Now, more than four years after its adoption, the future of the PA appears dismally complicated at best. Droughts, super-typhoons, forest fires have devastated numerous communities and regions, valuable biodiversity resources have been lost forever and glaciers have melted whilst intergovernmental textual agreement on ambitious climate action still remains quixotic. But, it is the

Perspectives  Credit: Atharva Tulsi on Unsplash

hunger and conflict while the rest of the world is left to suffer” (UN News, 2019)1 . So what exactly will the wealthy do in response to a “climate apartheid” scenario? Well in 2019, according to an article in Eco-Watch, a highly selective, by-invitation only, celebrity-focused, 3 day Google camp on climate change which cost

So what exactly will the wealthy do in response to a “climate apartheid” scenario?

massively inequitable scope and scale of climatic adversities on the poorest and most vulnerable that has consistently been acknowledged and yet left unaddressed that is the real tragedy especially for developing countries. Calling attention to the massive scale of loss and dislocation the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston pointed that “even if current targets are met”, the most severe climatic impacts would be experienced by poor countries and communities: “Perversely, while people in poverty are responsible for just a fraction of global emissions, they will bear the brunt of climate change, and have the least capacity to protect themselves…We risk a ‘climate apartheid’ scenario where the wealthy pay to escape overheating,

upwards of $20 million, meant that Palermo airport prepared “for the expected arrival of 114 private jets”.2 But in January 2020, it appears that climate responsive investing (for those can access asset fund managers) is conclusively here- jumpstarted by two letters by Larry Fink, the head of BlackRock to CEOs3 and clients4 respectively. The fact that the world’s largest asset fund manager was explicit that BlackRock is now putting “sustainability at the center of our investment approach” is the analog of a paradigm shift for global investors. A Jan 15, 2020 article by Dawn Lim in the Wall Street Journal describes just how big of a global imprint BlackRock Inc. has as its “assets surpassed $7 trillion for the first time as the investment giant reported record-setting flows in 2019”. 5 What sets Fink’s letter to CEOs apart is not just the global significance of his company but his argument that BlackRock is an asset manager that “invests on behalf of others”, and that he is writing “as an advisor and fiduciary” to clients because as he puts it “the money we manage is not our own. It belongs to people in dozens of countries trying to finance long-term goals like retirement. And we have a deep responsibility to these institutions and individuals – who are shareholders in your company and thousands of others – to promote long-term value”. His explicit recognition that “climate change has become a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects” also touches on another key point which is that climate activism by ordinary people apparently resonated in the www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 35

Perspectives

 Credit: Hamza Bounaim on Unsplash

It is Fink’s blunt truth that a sustainable energy transition “will still take decades” which is crucially relevant for cities in India trying to simultaneously cope with high levels of energy-related air pollution and climatic adversities anticipated to be borne inequitably by poorer and vulnerable communities.

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shift towards sustainable, climate responsive investment decision-making. As Fink points outs, “Last September, when millions of people took to the streets to demand action on climate change, many of them emphasized the significant and lasting impact that it will have on economic growth and prosperity – a risk that markets to date have been slower to reflect. But awareness is rapidly changing, and I believe we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance”.6 Fink‘s decision makes it harder for climate deniers who have tried to obfuscate the preponderance of evidence regarding climate risk. BlackRock’s conclusion that “climate risk is investment risk” fundamentally alters investment assumptions, but it also has huge relevance for governmental decision making related to the policy intersection between highly polluting solidfuel energy reliance and climate vulnerabilities. BlackRock signals that it will exit thermal coal which is “becoming less and less economically viable, and highly exposed to regulation because of its environmental impacts...As a result, we are in the process of removing from our discretionary active investment portfolios the public securities (both debt and equity) of companies that generate more than 25% of their revenues from thermal coal production, which we aim to accomplish by the middle of 2020”.7 This deadline of mid 2020 is a tell-tale signifier that private-sector investment decisions are moving exponentially faster than governmental decision-making regarding the risks of thermal power reliance. It is Fink’s blunt truth reference that a sustainable energy transition “will still take decades” that is crucially relevant for cities in India trying to simultaneously cope with high levels of energyrelated air pollution and climatic adversities anticipated to be borne inequitably by poorer and vulnerable communities. A 2015 Special Report by International Energy Agency (IEA) identified India having the “largest population in the world relying on the traditional use of solid biomass

Perspectives

for cooking: an estimated 840 million people – more than the populations of the United States and the European Union combined”.8 The use of solid biomass for cooking is directly related to the release of harmful indoor air pollutants- shortlived climate pollutants- that are a major cause of premature death and ill-health particularly for children, women and the elderly, and also impact on regional food security and biodiversity loss. A more recent 2020 Country Report by the IEA indicates that India has heavily subsidized the provision of Liqufied Petroleum Gas (LPG-also known as cooking gas) in order to reduce exposure to indoor air pollution and has set 2022 as the target to achieve 100 smart cities, LPG connections to all housing, universal electricity access and 175 GW of renewable electricity capacity.9 New partnerships focused on pollution reduction are urgently needed because there is no escaping the smothering haze across major Indian cities today. A Bloomberg article entitled “World’s Dirtiest Air is now in India” referenced a joint data study by Greenpeace and IQAirVisual that found that seven of top 10 cities with worst air quality in 2018 are in India: “India, the world’s fastest-growing major economy, makes up 22 of the top 30 most polluted cities, with five in China, two in Pakistan and one in Bangladesh. India racks up health-care costs and productivity losses from pollution of as much as 8.5 percent of gross domestic product, according to the World Bank”.10 The question of how countries like India can work with the private sector to pursue a clean energy transition that Fink argues “cannot leave behind parts of society, or entire countries in developing markets, as we pursue the path to a low-carbon world” remains daunting. Fink makes a forceful call for governments to lead the way so that companies/investors can follow, and points out that BlackRock was “a founding member

of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)” as well as a signatory to the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). But, delivering on the promise of linked action for millions who are currently consigned to suffer at the toxic intersection of energy pollution and climatic adversities requires the elimination of

The good news is that integrated clean energy and climate transition partnerships do not need to wait for the moribund textual parsing and political posturing of intergovernmental climate negotiations. Instead the loci for linked action on access to clean energy and climate resiliency for poor and vulnerable communities can, and does reside at the local/city government level. intergovernmental silos that segregate action on two separate UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- sustainable energy for all (SDG 7) and climate (SDG 13). It is a fallacy to somehow expect effectively linked partnership actions on a low to zero carbon energy transition focused on the overarching priority of poverty reduction via two distinct SDGs that are being implemented within separate policy silos. The good news is that integrated clean energy and climate transition partnerships do not need to wait for the moribund textual parsing and political posturing of intergovernmental climate negotiations. Instead the loci for linked action on access to clean energy and climate resiliency for poor and vulnerable communities can and does reside at the local/city government level. Cities are undeniably on the frontline for clean energy and climate justice, as well as climate resiliency solutions. According to UN’s, “The World’s Cities in 2018”, cities consume more than two-thirds

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Delhi will overtake Toyko as the world's largest city by 2030 Between 2018 and 2030, the population of Delhi, India is projected to increase by more than 10 million inhabitants, whereas that of Tokyo, Japan is projected to decline by almost 900,000. The two cities are thus expected to change places on the list of the world's cities ranked by size. Projection indicate that the worlds tenth largest city in 2018—Osaka, Japan—will no longer be aomong the ten largest in 2030. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo will grow to rank as the tenth most populous city in the world in 2030.

City Size Rank

City

Population in 2018 (thousands)

City

Population in 2030 (thousands)

Tokyo, Japan

37,468

Delhi, India

38,939

Delhi, India

28,514

Tokyo, Japan

36,574

Shanghai, China

25,582

Shanghai, China

32,869

São Paolo, Brazil

21,650

Dhaka, Bangladesh

28,076

Ciudad de México (Mexico City, Mexico)

21,581

Al-Qahirah (Cairo), Egypt

25,517

Al-Qahirah (Cairo), Egypt

20,076

Mumbai (Bombay), India

24,572

Mumbai (Bombay), India

19,980

Beijing, China

24,282

Beijing, China

19,618

Ciudad de México (Mexico City, Mexico)

24,111

Dhaka, Bangladesh

19,578

São Paolo, Brazil

23,824

Kinki M.M.A. (Osaka), Japan

19,281

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

21,914

 Source: UN (2019) The World’s Cities in 2018

of the world’s energy, and account for more than 70 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. The number of cities with more than 10 million inhabitants —“megacities”—is projected to rise from 33 in 2018 to 43 in 2030, with Delhi overtaking Tokyo as the world’s largest megacity and Kinshasa becoming the tenth most populous city by 2030. The UN Secretary General highlights that “cities are where the climate battle will be largely won or lost” (UN: 2019) but winning this battle requires linked action rather than silos on climate and clean energy. Fink and other high net worth individuals who argue that climate responsive investment should not leave behind “large parts of society or entire countries in developing markets” need to drastically scale up partnerships with the C-40 Initiative and others to deliver an integrated nexus on clean energy, climate justice and community resilience within the bustling cities/ megacities of Asia, Latin America and Africa.

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References 1. UN News (2019) “World faces ‘climate apartheid”, 120 more million in poverty: UN Expert” June 25, 2019. https://news. un.org/en/story/2019/06/1041261 2. Davidson, Jordan (2019) “Google camp on climate crisis attended by Rich and Famous in Private Jets and Mega Yachts”. Ecowatch. Aug 2, 2019. https://www.ecowatch.com/google-camp-climatecrisis-2639622926.html (Accessed on August 20, 2019) 3. BlackRock (2020) “Larry Fink’s Letter to CEOs” https://www. blackRock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter. 4. BlackRock (2020) “ Letter to Clients” https://www.blackrock. com/corporate/investor-relations/blackrock-client-letter 5. Lim, Dawn (2020) “BlackRock’s Assets Blow Past $7 Trillion in Milestone for Investment Giant”. The Wall Street Journal. Jan 15, 2020. https://www.wsj.com/articles/blackrocks-assets-blow-past7-trillion-in-milestone-for-investment-giant-11579089828 6. BlackRock (Fink’s letter) op.cit. 7. Ibid. 8. IEA (2015) Special Report: India. Paris: IEA. p.29. 9. IEA (2020) India 2020: Energy Policy Review . Paris: IEA. p.33. 10. Jamrisko, Michelle (2019) “The World’s Dirtiest Air is in India”. Bloomberg, March 4, 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/ articles/2019-03-05/the-world-s-dirtiest-air-is-in-india-wherepollution-costs-lives \

Perspectives

Leading on-the-land Science Camps with Indigenous Youth:

Towards Reciprocity in Research by Andrea J. Reid, John-Francis Lane, Stephanie Woodworth, Andrew Spring, Renee Garner & Kristen Tanche

n a chilly day in mid-March 2019 in Ottawa, Canada, we attended the ‘Ottawa-Carleton Student Northern Research Symposium’ and sat in on a session entitled “Indigenous Knowledge and Community-based Research”. We knew the topic would appeal to us, but we did not expect to find a coupled research and outreach program in Willow Lake, Northwest Territories (NWT), which mirrored our own in Northern British Columbia (BC) despite the 1,200 kilometers distance between them.

“We” refers here to one Indigenous graduate student in fisheries biology at Carleton University (Andrea Reid of the Nisga’a First Nation; lead author) and Parks Canada Heritage Interpreter and Carleton graduate student in conservation science (John-Francis Lane; co-author). Since 2016, we have been co-leading Nisga’a Youth EcoScience Camps in the Nass River Valley, on BC’s North Coast and home of the Nisga’a Nation. These camps share Andrea’s PhD research on Pacific salmon migrations with youth in her nation, to get them excited and prepared to learn science in Nisga’a Territory. These camps are a chance for Andrea to give back to her community who supports her studies and are partners in her research, and for Andrea and John-Francis to do something they love – get youth curious about

 Nisga’a youth from the Village of Gingolx, BC, searching for plant and animal forms and functions across ecosystem types as part of a “biodiversity bingo”. Credit: Andrew Stewart.

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the natural world and equip them with the skills needed to explore and protect it. When we heard University of Ottawa graduate student in geography, Stephanie Woodworth (co-author), describe her work helping facilitate the Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps – we could not believe the similarities. Her presentation and the conversation that ensued regarding shared approaches, challenges, successes, and lessons learned was so fruitful, it

In Canada and globally, natural science researchers wishing to engage Indigenous communities now face a new reality that requires a respectful approach to trustand relationship-building. later precipitated this article. Here, we discuss these shared elements to serve as a guide for other researchers (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) looking to engage Indigenous communities. But first, we will share why on-the-land outreach is important, and introduce these two distinct and distant, though highly parallel, camps.

Importance of on-the-land community outreach: In Canada and globally, natural science researchers wishing to engage Indigenous communities now face a new reality that requires a respectful approach to trust- and relationshipbuilding.1 Natural science research has a long history of being exclusionary and characterized by so-called “parachute researchers” who drop into communities or traditional territories, collect data, and then disappear to analyze and publish ‘their’ data, never to be heard from again by community members, local governments, or the like (similar issues pertain to many of the sciences).2 Fortunately, the tide is beginning to turn as Indigenous communities assert their rights over data ownership, control, access, and possession (i.e. OCAP),3 and as ecologists begin to see scientific value in adopting a “Two-Eyed Seeing” approach that brings together the strengths of Indigenous and mainstream knowledges.4-5 In addition to adopting a collaborative approach to research, it is critical that researchers engage in activities that demonstrate mutual obligations, respect, and reciprocity.6

 A 1200-kilometre distance between BC’s Nass River Valley and Willow Lake in the NWT. Credit: Google 2019

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Perspectives

 Nisga’a Youth camp participants jump for a funny photo on the banks of the Nass River after having spent the day counting and measuring salmon with Nisga'a Fish and Wildlife Department. Credit: Andrew Stewart.

Land-based education (LBE) forms the foundation for many Indigenous education systems in Canada and worldwide. However, colonial power systems embedded in educational institutions, schools, and disciplines in Canada have historically worked to disconnect Indigenous youth and families from the lands and waters.7 Hence, for many Indigenous communities, there is distrust in the education system and an ongoing movement towards self-determination in education.8 Alongside these colonial legacies, rapid environmental changes are impacting Indigenous communities.9-11 Changes in the landscape alter local knowledge and disrupt generational knowledge transfer. There is great concern that youth are not learning the skills and knowledge for the continuation and well-being of both the culture and natural world.11-12 Over the long term, a generational decline of knowledge transfer decreases food and water security and weakens food-sharing networks.11-12 It is thus imperative that youth are educated about ongoing changes, through both Indigenous and mainstream knowledge systems, to be empowered to measure, monitor, and respond to ongoing impacts for the continuity of Indigenous cultures and knowledges. There is now a large movement for the resurgence of Indigenous LBE, whereby the central concern is reconnecting people to the land and water. Indigenous communities must have the agency to choose how cultural maintenance and revitalization will be addressed through education.7 LBE embodies and sustains Indigenous ways of living and knowing and acts in direct contestation to settler colonists’ drive to eliminate

Indigenous life and land claims.13 Through Indigenous sovereignty, LBE programs are overturning unjust power relations and addressing ongoing changes impacting Indigenous lands and peoples. In sum, engaging and partnering in LBE provides natural science researchers an opportunity to engage with Indigenous communities and their youth, to share knowledge and work to build a bridge between historically disparate knowledges that are, in essence, both fundamentally land based.

Two camp contexts: (1) Nisga’a Youth Eco-Science Camps: Hugging the base of the Alaska Panhandle is the mouth of the Nass River and the entry into Nisga’a Territory. The river’s name means “intestines” or “guts” due to the large food capacity in its fish. It is home to five species of Pacific salmon and other important fish species that have supported the Nisga’a way of life since time immemorial. Andrea’s PhD work adopts a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to fisheries research by combining Indigenous knowledge systems and practices with dominant approaches to fisheries research (e.g. fish radio telemetry, genomics). www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 41

Perspectives

BIODIVERSITY – BINGO

 Biodiversity Bingo game to guide youth in a scavenger to explore and document biodiversity in their own backyards! Credit: John-Francis Lane and Andrea Reid.

2 kinds of water

A TREE TURNING ONE THING YOU HAVE INTO SOIL NEVER NOTICED BEFORE

A home in the

Prey animal that caught in a spiderweb can fly and

ground

Sign of something that would eat a mouse… AN ANIMAL EATING A PLANT

something ﬁshy

Find an swim!

Tree just starting to grow!

Something that pinches

things a mouse would eat!

A CARNIVORE

Look for a colourful fungus

kinds of bugs

SOMETHING AN ANIMAL WOULD INHABIT THE TALLEST THING YOU CAN SEE __________

An animal track

Something that an animal that doesn’t belong HOPS in nature

Between 2016 and 2019, Andrea and JohnFrancis led three LBE camps in partnership with the local government, school, and community members in the Nisga’a Village of Gingolx, from where Andrea’s family hails. Renee Garner (coauthor) is the Gingolx Village Government’s Education Manager and she has played a critical role in the realization of these camps and has secured substantial funding. With support through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Indigenous Student Ambassador Program as well as the First Nation Education Steering Committee (FNESC) Skills Link Program, the camp coordinating team has engaged youth ages 7–17 through a series of science-based and Indigenous Knowledge-based activities, games, and teachings. (2) Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps: In the Canadian subarctic sits the Dehcho region of the NWT, home to the new Edéhzhíe Protected Area of 14,218 km of boreal forest and wetlands. It is a place of great ecological and cultural significance to Dehcho First Nations (DFN) – a regional Indigenous government comprised of Dene and Métis peoples. Stephanie, a 42 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

Something growing on something else DEEP BREATH of clean air provided by plants!

5 individuals of one species

Find a plant pollinator

Something that eats mosquitoes…

non-Indigenous scholar, found her way there through a research assistantship with Northern Water Futures (NWF; a multi-institutional project based at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) that aims to find shared solutions with communities) as well as a collaboration between her PhD supervisors, Dr. Andrew Spring (WLU; co-author) and Dr. Sonia Wesche (University of Ottawa). Stephanie’s PhD work centers around the facilitation and evaluation of LBE camps for Indigenous youth and builds on her past experience with Waterlution (a non-governmental organization that focuses on building young water leaders). The Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps have been led by DFN annually for many years with various partners (Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management Program (AAROM), Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee). Dahti Tsetso (DFN) led the camp for numerous years, until Kristen Tanche (coauthor) began as Acting Resource Management Coordinator. In 2018, DFN sought WLU as a partner to financially offset costs and bring graduate students to deliver scientific sessions. Camp programming and planning is conducted jointly through partnerships with several organizations. This ensures that there is a mixture

Perspectives

of science-based language and Dene cultural programming. During camps, youth are engaged through a series of Elder-led and science-based activities, games, and teachings. Historically, DFN and AAROM partnered on science-based activites, however, through the newer relationship with WLU Stephanie helped facilitate and coordinate the WLU science-based learning as well as water leadership activities adapted specifically for Dehcho youth. These camps help researchers develop relationships with the community, and for Stephanie, this is a critical step in building her research on the foundations of trust, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity.

Shared approaches: Both camp initiatives involve a combination of programming strategies (Fig. 1), which include activities that are: (i) led by Elders and cultural knowledge holders to promote intergenerational transmission of ecological, cultural and spiritual knowledge; (ii) scientific, involving hands-on tutorials in both aquatic and terrestrial contexts; (iii) based around exploration, curiosity and discovery in different ecosystem types; (iv) fun and active, to get youth moving and maintain their enthusiasm

for camp participation; and (v) focused on groupbuilding, to promote cohesion and relationality among the youth. In both cases, all programming

Residential schools, broken promises, and other colonial legacies all contribute to distrust between many Indigenous peoples and dominant institutions – trust should neither be assumed, nor taken for granted. is designed to be accessible to a variety of ages and fitness levels, and we have found it effective to alternate between activity types that maintain interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm. The subsequent sections identify shared challenges, successes, and lessons learned.

Shared challenges: Working in remote Indigenous communities and locations with youth can pose a variety of challenges. First, it is critical to be of aware and sensitive to the long and complex history Indigenous peoples have with researchers and colonial institutions, as described above.

 Fig 1: Camp activity ideas shared between Nisga’a Youth Eco-Science Camps in British Columbia and Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps in the Northwest Territories. Created by Andrea Reid.

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Residential schools, broken promises, and other colonial legacies all contribute to distrust between many Indigenous peoples and dominant institutions – trust should neither be assumed, nor taken for granted. For Andrea and John-Francis working in Nisga’a territory, Andrea’s PhD research and willingness to share her methods and findings, as well as her family ties to the region, facilitate the trust-building process. For Stephanie, her relationships with the Elders and camp coordinators

By providing two knowledge perspectives, the youth camp participants are exposed to two ways of learning, which help to make them “strong like two people” according to Tlicho Chief Jimmy Bruneau. are the foundation for a reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnership and collaborative project with DFN, informing her research, now and into the future. Given their remoteness, travel to these communities is by no means cheap or easy. A significant portion of project budgets must be dedicated to

transportation costs (e.g., flights, rental cars, float planes). Often, this travel requires at least a full day on either side of camps and can be delayed up to several days. Transporting equipment and supplies is also challenging, requiring flexibility and willingness to adapt on short notice. Similar to natural science field work, supplies and equipment can be purchased locally, though specialized equipment must be transported to the camp or shipped in advance. A rewarding yet challenging aspect of these camps is working with the youth themselves. Curious, energetic and ready to learn new things, the youth’s energy levels range from disinterested to enthusiastic to chaotic. Having many varied activities on-the-ready allows us to take a trialand-error approach to planning for the day. When activities do not go as planned or fail to capture attention, we can quickly pivot to the next. Having a variety of activities allows us to moderate energy during the camp – active games increase energy levels rapidly, while more focused and educational activities help to slow the pace and allow for reflective learning. Early-career researchers play an interesting role in this regard, being closer in age to the youth camp participants allows them to more easily relate to one another, which helps build relationships and mentorship opportunities. Given that our camps are centered on the land and water; we prepare participants for inclement weather but there are times where even the best prepared just need a break from the cold or wet. Having an indoor setting to dry off or warm up and do activities indoors is an asset. Andrea and JohnFrancis arrange to use a community

 The Nisga’a Village of Gingolx, BC, in the foreground with the base of the Alaska Panhandle visible in the distant mountains. Credit: Andrea Reid.

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Perspectives  Andrea Reid tracking sockeye salmon from a bridge above their spawning grounds. Credit: Colin Middleton.

hall with enough room for active games, whereas Stephanie, her team, and the other facilitators use the communal kitchen and dining area as well as canvas sleeping tents.

Shared successes: LBE is important for the continuity of local culture and knowledge, as discussed above. By educating Indigenous youth about ongoing socioecological changes, youth become empowered to measure, monitor, and respond to the impacts of such changes. By providing two knowledge perspectives, the youth camp participants are exposed to two ways of learning, which help to make them “strong like two people” according to Tlicho Chief Jimmy Bruneau.14 These camps are also spaces for skill- and knowledge-sharing by Elders and knowledge holders who promote local worldviews, cultural practices, language training, and activities. Being on the land with Elders is critical to instilling an ethic of care and responsibility in the next generation.15-16 These camps can provide experiential opportunities to learn traditional ways of hunting, trapping, gathering, and preparing foods and medicines, which is key to the survival of the local knowledge of the land in rapidly changing contexts.17 By listening to Elders’ stories about the sacredness of the place for their

people, the connections between the youth and the land grow and expand. There is a special bond created amongst all camp participants, which extends far beyond the camps themselves. The camps build respectful and reciprocal relationships among and between Elders, youth, and researchers through open, honest, and meaningful dialogues.

Lessons learned: One of the central goals of both camps is to provide an educational opportunity for Indigenous youth living in remote communities. While this has and continues to be achieved, we as educators also learn many valuable lessons, such as the

One of the central goals of both camps is to provide an educational opportunity for Indigenous youth living in remote communities. While this has and continues to be achieved, we as educators also learn many valuable lessons... integral nature of community leadership. From logistics and planning to stimulating interest and participation, building trust and relationships with the community allows for long-term www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 45

Perspectives

 Nisga’a youth from the Village of Gingolx, BC, at the mouth of the Nass River in August 2018. Credit: Andrew Stewart.

connections to form, camps to evolve, and helps to meet the needs of both the community and researchers. Connections with communities and researchers must occur well in advance of camps to establish expectations, protocols, rules, and mutual respect. The Nisga’a Youth Eco-Science Camps also include local high school summer student workers who act as young leaders and mentors during camps. This model works well, engaging a larger number of youth, promoting peer-to-peer learning, and providing extra sets of hands to help. Part of the planning process for future camps involves collecting feedback from camp participants. This not only allows us to gauge the levels of learning but also helps in identifying the activities and themes youth enjoy most and least. Additionally, noted from feedback forms and through observation, having a surplus of food and snacks is essential, as one cannot assume all participants were able to eat a healthy breakfast, for instance. As graduate students, we have many different skillsets, but planning, developing, and delivering educational camp activities to

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youth may not be among them. Working with people or organizations with experience and seeking out training is extremely helpful. DFN leads the Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps and coordinates all partners to ensure continual success. The collective action of a partnership of organizations offers a diverse suite of programming that one could not offer alone. Furthermore, covering the camp expenses would not be possible without the partners’ combined financial contributions. Community partners manage expectations, provide feedback on activities and programming, and mentor graduate students, which provides them insights into community perspectives, knowledge, research questions, and needs. These experiences, in turn, inform better research and collaboration moving forward, which is a win for all partners involved. A final lesson that emerges from these collective experiences is that Indigenous communities have a desire and acknowledge the need for Indigenous-led and youth-focused LBE that integrates science education. In a rapidly changing world, youth will need a variety of skills and

Perspectives

knowledges to make the best decisions for their communities. By providing active, engaging, hands-on science-based activities, we endeavour to ignite a curiosity and interest in science and care for the environment.

See the camps in action!

• •

Nisga’a Youth Eco-Science Camps: https://youtu.be/AIFGO1__yf0 Dehcho Youth Ecology and Traditional Knowledge Camps: https://youtu.be/qx3ZFO-Cojs

3. First Nations Information Governance Centre [online]. https:// fnigc.ca/ocapr.html. 4. Bartlett, C, Marshall, M and Marshall, A. Two-Eyed Seeing and other lessons learned within a co-learning journey of bringing together indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 2, 331–340 (2012). 5. Denny, SK and Fanning, LM. A Mi’kmaw perspective on advancing salmon governance in Nova Scotia, Canada: Setting the stage for collaborative co-existence. The International Indigenous Policy Journal 7, 1–25 (2016). 6. Wilson, S. Research is Ceremony: Indigenous Research Methods (Fernwood Publishing, Black Point, 2008). 7. Cajete, G in Look to the Mountain: An Ecology of Indigenous Education 1st Edition (Cajete, G, ed), Ch. 2 (Kivaki Press, St.

Acknowledgements: These LBE camps with Indigenous youth would not have been possible without the support, dedication, and hard work of many groups and individuals. In British Columbia, t’ooyaksiy nisim (thank you all) to the Gingolx Village Government and their entire

Colorado, 1994). 8. Tulloch, S, Metuq, L, Hainnu, J, Pitsiulak, S, Flaherty, E, Lee, C & Walton, F. Inuit principals and the changing context of bilingual education in Nunavut. Inuit Studies 40, 189–209 (2016). 9. Cunsolo, A, Shiwak, I, Wood, M & The IlikKuset-Ilingannet Team

Education Department, the staff at the Nathan Barton Elementary

in Northern Sustainabilities: Understanding and Addressing

School, the Nisga’a Fisheries and Wildlife Department, Lavinia’s

Change in the Circumpolar World (Fondahl, G & Wilson, GN, ed),

Bed & Breakfast (Lavinia and Nadine Clayton), Northern Sunrise Charters (Mary-lee Watts and George Alexcee), Inlet Express (John Turpin), Khutzeymateen Wilderness Lodge (Jamie Hahn and Megan Baker), and with special thanks also to Roberta Stewart, photographer Andrew Stewart, Elder Larry Derrick, and the

Ch. 21 (Springer, Switzerland, 2017). 10. Lapensée, E, Day, SM & Jaakola, L. Honour water: Gameplay as a pathway to Anishinaabeg water teachings. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 7, 114–130 (2018). 11. Wesche, SD, O’Hare-Gordon, MAF, Robidoux, MA & Mason, CW.

whole of the Village of Gingolx, the Nisga’a Nation, and Lisims

Land-based programs in the Northwest Territories: Building

(the Nass River) and all of its inhabitants. Funding and equipment

Indigenous food security and well-being from the ground up.

for BC camps were provided by the Gingolx Village Government (through the First Nations Education Steering Committee), the

Canadian Food Studies 3, 23–48 (2016). 12. Kenny, TA, MacLean, J, Gale, P, Keats, S, Chan, HM & Wesche,

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

SD. Linking health and the environment through education—a

(Indigenous Student Ambassador program), and Dr. Steven Cooke’s

traditional food program in Inuvik, Western Canadian Arctic.

Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory at Carleton

Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition 13, 429–432

University. In the Northwest Territories, mahsi cho (big thank you) to Dehcho First Nations, Dehgah Gotie Dene Band, Aboriginal Aquatic Resources and Oceans Management (Mike & George Low, Bruce Townsend), Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee (Joachim Bonnetrouge and team), the Government of Northwest Territories - Municipal and Community Affairs, Dehcho First Nations local camp staff (Martha, Elsie, Joe, and all others) and the Wilfrid Laurier University team (Meghan Brockington, Cory Wallace, Izabela Jasiak and Carolyn Gibson). Finally, we would like to collectively thank the many inspiring youth as well their families for making these experiences successful and enjoyable for everyone, as well as all participating Elders and cultural knowledge holders who are guiding these youth into the future.

(2018). 13. Chief, D & Smyth, B. The present and future of land-based education in Treaty #3. WINHEC: International Journal of Indigenous Education Scholarship 1, 14–23 (2017). 14. Chief Jimmy Bruneau School [online]. http://cjbs.tlicho.ca/ about-cjbs. 15. Iseke, JM & Desmoulins, L. A two-way street: Indigenous knowledge and science take a ride. Journal of American Indian Education 54, 31–53 (2015). 16. Lowan, G. Exploring place from an Aboriginal perspective: Considerations for outdoor and environmental education. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education 14, 43–58 (2009). 17. Anuik, J, Battiste, M & Ningwakwe, PG. Learning from promising programs and applications in nourishing the learning spirit.

References:

Canadian Journal of Native Education 33, 63-82 (2010).

1. Thomson, J. Meet the scientists embracing traditional Indigenous knowledge. The Narwhal (June 2019). 2. Castleden, H, Morgan, VS and Lamb, C. “I spent the first year drinking tea”: Exploring Canadian university researchers’ perspectives on community-based participatory research involving Indigenous peoples. The Canadian Geographer 56, 160–179 (2012).

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Building Global Institutional Synergies to Accelerate the Ambition Mechanism of the Paris Agreement by Swapna Pathak & Siddharth Pathak

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Building Global Institutional Synergies

Abstract The Paris Agreement was designed and universally adopted to unfold a dynamic process of reviewing and ratcheting up GHG emission reduction commitments over time to limit the increase of global temperature under 2⁰C by the end of this century. However, the current political inertia within the Paris Agreement has weakened its ambition mechanism and global emissions are unlikely to peak even by 2030. In this context, to overcome this inertia toward increasing ambition, we direct attention on a multitude of regime-external platforms at the international-level that could be utilized to bolster the ambition mechanism within the climate regime. In particular, we focus on the recently concluded/proposed international trade agreements–the EU-MERCOSUR and the ACCTS, high-level diplomacy, realignment of development banks, and fiscal policy guidance by the International Monetary Fund, to discuss how the international community can find ways to synergize global environmental governance to realize the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

dopted at COP 21 in 2015, the Paris Agreement marked a new beginning for the international climate change regime. Under the Agreement, countries from both the global North and the South pledged to pursue efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 2⁰C and reach net zero GHG emissions in the second half of this century.1

The Agreement does not dictate emission limits for any country, but it establishes an ongoing, regular process whereby all the member parties must submit their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) toward the overall mitigation goals and come together every 5 years to take stock of progress, and—informed by this stocktake—submit an NDC that is progressively more ambitious than the last until the global temperature has been stabilized. This is dubbed as the “ratchet” or the “ambition mechanism” of the Paris Agreement. Last year, with the adoption of the Paris Agreement Implementation Guidelines at COP 24 in Katowice, Poland (2018), parties almost completed the process of establishing the terms of the Agreement, and we are now very close to the first phase of its implementation which starts in 2021. However, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) gap report released in 2018 estimated that the current NDCs will lead to a warming of global temperature by 3oC by 2100. Additionally, global GHG emissions are unlikely to peak even in 2030.

Therefore, the focus now is on accelerating the ambition mechanism of the Agreement, which is driven by the nationally determined ambition of individual coun-

The Agreement…establishes an ongoing, regular process whereby all the members parties must submit their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)…submit an NDC that is progressively more ambitious than the last until the global temperature has been stabilized. This is dubbed as the…“ambition mechanism” of the Paris Agreement. tries, to achieve the overall objectives of the Agreement in time. The significance of this step was underscored by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5 special report, released in 2018, which articulated the dangers of exceeding the 1.5-degree threshold and www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 49

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the need to take immediate actions to reduce emissions in order to avoid runaway impacts from climate change. Unfortunately, lack of political will, exemplified by the United States’ decision to withdraw, Brazil’s threats to pull-out of the Agreement, and the inherent lack of enforcement power of multilateral environmental agreements, have undermined the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement. Individually determined ambition targets set by countries, which are supposed to ultimately increase the aggregate ambition of the Agreement, are stagnant. Given the state of affairs, we underscore the need to look toward regime-external international mechanisms to synergize global governance around climate change and to provide momentum to the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement and its Limitations The Paris Agreement created a unique top-down/ bottom-up structure to mitigate climate change that brought both industrialized and developing countries together to agree upon a common set of objectives. The bottom-up approach of the Agreement allows individual countries to establish their GHG emissions reduction targets with complete autonomy. Moreover, countries can decide how they will achieve said targets. The top-down approach of the Agreement makes it mandatory for all the member parties to regularly submit progress reports on their individually determined targets, which will then be used by the United Nations Framework Convention

 World Bank Group sign on building exterior. Credit: Kristi Blokhin on Shutterstock.

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on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to monitor and aggregate the collective progress toward achieving the common objective of the Agreement–limiting the global temperature increase to 2 degrees by the end of this century–in order to provide feedback toward “ratcheting-up” mitigation commitments over time. However, like other international environmental agreements, the Paris Agreement faces significant challenges toward implementation and compliance because of our state-sovereignty based international system. In order to secure the political will of the key negotiating countries, the Agreement had to dilute the legal language for outcome-based directives, which pertain to tangible end goals like the amount of finance, specific mitigation targets or specific actions to aid mitigation and adaptation goals.2 Moreover, the Paris Agreement discarded differentiation between countries. This means when the Agreement calls for capacity building support or finance transfer from developed countries to developing countries, it is unclear which countries are included in the “developed” and “developing” categories. In spite of these intentional ambiguities in the Paris Agreement, increase in mitigation ambition over time was (and perhaps is) expected to be facilitated by path dependency, network effects, and bandwagoning, initiated by the expansion of renewable energy use that will

Building Global Institutional Synergies

 Chinese president Xi Jinping (R) welcomes USA President Barack Obama (L) in G20 summit in Hangzhou. Credit: Plavevski by Shutterstock.

engender positive feedback loops for infrastructure, technology, and investments related to GHG mitigation. Therefore, as time goes on, even in the absence of highly specific rules, the alternative (fossil fuel-intensive) paths will begin to look more uncertain to the negotiating parties. Additionally, the transparency mechanism (periodic reporting) outlined in the text of the Agreement is designed to allow peer countries or domestic and international civil society organizations to keep a check and put pressure on governments to enforce compliance. Nevertheless, in the end, the above processes have to be undergirded by the political will of the countries to drive-up their individual ambition and thereby increase the overall ambition of the Agreement. With the United States—the world’s biggest economy, second highest GHG emitter, and one of the key architects of the Agreement—announcing its intention to withdraw, the political will around the Paris Agreement and its legitimacy is under threat. It is true that many other major economies–the EU, China, India, and Canada– have declared their continued commitment. Several sub-national entities like individual states within the US, cities, and communities have also pledged to stepup their efforts to achieve the goal of the Agreement, yet the global GHG emissions have continued to rise and the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement is looking vulnerable. Given the severity of the problem and the lack of time, we must harness the leverage of

other major international platforms with significant influence on global economic growth, that have been outside the range or on the periphery of international climate change governance, to accelerate the ambition mechanism within the Paris Agreement.

With the United States—the world’s biggest economy, second highest GHG emitter, and one of the key architects of the Agreement—announcing its intention to withdraw, the political will around the Paris Agreement and its legitimacy is under threat. Synergizing Regime-External Platforms and the Paris Agreement For our analysis, we draw upon Biermann et al.’s (2009) conceptualization of fragmentation in global governance, which propose a systemic typology— synergistic, cooperative, and conflictive—to examine institutional relationships in global governance.3 The www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 51

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 Managing Director of the IMF July 2011 and November 2019, Christine Lagarde. Credit: Alexandros Michailidis on Shutterstock.

ideal type for synergistic global governance includes three elements—multiple institutions that are tightly integrated with one core institution, core norms of all the institutions are integrated, and all the relevant actors uphold the same institutions. Synergizing global climate governance around the Paris Agreement requires integrating other key international platforms like the international financial institutions, trade agreements, and high-level diplomacy, where their central norms are coordinated with the norms and objectives of the Paris Agreement to address climate change. Additionally, all of these platforms need to recognize the primacy of the regulatory framework established by the Agreement and align their agenda with that core institution. A discussion of how these regime-external platforms can be reshaped in order to synergize global climate change governance follows.

Multilateral and Bilateral Trade Agreements Trade agreements, like the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership 52 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

(CPTPP), have explicitly included compliance with specific multilateral environmental agreements in the past. However, trade agreements have remained outside the ambit of the climate change negotiations.4 Under Article 3.5 of the UNFCCC, parties agreed to cooperate to promote a supportive and open international economic system that would lead to sustainable economic growth and development for all parties, particularly developing country parties, thus enabling them better to address the problems of climate change. But, at the same time, the UNFCCC recognizes the primacy of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has maintained that measures taken to combat climate change, including unilateral ones, such as border carbon adjustments, should not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade. However, this ambiguity over the use of trade agreements to help facilitate stronger obligations under the Paris Agreement is now being thought about more creatively. The new EU president in her mission letter to the new commissioner designate for the economy proposed, “You should lead on the proposal of a Carbon Border Tax, working closely with the Executive Vice-President for the

Building Global Institutional Synergies

European Green Deal. This is a key tool to avoid carbon leakage and ensure that EU companies can compete on a level playing field. The Carbon Border Tax should be fully compliant with WTO rules.”5 Much maligned for its social and environmental impact, WTO directives do not penalize countries for imposing environmental regulations on free trade if the policy is effective and applied in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner, and if states make a good-faith effort to address environmental issues in the global commons multilaterally prior to taking unilateral actions that affect trade.6 Therefore, multilateral or bilateral trade deals can be used as instruments to trigger greater compliance with the obligations under the Paris Agreement. Developing trading standards to ensure reciprocity in production process could prove effective in synchronizing and embedding the norms and objectives of the Paris Agreement with international trade and thus leading to increase in ambition of countries in order to ensure competitive advantage. As an example, the recent trade agreement between the European Union and the MERCOSUR countries— Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay—concluded on June 28, 2019, was used to push the MERCOSUR countries to continue to undertake obligations within the Paris Agreement. The EU is Mercosur’s number one trade and investment partner. Under section 14 of the agreement on trade and sustainable development, both parties “agreed to strong language committing to effectively implement the Paris Agreement and to cooperate on the trade-climate change interface.”7 The EU exports to Mercosur were 45 billion euros in goods in 2018 and 23 billion in services in 2017. The EU is the biggest foreign investor in Mercosur with a stock of 381 billion euros, while Mercosur’s investment stock in the EU amounts to 52 billion in 2017.8 This privileged position of the EU within this trade agreement and its ability to dictate the environmental terms of the agreement is clearly indicative of how asymmetry in trade is exploited by powerful countries to push their

agenda. However, the trade agreement proved crucial in coercing the new Brazilian government, that had been particularly vocal about its contempt for the Paris Agreement and had repeatedly threatened to pull out of the Agreement, to recommit to the Agreement. Cecilia MalmstrÖm, who negotiated the trade deal on behalf of the EU also affirmed that this trade agreement “does

Synergizing global climate governance around the Paris Agreement requires integrating other key international platforms like the international financial institutions, trade agreements, and highlevel diplomacy, where their central norms are coordinated with the norms and objectives of the Paris Agreement to address climate change. not mean that we agree with all the policies of these countries, but it is a way to anchor Brazil in the Paris Agreement.”9 Moreover, the trade agreement forced Brazil to tackle the fires in the Amazon, when the spokesperson for the President of France forced Brazil to take action, or else “In these conditions, France will oppose the Mercosur deal as it is.”10 The 5-way initiative announced by New Zealand called the “Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability” (ACCTS) is yet another example of countries coming together to use trade as potential leverage to get their trading partners to increase their climate ambition. The scope of ACCTS is centered around developing guidelines to encourage high-integrity, voluntary eco-labeling programs and associated mechanisms for traded goods that are transparent in their criteria to create stronger awareness among consumers about the GHG footprint of the product they are buying.11 The parties to the agreement are also working on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies.

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High-Level Diplomacy and Engagement Heads of state are often the principal actors responsible for setting a climate change related agenda in their countries and dramatically increasing mitigation ambition. In the run-up to COP 21 in Paris, heads of state were strategically engaged much before the formal negotiations for the Paris Agreement took place. The

Bi-lateral summits offer a chance to establish an even more intimate personal accountability and trust between heads of state.

UN Climate Leaders’ Summit organized by the UN Secretary General in 2014 is one such example of encouraging high-level diplomacy, where all the heads of state were invited to pledge their commitment to addressing climate change. This kind of engagement is not only necessary to gather political will around a universal agreement, it is also critical in establishing personal accountability for the political leaders

 Francois Hollande, Ban Ki-moon, Laurent Fabius, Segolene Royal and Harlem Desir waiting Heads of state during the arrival at the Paris COP21. Credit: Frederic Legrand on Shutterstock.

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to take action against climate change. The recently concluded Climate Action Summit was another such forum created by the UN Secretary General where the heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to fulfill the objectives of the Paris Agreement and to increase their mitigation ambition. Political leaders of countries like New Zealand, Germany, Chile, and Fiji have played a decisive role in steering their countries in the direction of ambitious climate commitments. With a much more ambitious call to action by the UN Secretary General for reaching net zero emissions by 2050, phasing out coal among many others, more direct engagement with heads of state is key to accelerating this process.12 Other than the multinational forum of the UN, bilateral joint-statements can be strategically crucial diplomatic platforms to build and maintain momentum around the Paris Agreement. Bi-lateral summits offer a chance to establish an even more intimate personal accountability and trust between heads of state. For example, the US-China agreement concluded between President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping in 2014, played a vital role in breaking the impasse between

Building Global Institutional Synergies

 Figure 1: Historical Trend in World Bank Climate Finance.

the US and China in the climate change negotiations, and shaping the Paris Agreement.13 The joint statement made by heads of state from China and France along with the UN Secretary General offers a more recent example of how high-level diplomacy can inject momentum into the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement. In their statement, the two countries reaffirmed “their commitment to update their nationally determined contributions in a manner representing a progression beyond the current one and rejecting their highest possible ambition, and to publish their long-term midcentury low greenhouse gas emissions development strategies by 2020 in the context of sustainable development.”14 A similar joint statement was also adopted by France and India where the two countries recommitted to update their nationally determined contributions.15 The language of these statements is drawn directly from the text of the Paris Agreement, signifying the centrality of the Agreement’s objectives even in unrelated diplomatic arenas.16 Such alignment boosts political will that is central to countries’ engagement in raising their commitments and places personal responsibility to meet the Agreement’s obligations on the country heads.

Realignment of Development Banks The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the central financial mechanism of the UNFCCC to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation actions to counter climate change.17 However, within the world of climate change-related finance and investments,

the GCF has a very small footprint. Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are playing an increasingly important role within the larger picture of climate finance.18 According to the 2018 report from the UNFCCC’s Standing Committee on Finance, in 2016, within the total estimated global climate finance flows of 681 billion dollars, 19.7 billion dollars were attributed to MDBs as compared to 2.4 billion dollars that were channeled through the UNFCCC including the GCF.19 Figure 1 presents the increase in total climate finance by the MDBs over time. The joint report on climate finance suggested that climate financing by the world’s largest MDBs specifically in developing countries and emerging economies rose to an all-time high of 43.1 billion dollars in 2018.20 This is a very small fraction of the potential ability of the MDBs to mobilize global finance. MDBs are major finance providers for developing countries toward infrastructure development, much of which will be around for decades and therefore has a long-term effect on countries’ development trajectories and future carbon emissions. In 2017, for example, the MDBs mobilized an estimated 154.4 billion dollars in additional long-term public and private finance, about 54 billion dollars of this was directed to middle and low-income countries.21 Admittedly, scholars, policy-practitioners, and activists have raised concerns over the environmental and social consequences of MDBs’ investments in developing countries toward developmental projects, such as mining or dam construction. However, MDBs are recognizing the difference between just prioritizing economic growth and facilitating sustainable development www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 55

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Policy Area

Policy

Instruments National carbon taxes, cap-and-trade (CaT) and

Carbon pricing, regulations

emissions trading systems (ETS), emission or energy efficiency standards

Public spending and

Public investment, social spending, lower labor

investment

or capital taxes

FISCAL POLICY TOOLS

Partnership between private sector, Public-private partnerships

government, development bank, long-term institutional investor

Examples Sweden carbon tax, California CaT, EU ETS, national feebates, EU regulations

EU Infrastructure Investment Plan

China Development Bank-Urban Development Investment Corporation World Bank Multilateral Investment Guarantee

Public guarantees

Loan commitments, credit or cash flow

Agency (MIGA), European Guarantee Agency

guarantees, multi-sovereign guarantees

(MIGA), European Investment Fund guarantee schemes

Redressing underpricing and lack of transparency of climate risks

Gathering climate-related financial data,

Bank of England Supervisory Statement on

climate-related risk disclosures, taxonomy

Climate Change, France Article 173 of Energy

of green assets, climate-related stress tests,

Climate Change, Transition Law, Banco Central

macroprudential tools

do Brasil, China mandatory disclosures

Reducing short-term bias

FINANCIAL POLICY TOOLS

and improving governance

Prudential reforms, corporate governance

frameworks of financial

reforms

institutions Supporting the development of green financial securities

Actively promoting climate finance using financial regulatory tools Integrating climate risk analytics into collateral frameworks, central bank portfolio management, and QE MONETARY POLICY TOOLS

Promotion of ESG criteria

Standardized taxonomy of green assets, lowcarbon indices, platforms and active issuance

PBoC national-level green bond taxonomy

by authorities Green supporting and brown penalizing factors in capital requirements, international requirements PBoC macroprudential policy framework, of min. amount of green assets on balance

Banque du Liban reserve requirements

sheets, notional carbon prices Developing own risk assessments, ensuring climate risks appropriately reflected in central bank asset portfolios

Bank of England, Bank of Japan, EIB bonds, Bangladesh Bank, DNB, Norges Bank

Better access to central bank funding schemes Green QE and collateral

for banks that invest in low-carbon projects,

frameworks

central bank purchases of low-carbon bonds

PBoC, Res. Bank of India, Bangladesh Bank

issued by development banks Credit allocation policies

Central bank credit allocation operations, adapting monetary policy frameworks

 Figure 2: Macroeconomic and Financial Policy Tools for Climate Change Mitigation (Source: IMF Working Paper, 2019).

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Building Global Institutional Synergies

in developing countries. This normative shift in MDBs philosophy provides an opportunity to harmonize their activities with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Reorienting and aligning portfolios of MDBs and other development banks toward climate positive investments would incentivize developing countries to propose projects that contribute toward increased climate action. Moreover, since development banks and MDBs play an important role in de-risking investment with the provision of loans, changing their investment portfolios will also incentivize private finance within recipient countries to follow suit. The first step in this direction was taken at the COP 24 in December 2018, when MDBs committed to combating climate change and presented a joint approach that will align their activities with the goals of the Paris Agreement. This approach goes beyond each MDB’s own climate finance targets for 2020 and 2030 and builds on their sustained contributions to climate finance.22 A joint statement made by the MDBs announced: “We, the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), are acting on our previous commitments made at COP 21…In particular, in December 2017, together with the International Development Finance Club (IDFC), we announced our vision to align financial flows with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Now, in order to realize this vision, we are working together to develop a dedicated approach, which constitutes our concrete and ongoing contribution to the operationalization of the Paris Agreement’s Article 2.1.(c).”23 Similarly, IDFC that consists of national and regional development banks is also moving in the direction of aligning its portfolio to address climate change. At the UNSG Climate Action Summit in 2019, IDFC committed to provide more than USD 1 trillion of climate finance by 2025 as well as align financial flows with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.24 Such initiatives, if carried through, will encourage many developing countries to use the finance provided by these banks toward increasing their mitigation goals and will accelerate the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement.

IMF and Fiscal Policy Guidance The lack of motivation from countries to increase ambition and the subsequent scientific evidence of impending climate catastrophe has raised concerns within the IMF, which increasingly sees climate change as a threat to global economic stability. The previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, deemed climate change as the greatest existential threat and IMF started to seriously explore how it could potentially address the climate crisis through reflecting climate resilience in macro-fiscal and financial frameworks as well as assessing the fiscal and financial impacts of countries’ climate policy choices.25 So far, many countries have chosen to include different fiscal policy measures within their NDCs as a means to reduce emissions. However, most of these fiscal measures tend to revolve around carbon pricing with limited measures on public guarantees or including climate within financial frameworks.26

Aligning IMF’s surveillance with the need to mitigate climate change would likely focus on monitoring countries’ mitigation framework, adaptation policies, and risk management systems. Countries motivated to safeguard their own economy against climate change can adopt a wide range of macroeconomic and financial policies. The IMF, through its consultations with these countries under Article 4, could encourage them to develop fiscal policies that are good for the climate and facilitate an increase in countries’ overall ambition.27 Figure 2 presents the recently proposed package measures by the IMF for mitigation. In a recent paper, the IMF described these policies as “those that aim to correct the lack of accounting for climate risks for financial institutions and those that aim to internalize externalities and co-benefits at the level of society.”28 The former support mitigation by changing the demand for green and carbon-intensive investments, as well as relative

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prices. The latter work through similar channels but give rise to questions about appropriate policy tool assignment, trade-offs, and political economy. All of these monetary policy options recommended by the IMF are within most central bank mandates (reflecting climate risks in large-scale asset purchase programs or collateral frameworks), while others are more controversial (green quantitative easing or purchase of green corporate bonds, credit allocation policies, adapting monetary policy frameworks). One of the other core responsibilities of the IMF is to monitor economies and provide policy advice by identifying weaknesses that might lead to financial and economic instability. This process is known as “surveillance.” Aligning IMF’s surveillance with the need to mitigate climate change would likely focus on monitoring countries’ mitigation framework, adaptation policies, and risk management systems. Currently, the IMF is also considering whether to include economic implications of countries’ mitigation policies within fund surveillance.29 Such explicit adoption of the goals and norms of the Paris Agreement by the IMF is another critical regimeexternal avenue to facilitate countries in increasing their ambition through self-interest while at the same time contributing toward the overall mitigation targets of the Agreement.

Conclusion The urgency of addressing global climate change cannot be overstated. However, current global efforts will not limit the global temperature rise by the end of this century to under 2⁰C. In this paper, we have explained how in spite of lacking legal enforcement, the Paris Agreement’s ambition mechanism was designed to have a dynamic regulatory structure to raise countries’ individual commitment to mitigate climate change over time. Unfortunately, the positive feedback loop to fuel that mechanism has not materialized, and due to lack of political will the efficacy and

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legitimacy of the Agreement is under threat. Therefore, the international community needs to make efforts at every level–local, national, and international–to inject momentum in the ambition mechanism of the Agreement. We focus on the international level and suggest synergizing global governance to address the issue. This involves synchronizing activities and norms of thus far peripheral or extraneous institutions and forums to the climate change regime such as international trade agreements, high-level diplomacy, MBDs and the IMF to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. While synchronizing these key international economic institutions will drive-up the ambition mechanism of the Agreement in the short-run, it will also restructure the entire global economy toward a more sustainable future. Endnotes 1. Paris Agreement (Dec. 13, 2015), in UNFCCC, COP Report No. 21, Addenum, at 21, U.N. Doc. FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add, 1 (Jan. 29, 2016) [hereinafter Paris Agreement]. 2. For a more extended analysis of the legal language of the Paris Agreement see Bodansky, D. (2016). The legal character of the paris agreement. Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law 25(2), 142–150, and Rajamani, L. (2015). The devilish details: Key legal issues in the 2015 climate negotiations. The Modern Law Review 78(5), 826–853. 3. For more information on these typologies see Biermann, F., P. Pattberg, H. Van Asselt, and F. Zelli (2009). The fragmentation of global governance architectures: A framework for analysis. Global environmental politics 9(4), 14–40. 4. For more information on these agreements see Hufbauer, G. C., D. C. Esty, D. Orejas, J. J. Schott, and L. Rubio (2000). NAFTA and the environment: Seven years later. Peterson Institute, Schott, J. J. (2016). Tpp and the environment. Trans-Pacific Partnership: An Assessment 104, 251, and Steinber, R. H. (1997). Trade-environment negotiations in the eu, nafta, and wto: regional trajectories of rule development. American Journal of International Law 91(2), 231–267. 5. Leyen, Ursula von der, (2019, September 10). “Mission Statement.” European Commission. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/commission/ sites/beta-political/files/mission-letterpaolo-gentiloni_en.pdf 6. For more analysis on environmental protection and WTO see Barkin, J. S. (2015). Trade and environment. The Oxford Handbook of the Political Economy of International Trade, 439.

Building Global Institutional Synergies

7. New EU-Mercosur trade agreement. (2019, July 1). Retrieved from

20. Bennet, Vanora. (2019, June 13). MDB climate finance hit a record high

https://trade.ec.europa. eu/doclib/docs/2019/june/tradoc_157964.pdf

of US 43.1 billion dollars in 2018. EBRD. Retrieved from https://www.

8. European Commission. (2019, July). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.

ebrd.com/news/2019/mdb-climate-finance-hitrecord-high-of-us-431-

eu/trade/policy/ in-focus/eu-mercosur-association-agreement/ 9. Climate Home News. (2019, July 16). “Trade deal binds Brazil to

billion-in-2018.html 21. EDFI. (2018, June). Mobilization of Private Finance by Multilateral

Paris Agreement, says top EU official.” Retrieved from https://www.

Development Banks and Development Finance Institution. Retrieved

climatechangenews.com/2019/07/16/mercosur-tradedeal-binds-brazil-

from https://www.edfi.eu/wp/wp-content/uploads/18/06/201806_

paris-agreement-says-top-eu-official/ 10. Morgan, Sam. (2019, August 28). France and Ireland threaten to vote

Mobilization-of-Private-Finance_v2.pdf 22. The World Bank. (2018, December 3). Multilateral Development Banks

against EU-Mercosur deal. EURACTIV.Retrieved from https://www.

(MDBs) Announced a Joint Framework for Aligning their Activities

euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/irelandthreatens-to-

with the Goals of the Paris Agreement. Retrieved from https://www.

vote-against-eu-mercosur-deal/ 11. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand. (2019, September

worldbank.org/en/news/press-release 23. World Bank. The MDBs’ alignment approach to the objectives of

25). “Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS)

the Paris Agreement. Retrieved from http://pubdocs.worldbank.

negotiations.” Retrieved from https://www.mfat. govt.nz/en/trade/

org/en/784141543806348331/Joint-Declaration-MDBs-Alignment-

free-trade-agreements/climate/agreement-on-climate-change-tradeandsustainability-accts-negotiations/ 12. UN Climate Action Summit 2019. United Nations. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/ climatechange/un-climate-summit-2019.shtml 13. The White House. (2014, November 12). U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change. Retrieved from https://

Approach-to-Paris-Agreement-COP24-Final.pdf 24. International Development Finance Club. (2019, September 23). ”IDFC’s Contribution to the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019.” Retrieved from https://www.idfc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/09/ official-idfc-communique-vdef21-09-2019-22h50-cet.pdf 25. Lagarde, Christine and Vitor Gaspar. (2019, May 3). “Getting Real on

obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-

Meeting Paris Climate Change Commitments.” International Monetary

chinajoint-announcement-climate-change

Fund. Retrieved from https://blogs.imf.org/2019/05/03/getting-real-on-

14. United Nations Secretary General. (2019, June 29). Press Statement on Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/ note-correspondents/2019-06-29/pressstatement-climate-change 15. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. (2019, August

meeting-paris-climate-change-commitments/ 26. Krogstrup, Signe and William Oman. (2019, September 4). “Macroeconomic and Financial Policies for Climate Change Mitigation: A Review of the Literature.” International Monetary Fund. Retrieved

19). India-France Joint Statement on visit of Prime Minister to

from https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/09/04/

France. Retrieved from https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateraldocuments.

Macroeconomicand-Financial-Policies-for-Climate-Change-Mitigation-

htm?dtl/31755/IndiaFrance+Joint+Statement+on+Visit+of+Prime+Mini ster+to+France+2223+August+2019 16. Paris Agreement. (2015, December 13). Art. 4.3: “Each Party’s successive

A-Review-of-the-Literature-48612 27. The consultations are known as “Article IV consultations” because they are required by Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement. During

nationally determined contribution will represent a progression

an Article IV consultation, an IMF team of economists visits a country

beyond the Party’s then current nationally determined contribution

to assess economic and financial developments and discusses the

and reflect its highest possible ambition.”

country’s economic and financial policies with the government and the

17. 17Green Climate Fund. Retrieved from https://www.greenclimate.fund/ who-we-are/aboutthe-fund 18. The African Development Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank,

central bank officials. 28. Krogstrup, Signe and William Oman. (2019, September 4). “Macroeconomic and Financial Policies for Climate Change Mitigation:

the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Bank for

A Review of the Literature.” International Monetary Fund. Retrieved

Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the

from https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/09/04/

Inter-American Development Bank Group, the Islamic Development

Macroeconomicand-Financial-Policies-for-Climate-Change-Mitigation-

Bank, the New Development Bank, and the World Bank Group (IFC, MIGA, World Bank), (jointly, the MDBs). 19. UNFCCC. (2018, November 23). Report of the Standing Committee on Finance to the Conference of the Parties. Retrieved from https://unfccc.

A-Review-of-the-Literature-48612 29. IMF. (2019, May 3). “IMF Executive Board Reviews Fiscal Policies for Paris Climate Strategies.” Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/en/News/ Articles/2019/05/03/pr19136-imf-executiveboard-reviews-

int/sites/default/files/resource/FCCC_ CP_2018_8_0.pdf

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A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem G. Melodie Naja, Loren Parra & Thomas Van Lent

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A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem

Abstract Economic, ecological, and health impacts of excessive Phosphorus reaching our waterbodies are well documented worldwide. It is expected that freshwater eutrophication events will become more frequent due to steady population growth and intensification of agriculture. There is a spectrum of possible solutions to the problem of excess Phosphorus entering aquatic ecosystems. These ideas range from implementation of best management practices in agricultural and urban settings to downstream integration of constructed wetlands that filter waters through natural processes. Phosphorus removal from rivers and lakes remains a technological challenge, from the perspective of both cost effectiveness and efficiency. New, cheaper, and more adaptable techniques are required to remove excess Phosphorus from impaired freshwater bodies worldwide. The $10 million George Barley Water Prize was designed to incentivize research in solving the ongoing Phosphorus problem. Structured in stages to mimic the commercial development of new technologies, the Water Prize has already awarded winners for Stages 1, 2, and 3 (Pilot Phase).

utrophication and its Impacts. Excessive Phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) reaching our waterbodies is threatening the health of ecosystems worldwide and destroying aquatic life1. The increase in nutrient flows to the environment has been attributed to population growth, intensive agricultural practices, and industrial activities2.

Researchers report that the net P storage in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems have increased by at least 75% when compared to pre-industrial levels of storage2. This increase has impaired freshwater lakes and rivers around the world catalyzing increased numbers of algae bloom events during the last decades3,5. In the United States, 48% of freshwater bodies are impaired due to nutrient pollution (Figure 1), generating economic, ecological, and health impacts. The analysis of potential economic damage due to freshwater eutrophication in the US alone was estimated at about $4.3 billion USD annually. These damages mainly include reduced property values, and the closure of lakes to boating and fishing6. The ecological impacts of eutrophication are well documented starting from the excessive growth of algae, potentially leading to loss of subaquatic vegetation, low dissolved oxygen, fish kills, and ecosystem collapse. Cyanobacterial toxins causing

acute poisoning, skin irritation, and gastrointestinal illnesses in humans are also well documented as the multiple health impacts of harmful algae blooms.

In the United States, 48% of freshwater bodies are impaired due to nutrient pollution generating economic, ecological, and health impacts. It is expected that freshwater eutrophication events will become more frequent because of continued population growth leading to the intensification of agriculture, mainly in the developing world where fertilizer consumption is expected to increase by 40% between 2002 and 20307. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 61

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 Figure 1. Phosphorus pollution: Sources and cost. Credit: H2H Graphics for the Everglades Foundation.

A Prize Focusing on Phosphorus Removal Excess P inputs from point sources such as sewage treatment plants have been curtailed in freshwaters of the industrialized world since the 1972 passage of the Clean Water Act and similar subsequent laws. However, non-point source pollution, which originates from diffuse sources is still an ongoing water-quality problem8. In fact, the major source of P in freshwater in the United States is non-point source flux from land to water9, 10. A P budget of the upper Potomac River Basin revealed that over 60% of imported P was retained within the watershed caused by an excess of fertilizer and animal feed inputs over outputs of agricultural products11. Other studies reported similar increased P storage in terrestrial ecosystems and that P accumulation was caused by an imbalance in P inputs of fertilizer and animal feeds exceeding P outputs in agricultural products12. The reported amount of P transported from terrestrial ecosystems to freshwaters is estimated at around 25.9 Tg.yr-1 (1 teragram = 1 million metric tons) while 10 Tg.yr-1 is the total estimated amount of P stored in soils annually.13 Reddy et al14 estimated that the total P stored in the floc and surface soils of the Greater Everglades ecosystem is about 0.4 Tg. This P stored in the soils and transported into our freshwater ecosystems is causing an ecological imbalance that could potentially lead to endemic health problems. There is a spectrum of possible solutions to remove 62 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

excess Phosphorus discharged into our freshwaters. These range from implementing best management practices at the source level (farm or city), to downstream integration of constructed wetlands that filter waters through natural processes. Although it is relatively inexpensive to spread Phosphorusbased fertilizers on farms, technologies currently implemented to remove excess Phosphorus in our freshwaters are prohibitively expensive, largely owed

Recognizing that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone, The Everglades Foundation decided to create an incentive program to solve this problem by proposing a $10 million global prize. to intensive land requirements, expensive materials, and/or high capital, operating, and maintenance costs. Furthermore, costs dramatically increase when cleaning water at relatively low Phosphorus concentrations, and under different conditions (variable temperature, flows, concentrations, etc.). The State of Florida alone would be required to spend $4-5 billion to clean water flowing into Lake Okeechobee and to reach the 40 ppb P target (Figure 1)15. These figures suggest a technological breakthrough is required to control large scale Phosphorus levels cost effectively. Recognizing that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone, The Everglades Foundation decided to create an incentive program to solve this problem by proposing a $10 million global prize. The $10 million George Barley Water prize was designed by a group of national and international experts led by major companies (InnoCentive, Nesta,

A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem

 Figure 2. Timeline and structure of the first three stages of the George Barley Water Prize. Credit: VERB for the Everglades Foundation.

and VERB) specialized in developing large-scale incentive prizes. The prize was designed in stages where technologies would be tested in a lab environment and at a pilot scale before being tested at a larger field scale. These multiple stages served to mimic the industrial process of technology development and to give competitors several opportunities to translate their early-stage ideas into commercially successful technologies (Figure 2).

The George Barley Water Prize is looking for an innovative technology that:

•

is radically cheaper to construct and operate than currently available removal technologies; • removes enough total Phosphorus (TP) from contaminated freshwater to achieve healthy water bodies; • removes excess Phosphorus even when it is present at low-concentrations; • does not negatively impact the environment, and abides by appropriate regulations; • works in cold and warm conditions; • demonstrates adaptability through its easy onsite construction and deconstruction; and, • is capable of effectively scaling to handle industrial flows of water. The winner must prove their innovation can work in a laboratory setting and in challenging field conditions. Leading up to The Grand Challenge Stage, competitors have already successfully completed three

stages (Stage 1, Stage 2, and the Pilot Prize Stage) of the competition. The focus of this paper is the first two stages of adjudicating The George Barley Water Prize.

Stage 1 of the Prize Stage 1 was launched in June 2016 to incentivize the demonstration of new ideas (Figure 2). Contestants were encouraged to compete from the widest possible pool of innovators. This stage aimed at: 1) forging a spirit of competition to encourage researchers and businesses from within and from outside of the field by showcasing, comparing, and rewarding promising early-stage technologies, and 2) creating a collaborative community of innovators and engage researchers, tech-

The $10 million George Barley Water prize was designed in stages where technologies would be tested in a lab environment and at a pilot scale before being tested at a larger field scale. nologists, and companies on the subject. Contestants were asked to describe the use of their technologies in reducing TP (not only focusing on soluble reactive Phosphorus) in water. Contestants were required to highlight the geochemical characteristics of the processed water to showcase its discharge readiness. A judging panel provided feedback on the submissions to guide contestants better improve their technologies. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 63

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A total of $35,000 USD was awarded to the three winners of this stage (Team blueXgreen of the University of Idaho (USA), AquaCal AgBag (USA) and Wetsus NaFRAD of the Netherlands). While Stage 1 applicants were heavily concentrated in the United States, teams from Canada, India, Belgium, Germany, Australia, China, Japan, Indonesia, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, and Israel also applied. Approximately 50% of the applications came from for-profit organizations, while the other half came from non-profit or hybrid organizations. Altogether, 26 applications were affiliated with one or more universities. The technologies presented in Stage 1 were diverse. 14% of the applications were physical technologies, 26% were biological, 18% were chemical, and the remaining 42% were hybrid technologies. All 104 applications went through a technical evaluation led by experts in the fields of chemical and process engineering, hydrology, economics, water quality, and ecology. The Everglades Foundation selected an additional four communications experts to rank the applications based on presentation, clarity, resonance, and shareability. From the judging outcome and scoring, it was clear that all competitors’ videos were too technical to grasp and lacked the resonance and shareability criteria. It was clear from the results that many of the scientists tended to delve deeply into details not necessary to understand the overall goal of the idea or the novelty of the process.

Stage 2 of The Prize Months after the completion of Stage 1, Stage 2 was launched in January 2017 (Figure 2). This stage aimed to incentivize the development of new ideas that could be further improved and ‘scaled-up’ at later stages of the competition. This stage aimed at: 1) testing the technologies under similar conditions, providing better scope for comparison and competition, and 2) helping contestants gain a better understanding of their own processes. Contestants tested their technologies in their own laboratory facilities adhering to and documenting quality assurance, quality control protocols. Contestants subsequently sent their samples to certified laboratories of their choosing in their respective countries, and/or states. From the beginning of Stage 2 to August 31, 2017, contestants used their facilities to prove their technology’s performance in treating 567 Liters of water with variable Phosphorus concentrations in a laboratory environment. Each test period was required to run for a total of 2 weeks. 64 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

A total of $80,000 was awarded to the three winners of this stage (Wetsus NaFRAd from the Netherlands, Green Water Solution (USA) and the U.S. Geological Survey - Leetown Science).

Prizes have long been used not only to drive innovation for societal benefit, but also to induce behavioral change, mobilize new talent or capital, and raise awareness about a specific problem.

Stage 2 was open to all contestants without any pre-assessment or qualification criteria. By the close of the deadline, Stage 2 received 32 completed applications. Of these 32 applications, 24 were advanced to the expert panel of judges for a multi-stage judging process. A panel of expert judges, similarly comprised of industry experts, went through the lengthy process to identifying the winners of Stage 2, and the 10 teams (from the 24 applicants) who would be selected to move on to the next stage, The Pilot Stage.

The Prize Design Process Prizes have long been used not only to drive innovation for societal benefit, but also to induce behavioral change, mobilize new talent or capital, and raise awareness about a specific problem16. The 1714 Longitude Prize was established by the British Parliament for the discovery of a precise tool to determine longitude and prevent losses at sea. As a result, John Harrison (a clockmaker) developed the marine chronometer to immediately revolutionize shipping and trade. In 1927 Charles Lindbergh won a $25,000 prize offered by Raymond Orteig for the first flight from New York to Paris, arguably catalyzing today’s $2.7 trillion modern day aviation industry17. It has become increasingly clear that Phosphorus removal from rivers and lakes remains an unsolved technological challenge, largely due to the cost and effectiveness perspectives. Several companies focused on the removal of P from lakes or rivers are currently operating. However, there are still several challenges to successful deployment: reaching very low P concentrations in freshwater, and removing Phosphorus without negatively impacting ecosystems. Cost is yet another challenge as current technologies are too costly (capital, operation, and management) when cleaning large amounts of water with initial TP levels less than 500

A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem

 Figure 3. Innovation model of the George Barley Water Prize. Credit: H2H Graphics for the Everglades Foundation.

ppb. When dealing with large amount of water at low P concentrations, cost easily escalate to upwards of billions of dollars. The George Barley Water Prize was designed in phases following a well-known innovation model that breaks the process into five steps (Figure 3).

Ideation The first step is “Ideation”, where ideas are generated and tested. For the topic of Phosphorus removal, the scientific literature is brimming with ideas, as scientists from all across the globe put their hypotheses in front of their colleagues for review, the essence of the scientific process. But there are others working on the issue of Phosphorus as well. Inventors and entrepreneurs come up with ideas every day, and are tasked with moving these proposals towards the next step in the innovation process.

Advocacy & Screening Every idea needs an advocate, someone who can represent the idea, pitch it to peers and potential backers, defend and explain it succinctly and with passion. Without an advocate, no idea can survive. But, not every idea should survive. That is why screening is an essential component. The most successful innovators are those who can ruthlessly screen their own ideas, sifting through hundreds of possibilities

to find the single gem of an idea, the breakthrough. The peer-review component of the scientific process is also essential in validating good ideas, as the process guarantees that erroneous concepts get disproven through rigorous review. Once an idea has passed the screening phase, it deserves some investment in the form of experimentation.

Experimentation Experimentation is the bedrock of the scientific process, with carefully designed tests that prove or disprove the idea, and potentially expand, refine, and revise it. The experimentation phase starts small and is progressively scaled up with increasing complexity and rigor. Experiments often start in the laboratory, on a workbench, hence the term “bench-scale” experiments. These are limited, can be easily reproduced, and are relatively cheap. Next, these experiments scale up to a pilot project. Here the technology is tested and refined in something close to a real-world situation, but operations remain small enough to keep costs relatively low. The final step in experimentation is a full-scale test, or “going to beta” as it is often referred to. A potential technology is tested in real conditions and preferably with actual users. This is the ultimate proof required to move to the final phases: commercialization and dissemination. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 65

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Commercialization and Dissemination

In Brief

Commercialization and Dissemination are more than just selling your product; it needs to compete in the marketplace. The idea needs financial backing, marketing, and a myriad of other elements to make it a reality. Inventors often lack business acumen; therefore, collaborations are common, either with an existing organization or through the foundation of a new business. Without this step ideas remain just abstractions; this final step converts them into a commercially-viable reality. The George Barley Water Prize was designed to follow these same 5 steps, with the goal of accelerating the overall process, and bringing new ideas to market as soon as possible.

Affecting both freshwater and coastal ecosystems, nutrient eutrophication is a subtle yet rapidly growing environmental crisis of international significance. A rapid increase in intensive agricultural practices, industrial activities, and population growth have all contributed to an increased incidence of algal bloom events throughout the world. Debilitating and often irreversible impacts include a loss of sub-aquatic vegetation, changes in species composition, coral reef damage and the formation of oxygen-depleted waters or “dead zones.” Entire ecosystems are at risk of collapse. No known process currently exists capable of cost effectively removing excess Phosphorus from freshwater bodies.

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A Prize to Solve a Wicked Environmental Problem

A technological breakthrough is required to control large scale Phosphorus levels. Recognizing that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone, the Everglades Foundation launched the $10 million George Barley water Prize, a prize available to researchers capable of developing a cost-effective process for removing Phosphorus from natural water bodies on a large scale. The goals of the P Grand Challenge are to promote economically viable technologies, incentivize resilient technologies, and generate public awareness. During the first two stages of the competition, more than 100 applicants with new ideas and technologies from 13 different countries competed for the prize. Ten teams were selected for the pilot (third) phase of the competition. The George Barley water Prize was successful in testing those technologies at a lab scale and at a pilot scale in Canada demonstrating their viability and resiliency. Throughout history, prizes have been used for societal benefit. Since early 2000, the use of prizes with wide objectives has gradually increased, driving innovation, tackling ambitious goals, and focusing on challenging problems (new drugs, space travel, etc.). In the environmental field, setting specific measurable goals and clear outcomes for the competition, involving the existing problem-solvers in identifying the challenges, and assessing the solvers risk-taking attitude are necessary for launching a successful prize. Acknowledgements Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Everglades Foundation. The authors thank the generous support of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Xylem, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Knight Foundation, Scott’s Miracle Gro Foundation, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, and the Field Museum. The authors also thank all the experts for judging the competition results and Verb for managing the prize.

References 1. Brooks, B. W.; Lazorchak, J. M.; Howard, M. D. A.; Johnson, M. V. V.; Morton, S. L.; Perkins, D. A. K.; Reavie, E. D.; Scott, G. I.; Smith, S. A.; Steevens, J. A., Are Harmful Algal Blooms Becoming the Greatest Inland Water Quality Threat to Public Health and Aquatic Ecosystems?

3. Maccoux, M. J.; Dove, A.; Backus, S. M.; Dolan, D. M., Total and soluble reactive Phosphorus loadings to Lake Erie A detailed accounting by year, basin, country, and tributary. Journal of Great Lakes Research 2016, 42, (6), 1151-1165. 4. Wang, J. L.; Fu, Z. S.; Qiao, H. X.; Liu, F. X., Assessment of eutrophication and water quality in the estuarine area of Lake Wuli, Lake Taihu, China. Science of the Total Environment 2019, 650, 1392-1402. 5. Watson, S. B.; Miller, C.; Arhonditsis, G.; Boyer, G. L.; Carmichael, W.; Charlton, M. N.; Confesor, R.; Depew, D. C.; Hook, T. O.; Ludsin, S. A.; Matisoff, G.; McElmurry, S. P.; Murray, M. W.; Richards, R. P.; Rao, Y. R.; Steffen, M. M.; Wilhelm, S. W., The re-eutrophication of Lake Erie: Harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. Harmful Algae 2016, 56, 44-66. 6. Dodds, W. K.; Bouska, W. W.; Eitzmann, J. L.; Pilger, T. J.; Pitts, K. L.; Riley, A. J.; Schloesser, J. T.; Thornbrugh, D. J., Eutrophication of US freshwaters: Analysis of potential economic damages. Environmental Science & Technology 2009, 43, (1), 12-19. 7. Organization, F. a. A. Fertilizer requirements in 2015 and 2030.; Rome, 2000. 8. Duda, A. M., Addressing nonpoint sources of water pollution must become an international priority. Water Sci. Technol. 1993, 28, (3-5), 1-11. 9. Daniel, T. C.; Sharpley, A. N.; Edwards, D. R.; Wedepohl, R.; Lemunyon, J. L., Minimizing surface-water eutrophication from agriculture by Phosphorus management. J. Soil Water Conserv. 1994, 49, (2), 30-38. 10. Sharpley, A. N.; Chapra, S. C.; Wedepohl, R.; Sims, J. T.; Daniel, T. C.; Reddy, K. R., Managing agricultural Phosphorus for protection of surface waters - Issues and options. Journal of Environmental Quality 1994, 23, (3), 437-451. 11. Jaworski, N. A.; Groffman, P. M.; Keller, A. A.; Prager, J. C., A watershed nitrogen and Phosphorus balance - The upper Potomac river basin. Estuaries 1992, 15, (1), 83-95. 12. Tunney, H., A note on a balance sheet approach to estimating the Phosphorus fertilizer needs of acgriculture. Irish Journal of Agricultural Research 1990, 29, (2), 149-154. 13. Howarth, R. W.; Jensen, H. S.; Marino, R.; Postma, H., Transport to and processing of P in near-shore and oceanic waters. In Phosphorus in the Global Environment: Transfers, Cycles, and Management, Tiessen, H., Ed. John Wiley and Sons: New York, 1995; pp 323–345. 14. Reddy, K. R.; Newman, S.; Osborne, T. Z.; White, J. R.; Fitz, H. C., Phosphorous Cycling in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem: Legacy Phosphorous Implications for Management and Restoration. Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2011, 41, 149-186. 15. Khare, Y.; Naja, G. M.; Stainback, G. A.; Martinez, C. J.; Paudel, R.; Van Lent, T., A Phased Assessment of Restoration Alternatives to Achieve Phosphorus Water Quality Targets for Lake Okeechobee, Florida, USA. Water 2019, 11, (2). 16. McKinsey&Company And the winner is.... Capturing the promise of philantropic prizes; 2009; p 114. 17. Parker, A. $2.7 Trillion Up In The Air: Aircraft anufacturer’s predictions; with an infrastructure reanalysis. University of Puget Sound, 2007.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2016, 35, (1), 6-13. 2. Bennett, E. M.; Carpenter, S. R.; Caraco, N. F., Human impact on erodable Phosphorus and eutrophication: A global perspective. Bioscience 2001, 51, (3), 227-234.

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Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry

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Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry by Conor Merrigan

il and gas overall consumption accounts for roughly 50% of the human-generated emissions driving climate change1. Industrial uses generate about 20% of total emissions, of which an unidentified portion includes the extraction, transport, and refinement of petroleum products. So, in addition to producing the fuels that contribute greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, the industry consumes a significant portion during routine operations. But yet… This industry is more nuanced than it appears, and emerging sustainability solutions are presenting what could be a better story. From the power of increasing transparency and reporting to new ways of engaging with regulators, oil and gas companies are responding to global science and political realities. The nexus of economic development and the social license to operate gives companies the opportunity to lift up the communities where they operate while responding to local desires. And critically, the innovation inherent to the industry’s business model coupled with changing economics is providing significant potential to capitalize on efficiencies and develop new solutions. This is not a monochromatic industry; where all operators

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are inherently cast in dark hues because of the work they do, aligned against the forces of brightness in the context of environmental impact. Shades of grey and flashes of green can be seen, providing reasons to think that certain actors in this industry could emerge as bearers of light. Encouraging this emergence requires a reevaluation of the relationship between those who primarily see the climate as under threat and those who primarily see their business model as under threat. Only by a combination of defining a set of accountability measures while also rewarding moves in the right direction can this industry become a partner towards a sustainable future. Using an ambitiously practical approach that works within the confines of today’s paradigm, evolving in real time, we can chart a path in that direction.

State of Play—Where we are now While there is no denying that the climate is undergoing rapid change being characterized as a climate crisis2, there is also no ignoring the current state of our world. Population is growing, nations are urbanizing, and technology is spreading; in short, energy demand is growing. The International Energy Association’s (IEA) most recent forecast includes two scenarios, one that aligns with current stated policies and another that aligns with science-based targets to reach the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) targets, known as the sustainable development scenario. Under the stated policies scenario, oil is headed towards a plateau at about 10% over current demand by 2040, at which time natural gas is trending towards an ascending 33% increase. Under the sustainable development scenario, natural gas still sees an increase by 2030 before trending down to an approximate 3% decrease from 2018 levels by 2040, while oil drops significantly to about 30% of current levels by then3. The continued reliance on natural gas growth is notable; hydraulic fracturing technologies continue to enable transition from dirtier and more carbon intensive fuel sources, especially in the electrical generation sector. Oil continues to power our transportation network, and the derivative products of both oil and natural gas are pervasive and integral to our modern lifestyles. For consumers that truly want to divest from hydrocarbons and drive down demand, there is a much longer list of plastics and products to limit in addition to shifting to lower carbon emitting transit options. As those who can make the choice to reduce their use of 70 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

these products, those who need the affordable resources to create better lives and choose these products will continue to drive demand in these scenarios.

Only by a combination of defining a set of accountability measures while also rewarding moves in the right direction can this industry become a partner towards a sustainable future.

The regulatory environment is another critical component that has a significant impact on the oil and gas industry’s ability, desire and impetus to take more sustainable actions. Environmental regulations continue to tighten as more information is known about climate, water and air quality impacts due to advances in science, technology, and compliance efforts. The boom in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology4 in particular is also allowing more drilling closer to and even in the midst of population centers. Though regulations continue to differ locally and nationally, there are examples of alignment; Colorado’s industry leading rules on methane emissions put in place in 20145, for example, were largely used as the template for rules issued at the federal level per 2016 rules from the EPA6. In addition, regulatory agencies and the oil and gas industry have a complicated relationship. There are sentiments in the oil and gas industry that are wary of sharing technological improvements with regulators for fear of being mandated to adhere to ever higher standards. Some operators do what they can to stay under the radar; meeting the minimums. On the other hand, there are numerous operators gladly taking on voluntary control measures that go above and beyond existing regulations. The aforementioned rules on methane emissions in Colorado represented a model of cooperation at the time where both regulators and companies found common ground. Other drivers are impacting oil and gas, including some not necessarily within the sector. At the corporate level, 86%+ of Fortune 500 companies are publishing sustainability or corporate responsibility reports7. All the super-majors now have annual sustainability reports, and the year over year trends are heading towards more reporting for smaller companies. The rapid advance of technology across sectors provides

Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry

 1970s all of the above Chevron ad.

opportunities for options such as electrification and renewables at increasingly attractive price points, and as other energy sources emerge the potential for major disruption looms large over the industry. This is the state of play; the question for some is how to shift that trajectory dramatically, how to re-align with natural limits, and how to shift the paradigms with urgency beyond economics. That is noble work, and needed; but so is the work within the bounds of realistic parameters, where shifting may not be as dramatic but can in many cases be more likely.

SOLUTIONS So, what are oil and gas companies doing now, and what can they do to move towards more sustainable solutions without closing shop? Voluntary reporting and cooperation with regulators are aligning with investor desires and political headwinds. The opportunity to build on and recognize the traditional sustainable positive economic impacts on communities with additional actions is becoming more clear with the rise of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Add in the continuous innovation inherent in the industry and efficiency potentials, and a platform for real breakthroughs is evident.

Reporting and Regulation Solutions The continued push towards transparency and corporate reporting is impacting these industries that were already looking at performance factors to benchmark against peers and provide data for investor evaluation. Organizations like the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation

Association8 support industry best practices and provide frameworks for comparison, guidance for sustainability reporting in line with UN guidelines, and actively share resources to help companies understand how they stack up to a host of sustainability thresholds. The recent uptick in voluntary reporting has been noticeable, with all the super-majors producing annual sustainability reports compared to a select few in 20149. With reporting publicly being a significant but increasingly in demand thing for companies to do, there is substantial effort behind the scenes to gather, evaluate and act on such data internally. Along with IPIECA, there are other industry working groups that provide a forum for oil and gas industry companies to anonymously report on their resource consumption and best practice. Groups such www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 71

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as American Exploration and Production Council Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), the Energy Water Initiative (EWI), the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) all share a variety of industry metrics in this way. The anonymity of these groups provides a degree of assurance that companies won’t be singled out while providing reliable snapshots of where the industry stands. One of the somewhat understated impacts of this reporting is to provide a channel to regulators regarding what the industry can do and is doing. This is facilitating conversations from the global level to the local on which best practices and targets make sense as regulated activities versus which are specific to regions and companies. The trick is convening these conversations in ways that encourage the industry to move forward without feeling exposed to additional regulation, a balancing act that these reporting processes are enabling. In addition to voluntary reporting, oil and gas 72 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

industry companies are increasingly taking steps to voluntary exceed regulations and share some specific best practices. In Colorado, for example, in recognition of the negative impacts of ozone, operators have been voluntarily curtailing operations10 and taking specific steps to limit emissions when the state environmental agency, the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment or CDPHE issue pre-emptory notices of upcoming high ozone days. Frameworks for cooperation are in place across the country; various industry associations regularly interact with regulatory bodies to try and reach solutions that both find advantageous. There are also recognition programs, such as the Environmental Leadership Program11 where oil and gas (as well as other companies) can highlight their environmentally friendly activities and are required to continually improve in order to remain in good standing. These types of programs are starting to break down the walls between the industry and the public, but the

Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry

work is ongoing and continuous attention needs to be paid to demonstrate value and encouragement.

Social and Economic Sustainability In the traditional corporate ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) reporting world, the S is where oil and gas companies have traditionally shone. Placing safety as the number one priority provides health benefits to workers, and the above average wages provide direct benefits that help lift up the economies of local communities. While IPIECA has developed a useful website12 that identifies how the oil and gas industry aligns with each of the Sustainable Development Goals, some of the highest magnitude alignments are with the economic and social goals. From affordable energy access (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), there are significant benefits the industry offers. These allow a broader view of sustainability than one limited to the area of greatest negative impact/opportunity of climate action (SDG 13), and recognizes that a holistic view can see benefits leading to individual choices to lower negative impacts, especially in communities where industry operates. The positive economic and social impacts of industry on local communities often have significant indirect benefits in addition to raising local wages. Generally speaking, in America at least, an average of between 4-10% of the total production value of oil and gas in a given state goes back to local governments13. In New Mexico, the governor recently announced a plan to provide free college tuition to residents largely due to taxes on oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin14.

Resource Efficiency & Innovation By using resources efficiently, companies can see cost savings, environmental wins, and can add a third benefit of avoiding additional regulation. Even where immediate cost savings aren’t as strong as alternatives, the added sustainability benefits can provide both longer term value and risk mitigation that make these types of projects attractive. Energy is the biggest resource to conserve, and the places using the most are refineries. Refineries consume massive amounts of energy, much in the form of heat, and can often provide the fuel from the fuels that they are refining. However, this also seems like an area to introduce renewables to help offset or entirely offset some of these huge energy loads, and there are encouraging signs. Royal Dutch Shell is looking at combinations

of solar, battery storage and natural gas to power a significant portion of a refinery in the Philippines15 and is investigating a much wider deployment of solar including at their largest refinery in Singapore.16 Transportation efficiency measures have very high potential for cost and energy savings; historically trucking has been managed fairly ad hoc. Applying logic and technology to fleet operations presents a significant opportunity. Companies like Engage17 are helping save energy, cost, and carbon; they specialize in real-time data and logistics management and have measured about 21,000 miles reduced and 34 tons of carbon saved annually per driver in at least one instance18.

With reporting publicly being a significant but increasingly in demand thing for companies to do, there is substantial effort behind the scenes to gather, evaluate and act on such data internally. Water efficiency is another key area for improvement that is only becoming more critical. The need for large amounts of waters in hydraulic fracturing poses a challenge, especially in water-poor regions, and looking into reuse and low embodied energy water makes sense. Reports from the Energy Water Initiative have called out chemistry and technological improvements that are allowing companies to use lower quality water and reuse water more effectively19. Where there is sufficient well density combined with local water availability, geologic limitations or opportunities, and local regulations, some operators are building and often sharing water treatment plants. Companies such as Southwestern Energy have taken on water treatment efforts and achieved near-zero disposal of produced water while reusing treated water for operational needs or allowable discharges20. Finally, the greenhouse gas impacts of fugitive methane emissions are increasingly well documented21, and many leading companies have agreed to follow the Methane Guiding Principles22 to continue to reduce these emissions and joined the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative to track progress. From improved combustion efficiency to better monitoring and preventative techniques, there are numerous impactful activities operators can and are implementing to limit methane released. With support from the oil and gas majors, entire supply chains are being examined to improve www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 73

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efficiency. According to the EIA, 45% of the currently emitted methane could be recaptured at no net cost due to the market for methane23, so the number of factors pushing for near zero leakage are lining up and will hopefully show sharp progress in the coming years. The nexus of science showing greater potential emissions than previously thought, operators implementing stricter emissions controls, and regulators hastening to ensure emissions are regulated provides a pathway for oil and gas companies to get ahead of the curve and demonstrate leadership.

heat or electricity resource. There are a number of factors that need to align for this to be practical, but there is existing technology that just needs to be integrated in innovative ways. The technical, business and PR cases need to be made, but if they add up, there are operators willing to invest resources to make it happen.

The nexus of science showing greater potential emissions than previously thought, operators implementing stricter emissions controls, and regulators hastening to ensure emissions are regulated Innovation Beyond increasing the efficiency of operations and provides a pathway for oil and gas companies to get getting better at the environmental, economic, and ahead of the curve and demonstrate leadership. social impacts they have on communities, the second major path forward is innovation. This is where the potential for disruption is greatest, the opportunity to shift gears is most ambitious, and where the incentive is lowest in the short term but perhaps highest in the long term. The energy industry is built on innovation, and innovations continue to power additional efficiencies, expansion, and new uses for the basic products. The fracking revolution has unlocked access to tremendous amounts of previously unrecoverable oil and natural gas, new techniques and efficiencies are remaking certain processes profitable again, and innovations in monitoring technology are enabling more complete knowledge of operations than ever before. In Houston, Petrologistics recently announced plans to build a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant that will only be feasible due to remarkable increases in efficiency from a catalytic cracking process developed by Dow Chemicals24. Enabling these innovations and rewarding them is a key area for regulators to engage that could be a major fulcrum point to help shift the industry quickly. Innovations from other energy sectors are also in many cases complementary to traditional fuels. One interesting innovation may be combining geothermal energy generation with fossil fuel extraction25. The combination of heated water, sufficient flow, and proximate off-takers can allow for beneficial capture of the heat that would be otherwise wasted, providing a renewable

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The concept of an energy transition being led by traditional energy companies will require innovation and gradual shifting of resources. The idea of harnessing the R&D capabilities and energy delivery models to deploy non-traditional fuels can be seen as Shell gas stations install electric chargers staring in the UK and the Netherlands26, ExxonMobil pushes into algae biofuel27, and Chevron’s recent establishment of a Future Energy Fund28. On a potentially more meaningful scale, Total is making moves to diversify their energy assets to shift to cleaner sources and newer fuels, even highlighting these efforts on their “Why Invest in Total?” webpage29. Major companies investing in new technologies to bring them cost effectively to scale isn’t a new concept. From Exxon’s commercialization efforts for modern day solar panels30 to Chevron’s founding on the transition from whale oil to kerosene in 187931, there is precedent. The concept of an “all of the above” energy strategy made sense for the industry then and can continue to make sense today.

Leadership The culture of innovation is most pronounced at the top, where the majors and super-majors have the R&D budgets and vision to experiment, and fail, and fail, and sometimes succeed.

Sustainability Solutions in the Oil & Gas Industry  Bubble size: larger bubble size= stronger performance on climate governance and strategy. Credit: CDP.

BP’s gamble to go big into renewables hasn’t panned out for the time being - they sold their interests in the solar company they had gone into and are currently in a space in between re-trenching in their core business model and continuing to test out other innovations to try and start showing the claims to move Beyond Petroleum weren’t empty. This uncomfortable space is healthy from an innovation and creative perspective. The commitments made may dissuade some other companies from making such public commitments, but the pressure to follow through from investors, the buying public, and hopefully from the corporate boards will continue to demand progress towards preparing for an energy transition. One good source of this information is the Carbon Disclosure Project, whose analysts have framed the discussion in terms of opportunities and risks related to a low-carbon transition in their sector report on oil & gas32. The report is worth looking at on its own, but the above chart illustrates a possible framework for analyzing major oil and gas companies in the context of climate opportunities and risk.

Conclusion The basic business model of extracting fossil fuels and getting the by-products to consumers is the core of current oil and gas industry business models, without which the economics don’t add up. Energy demand is increasing, and projections show that natural gas in particular is still needed in greater volumes as a fuel source.

But, there are ways to make those profits in cleaner, more resource friendly ways while incorporating new technologies and looking to use some of the profits to increase sustainability indicators in the geographic areas where these companies operate. Some of that is being done. Some of the ships are turning course, with fits and starts but generally building the momentum to turn. Investors are battling it out, with the need for consistent profits running into the need to maintain higher ESG scores and demonstrate thoughtful risk avoidance. The essential challenge is to bring these companies along in partnership towards a more sustainable future. To do so will be hard; it will require an evolution of the regulatory regimes to both encourage innovations and drive accountability for science-based impacts. The trend of transparency and reporting may emerge as the driving force; it will certainly help in the process. As companies get recognized for their positive actions in a holistic manner a bridge can be created that allows for more dialogue and less demonization. The potential for innovation in efficiencies and new energy sources in particular can provide a path forward for the majors to start and shape industrial pathways for smaller operators, and smaller companies can likewise introduce disruptive technologies that can shift operations for companies of various sizes and responsibilities in the oil and gas industrial ecosystem. Ultimately, this combination of innovation and cooperation will be needed to truly shift the paradigm. www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 75

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References 1. Global Carbon Budget 2019, https://www.earth-syst-sci-data. net/11/1783/2019/ 2. Report of the UN Secretary General, December 2019, https://www.un.org/ en/climatechange/assets/pdf/cas_report_11_dec.pdf 3. IEA World Energy Outlook 2019, https://www.iea.org/reports/worldenergy-outlook-2019 4. Blackmon, David. “Horizontal Drilling: A Technological Marvel Ignored”, Forbes, 28 Jan 2013, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ davidblackmon/2013/01/28/horizontal-drilling-a-technological-marvelignored/#64e8c0db6f11 5. Paige Ogburn, Stephanie. “Colorado First State to Limit Methane Pollution from Oil and Gas Wells”, ClimateWire, 25 February 2014, https://www. scientificamerican.com/article/colorado-first-state-to-limit-methanepollution-from-oil-and-gas-wells/ 6. “Controlling Air Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry, New Source Performance Standards and Permitting Requirements”, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/controlling-air-pollution-oil-andnatural-gas-industry/new-source-performance-standards-and 7. Flash Report: 86% of S&P 500 Index® Companies Publish Sustainability / Responsibility Reports in 2018, Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc., 06 May 2019, https://www.ga-institute.com/press-releases/article/ flash-report-86-of-sp-500-indexR-companies-publish-sustainabilityresponsibility-reports-in-20.html 8. http://www.ipieca.org/ 9. Schneider, Jennifer; Ghettas, Salim; Merdaci, Nacer; Brown, Mervin; Martyniuk, Joseph; Alshehri, Waleed; and Trojan, Anthony (2013) "Towards Sustainability in the Oil and Gas Sector: Benchmarking of Environmental, Health, and Safety Efforts," Journal of Environmental Sustainability: Vol. 3: Iss. 3, Article 6, http://scholarworks.rit.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1028&context=jes 10. COGA factsheet, updated 31 July 2019, https://www.coga.org/ uploads/1/2/2/4/122414962/fact_sheet_-_ozone_update_7-31.19.pdf 11. https://colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/environmental-leadership-program/ 12. http://www.ipieca.org/our-work/sustainable-development-goals/ 13. Raimi, Daniel and Newell, Richard G. “Oil and gas revenue allocation to local governments in the United States”, Duke University Energy Initiative 1, May 2016, https://energy.duke.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/4.%20 Local%20government%20revenue%20from%20oil%20and%20gas%20 production%20CORRECTED%20SUMMARY%20FINAL.pdf 14. Allyn, Bobby. “New Mexico Unveils Plan To Give Students Free College Tuition Regardless Of Income”, NPR, 18 September 2019, https://www.npr. org/2019/09/18/762071931/new-mexico-unveils-plan-to-give-students-freecollege-tuition-regardless-of-inco 15. Willuhn, Marian. “Shell to power Philippines refinery with solar, storage and natural gas”, pv magazine, 11 October 2019, https://www.pv-magazine. com/2019/10/11/shell-to-power-philippines-refinery-with-solar-storageand-natural-gas/

16. “Shell Explores Using Solar Panels At Singapore Refinery”, Chemical Processing, 09 August 2019, https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/ industrynews/2019/shell-explores-using-solar-panels-at-singapore-refinery/ 17. www.Engagemobilize.com 18. Personal communication from Caroline Charles, Engage Mobilize. 19. “U.S. Onshore Unconventional Exploration and Production Water Management Case Studies”, CH2MHill, January 2015, https://www. anadarko.com/content/documents/apc/Responsibility/EWI_Case_Studies_ Report.pdf 20. “Water”, Southwestern Energy, https://www.swn.com/responsibility/ environment/water/#responsible-produced-water-management 21. Ward, Richard and Haley, Kevin. “Cutting Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Production: One of the Year’s Biggest Energy Challenges, Rocky Mountain Institute, 31 January 2018, https://rmi.org/2018s-pressing-energychallenge-methane-emissions/ 22. “Reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain - Guiding principles”, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), November 2017, https://www.ccacoalition.org/en/resources/reducing-methane-emissionsacross-natural-gas-value-chain-guiding-principles 23. McGlade, Christopher. “Tracking Fuel Supply, Methane emissions from oil and gas”, November 2019, https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-fuelsupply-2019/methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas 24. “PetroLogistics to build new PDH plant on Gulf Coast”, Business and Industry Connection, 24 July 2019, https://www.bicmagazine.com/ expansions/downstream/petrologistic/ 25. Sanyal, Subir K. and Butler, Steven J. “Geothermal Power Capacity from Petroleum Wells – Some Case Histories of Assessment”, proceedings from World Geothermal Congress 2010, Bali, Indonesia, 25-29 April 2010, https:// www.geothermal-energy.org/pdf/IGAstandard/WGC/2010/3713.pdf 26. Lambert, Fred. “Shell to start deploying fast-charging EV stations with Allego at its gas stations”,Electrek, 17 July 2017, https://ww.electrek. co/2017/07/17/shell-ev-fast-charging-station-allego-gas-stations/ 27. “Advanced biofuels and algae research: targeting the technical capability to produce 10,000 barrels per day by 2025”, 17 September 2018, https:// corporate.exxonmobil.com/en/research-and-innovation/advanced-biofuels/ advanced-biofuels-and-algae-research 28. “Chevron Technology Ventures Launches Future Energy Fund”, Chevron press release, 20 June 2018, https://www.chevron.com/stories/chevrontechnology-ventures-launches-future-energy-fund 29. https://www.total.com/en/investors/why-invest-in-total 30. Hsu, Andrea. “How Big Oil Of The Past Helped Launch The Solar Industry Of Today”, NPR, All Things Considered, 31. 30 September 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/09/30/763844598/how-bigoil-of-the-past-helped-launch-the-solar-industry-of-today 32. “the energy transition”, Chevron, https://www.chevron.com/corporateresponsibility/the-energy-transition 33. Luke Fletcher, Luke, Crocker, Tom, Smyth, James and Marcell, Kane. “Beyond the cycle, Which oil and gas companies are ready for the lowcarbon transition?”, Carbon Disclosure Project, November 2018, https:// www.cdp.net/en/reports/downloads/3858

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Reviews

BOOK REVIEW

Adapt or Perish—The Solution is Out There By Alexander J. Rucker

e have a problem, a problem that is well worth solving. In the context of discourse around climate change transforming and the issue becoming a predominant point of contention in recent presidential debates and mass media discussion, David Wallace-Wells' timely book, The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, provides a clear explanation of the current human predicament: our species is on the verge of a Biblical scale extinction.

 Courtesy of the author Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown.

Climate activists may be written off by governments and large corporations for not providing concrete solutions to the problems we face — or for their so-called “radical stance” on climate change. Wallace-Wells offers concrete solutions in the fight for climate justice in his book, which underscores the validity of all climate change activism and the Climate Strike movements that promote positive change for the environment. Wallace-Wells is optimistic about what the future holds for the climate advocacy movement and the people of the world who are fighting for change. The Uninhabitable Earth starkly describes what our world will become in the coming decades. The future is grim. Wallace-Wells asserts that the human race faces devastation, and that our planet cannot continue to support us if we continue to pollute and disrespect our home. Most of the desolation has been inadvertent. In Cascades, the first chapter of the book he writes, “I am like every other American who has spent their life fatally complacent, and willfully deluded, about climate change, which is not just the biggest threat human life on the planet has ever faced but a threat of an entirely different category and scale. That is, the scale of human life itself.” Initially, Wallace-Wells seeming pessimism was jarring. He starts the book with the following line, “It is worse, much worse, than you think. The slowness of climate change is a fairy tale, perhaps as pernicious as the one that says it isn’t happening at all.” Wallace-Well’s well-researched and citation-rich writing thoroughly explains what most people do not understand - the human race cannot survive in an environment that is unfit to www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 77

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support life. Dozens of quotations and excerpts from contemporary and historical scientists, philosophers, and great thinkers provide a strong basis for WallaceWells’ argument. Every claim is substantiated - the bibliography is extensive and spans sixty-seven pages listing two hundred and twenty-seven resources.

I have great hope that my generation will come up with the final solution to this problem, our lives and our posterity are at stake so we better do something. Through plain language, unconditionally clear terms, and stark metaphors, Wallace-Wells illustrates that the human race is in a potentially final crisis. Our species is facing mass extinction. The majority of the book consists of blunt representations of the unpleasant facts of our current situation. Wallace-Wells makes his purpose in writing quite clear; he is raising awareness about climate change and the purpose of offering the facts is to educate readers on the importance of what is at stake and to inspire them to enact change. Wallace Wells writes, “THIS IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF WARMING; it is about what warming means to the way we live on this planet.” In no way does Wallace-Wells downplay the problems at hand, and, although he talks about the worst-case scenario in his writing, he never inflates the issue beyond realism. According to Wallace-Wells, even the best case scenario isn’t a utopia, but nonetheless it is more desirable than just simply ignoring what we face. A restructuring of the current system could drastically change the future. The key to success is to take immediate action and force positive change, because right now we are on the wrong path. David Wallace-Wells proposes the following solutions to the problem: Carbon taxes to influence the corporations to reduce emissions: A systemic change in society through current government structure that promotes companies and governments to utilize ethical and sustainable business practices would do a whole lot of good, it starts with one person who decides to make a step in the right direction. The best thing that government powers can

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do to help solve the climate crisis is to impose taxes on emissions. Increased utilization and implementation of solar, wind, and nuclear power: These sources are much more sustainable solutions compared to coal and natural gas, which emit huge amounts of pollution into the atmosphere. Carbon capture technology: This technology is still in developmental stages and could not entirely erase the problem, but it is a possibility that in the future these carbon dioxide scrubbing plants that utilize the carbon capture technology could make a sizeable dent in the excessive amount of carbon that plagues our atmosphere. Reduction of concrete production: Wallace-Wells tweeted on June 26th 2019, “Manufacturing cement is responsible for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, more than what comes from all the trucks in the world.” The list of possible actions above is not comprehensive, Wallace-Wells’ ultimate claim is that the only way to fully solve this crisis is to restructure our society and economic systems so that we can adapt to survive in this new set of circumstances.

I know that now we must be as resilient as ever and become radically committed to the idea that we can and must do this for ourselves, for our communities, and for the world. Wallace-Wells’ call for restructuring resonates with what I am learning as student and see as a member of Generation Z. We need to change the way we approach the situation - adapt or perish. I have great hope that my generation will come up with the final solution to this problem, our lives and our posterity are at stake so we better do something. The problem is not yet unsolvable, and I have great faith in the power of the people. I know that now we must be as resilient as ever and become radically committed to the idea that we can and must do this for ourselves, for our communities, and for the world.

Reviews

BOOK REVIEW

Handy Business Sustainability Reference Book: Mainstreaming Sustainability By Sabrina Watkins

his is a thoughtful compendium of important sustainability tools and references. It is actionable as well as informative in a concise, readable text.

 Mainstreaming Corporate Sustainability. Credit: Books.google.com

This is a book to learn “Sustainability 101”, with emphasis on the tools but including some of the philosophical underpinnings. If you are a sustainability practitioner, consider having this “refresher” on your desk. Most of the topics could be addressed more deeply, and have had standalone research, articles and books written about them. This book can be a jumping off point into deeper work or a handy reference. The book starts with sustainability and value, including an introduction, definition of corporate sustainability, addressing it positively, and elements for implementation. As the author emphasizes, performance frameworks are truly the “secret sauce” whether implementation is a “ program” or done more quietly as ongoing work. This chapter also touches on managing results and urgency on climate change issues. Chapter 2, “Corporate Perspective”, is weaker from my perspective, having observed many companies during my 36 year corporate career. There are strong anecdotal examples, but not the awareness of the wide variability of large and small company performance revealed by a myriad of ratings such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Corporate Human Rights Benchmarking. Over generalization risks leaving a lingering sense of anti-corporate sentiment . That said, the chapter covers important topics: triple-bottom line thinking, employee engagement, trade issues, and a supply chain overview. Chapter 3 is a good, basic summary of the elements in business cases for sustainability. This section could go further – into environmental and ecological economics, decision and risk analysis, well-being indicators versus GDP, for example. Chapter Four, is exciting and actionable! Sustainability footprint- creating boundary conditions, understanding footprint analysis, process mapping, lifecycle analysis, value chain www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 79

Reviews Book Review

activity and inventory are included. Focus is on tools for thinking about the frame and completeness of the company footprint, not as much on the nitty gritty of calculations.

Consider having this on your desk to find tools for next steps, or as a refresher on key concepts and tools. It’s a wealth of information in a concise, accessible and readable text. Chapter Five provides an overview of the importance and structure of governance and management today. It doesn’t address how to use governance to implement sustainability, but does prompt the reader to consider it. In Chapter Six, the book tackles stakeholder engagement, including the basic tools that are used for prioritizing stakeholders, considering performance framework expectations, and tools for engagement. Chapter Seven on environmental stewardship mentions some of the most thoughtful works on environmental stewardship, including natural capitalism, environmental responsibility, codes, indicators and standards. There’s a helpful diagram on Scope One, Two and Three greenhouse gas emissions, a bit on regulatory standards versus market approaches and a short section on carbon pricing. Chapter 8, on social well being, includes social responsibilities, and measuring social indicators. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are in this chapter, and very thoughtfully summarized. Chapter 9 on economic prosperity covers staying in business over the long term, sustainable economic indicators are, and how to value reputation- a particularly good overview. This chapter also gets into risk management which for some companies is the best entry point for implementing sustainability. Chapter 10 tackles corporate sustainability strategy, how strategy works, planning for it, connecting it to performance frameworks, and what a carbon neutral strategy would cover. Strategy in a mere 10 pages! Chapter 11 covers sustainability management systems in the typical plan/do/assess/adjust frameworks,

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particularly the Baldrige Excellence Framework. For companies with an established safety management system, building on it may move the company forward more quickly than starting with a new “program”. Chapter 12, on Supply Chain Management, recognizes the complexity of supply chain sustainability, connecting vision and corporate objectives, basic supplier codes of conduct and addressing GHG emissions. These actions can be taken early to reduce risk. The Shared Value concept is described, and some companies are moving toward more mutually beneficial actions. Chapter 13 lightly touches on sustainability metrics, including the materiality matrix, which is important for reporting today. The importance of leading and lagging indicators is addressed, and well understood by many companies from their work on safety. Chapter 14, is on reporting on sustainability performance, but the information is so basic that it risks missing a key point- the challenge of prioritizing and handling a vast number of requests from rating groups and other stakeholders. This chapter is a nice short intro to the basics on financial and non financial reporting. Just be forewarned: this is a very big complex topic! Integrated reporting can squeeze out sustainability content requested by stakeholders, and “materiality” by SEC definition adds to tension between financial and non-financial reporting. Chapter 15 discusses design, marketing and stewardship, moving us into proactive aspects of sustainability: changing design for production efficiency and environmental improvements, integrating design, and using lifecycle analysis. This chapter provides some of the key tools and methodologies that advanced companies such as Interface and Autodesk are using. Finally, Chapter 16 talks about innovation. Certainly the most exciting aspects of sustainability are cultural shifts from compliance to innovation, and from cost to business value. Sustainability fosters empowerment, safety, innovation, and action for the benefit of the company and the broader community. In summary, this book is an excellent compendium of tools, frameworks and basic concepts for sustainability. It can prompt dialog, deeper work, refreshing of key concepts, or serve as a quick reference on key aspects of corporate sustainability for stakeholders.

On The Ground

We Are Nature – But Only if We ALL Are By Naamal De Silva

few years ago, my brain was buzzing with hashtags about nature and people. I came up with a list, and a good friend added an important one – #WeAreNature. When we feel viscerally that we are part of nature, we want to care for all species as we care for our families, pets, friends, and selves – after all, we are all related.

When we perceive ourselves as part of nature, we also see more connections to other humans. It feels like fewer and fewer of us notice that we are part of this ecological web of interconnectedness. More and more of us are tangled in the worldwide web. More and more of us live in cities. We are increasingly disconnected from nature, and seeing ourselves as nature could move us back towards connection.

More recently, I’ve also been considering how we perceive each other. In particular, I’ve been thinking about how conservationists perceive people. I am a conservationist. I am keenly aware of how this work grows daily in importance as our world becomes hotter and more crowded. At the same time, I am uncomfortable with the social history of conservation. The history, traditions, and methods of conservation facilitate another type of separation between humans and nature. This separation was deliberate, and persists today in far less conscious and obvious ways. In this view, there are people, who are largely responsible for environmental degradation. We are the ones who own corporations, drive cars, and eat mangos in the middle of winter. Sure, there are the few who are vegan, protect coral reefs, and don’t use straws. But, we humans are still responsible and need to feel guilty. Then, there is nature. Nature is awe-inspiring, colorful, fragile, and desperately in need of saving. Nature includes coral reefs, polar

 Credit: William Crosse

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On The Ground

bears, poison dart frogs, and majestic redwoods. Nature also includes indigenous people and those who maintain traditional lifestyles. Looking back a few hundred years, this distinction shows up when Europeans collected a few live humans along with their tobacco plants and vividly colored birds. Explorers took these specimens home to impress the royals and nobles who paid for their expeditions. The royals would show them off to their friends. Today, photographers collect images of lush rainforests, vividly colored birds, and smiling villagers to raise money for nonprofit conservation or development organizations. On social media, these photographs tend to have captions or accompanying narratives. In these stories, richer, whiter, more urban people almost always have names. They have first names and last names, and often titles too. They are often depicted with the tools of their trade – camera, clipboard, binoculars. By contrast, the stories almost always refer to indigenous and traditional people by tribe or village. Bejeweled Maasai men look nobly into the distance. Tibetan children smile with impossibly rosy cheeks. A Tanzanian or Tibetan tour guide might be allowed a first name. Their clothes are western, modern – they are human, but barely. I have taken photos of Maasai men and of Tibetan children. When I traveled to distant lands, it was easy to be struck by the beauty of people, their surroundings, and the ways in which they decorate themselves. I was entranced by their differences and their similarities to myself. Throughout the world, lives and places and traditions seemed to be changing so quickly. Photography was one way to hold on and to bear witness to what was fading away. I have taken photos of bare-chested teenagers in Papua New Guinea. I do not know their names. I wish I did. At the time I took the photos of these teenagers, I knew that I would never share these

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photos without cropping them. But, I did use one or two cropped images of their lovely, smiling faces in PowerPoint presentations. My presentations had more to do with protecting rainforests and reefs than with the lived experiences of these

Today, photographers collect images of lush rainforests, vividly colored birds, and smiling villagers to raise money for nonprofit conservation or development organizations. On social media, these photographs tend to have captions or accompanying narratives. In these stories, richer, whiter, more urban people almost always have names. By contrast, the stories almost always refer to indigenous and traditional people by tribe or village. girls. These girls were minors, and I certainly did not have signed waivers from their parents. I did not even know where their parents were. All I saw when I got off a plane in Alotau was a group of excited teenagers wearing skirts made of grasses, their faces painted and weapons at the ready. They danced to welcome people arriving for a conservation conference. They were proud of their performance and pleased to be photographed. I saw them then as I see them now: as teenagers, with all the excitement and anxieties that come with rapid shifts in identity and appearance. I did not see them as “nature,” but I did not talk with them or write down their names. This was 2008. Cameras tended to be digital, but social media was in its infancy. I will not be sharing those photos in this article. A few months later, someone in the communications department of my organization categorized me as nature based on a photo. In the photo, I am smiling, squatting in front of the rough wooden boards of a small building, mud

On The Ground

on my pants and a flower tucked behind my ear. It’s a portrait that I love, taken by a friend who knew me well. My friend, William Crosse, took this photo on the same trip where I took the photos of the teenagers. He had contributed some of his images to the photo bank of the organization where we both worked at the time. Generally, these images were used without captions on the website, on presentations, and in  brochures. This particuIn the face of accelerating climate change, women from tropical islands struggle to maintain their traditional way lar image was used in an of life. Rising sea levels threaten to wash away their ancestral lands. [Insert name of environmental or development organization] helps by teaching them how to farm seaweed. Credit: William Crosse. internal slide show and in a brochure. The brochure was where the sorting happened, and it happened on a very different tropical island. I don’t struggle in the captions, which featured some named to maintain a traditional way of life – I was born in people (the conservationists, the heroes, the sav- one capital city (Colombo) and grew up in another iors) and some nameless people (the recipients of (Washington, DC). conservation largesse, those living in harmony My friend took another photo of me on that trip. with nature, as nature). I was nameless. I was not In it, I have a camera in front of my face, with a lens one of those conservation heroes. Someone had large enough to block out my features. I’m sitting cropped out my digital camera. on a boat in the middle of a river, with hazy tropiI could imagine a caption for that photo of cal hills behind me. I could imagine a caption for me: “In the face of accelerating climate change, this photo too. “Dr. Naamal De Silva, on a field trip women from tropical islands struggle to main- in rural Papua New Guinea in 2008. At the time, tain their traditional way of life. Rising sea levels she worked with numerous partners to identify threaten to wash away their ancestral lands. globally important sites, species, and landscapes.” [Insert organization] helps by teaching them how Labels are powerful. Labels delineate belongto farm seaweed.” A caption like that would be ing and community. However, through this very sort of true. I was born on a tropical island and delineation of group identity, they inevitably was in my twenties when Billy took this photo. exclude. Each of us has many labels. The labels we My grandmother’s family lived for generations on use for ourselves are rarely exactly the labels that coastal land in the village of Thiranagama. That others assign to us. Labels also change over time. land holds some of my first memories, of digging Our names, by contrast, are relatively stable. my toes into wet sand, searching for elusive clams Our names highlight our individuality, and they while holding on against the tug of the waves. I are markers of our humanity. Taking away our wonder at times whether rising seas will wash names takes away part of our humanity. Slavery in away that land. But, in this particular photo, I was the United States provides a powerful example of www.thesolutionsjournal.com | Winter 2020 | Solutions | 83

On The Ground  Dr. Naamal De Silva, on a field trip in rural Papua New Guinea in 2008. At the time, she worked with numerous partners to identify globally important sites, species, and landscapes. Credit: William Crosse

that. I recently saw what might be the first known portrait of a slave, a young woman known only as Flora. While it is a lovely, biophilic name, it is unlikely that “Flora” was what her parents named her, or what she chose for herself. Similarly, during the holocaust, nazis at concentration camps replaced the names of Jews, Roma people, and others with tattooed numbers. Stripping away names, stripping away humanity, facilitates acts of unthinkable brutality. Independent journalism and bearing witness can help prevent or halt genocide and other horrors based on sorting and exclusion. Photography is a vital type of storytelling, and since life is continually unfolding, sometimes it is impossible to ask for names. Sometimes, naming people can compromise their safety or their ability to speak openly. I understand that. And, I believe that conservation photography is vital, since we will not feel moved to protect what we cannot see. While not directly attributable to climate change, a portrait of a starving polar bear made the consequences of climate change feel more viscerally relevant and immediate for billions of people. Portraits of a giant Indonesian bee and a lonely Bolivian toad brought the world’s attention to species that we considered to be lost forever. Portraits of individual humans can similarly highlight diversity, beauty, peril, joy, vulnerability, power, and so much more. Recognizing all of this, I still believe that we can all do better in showcasing people as both part of nature and as humans. Portraits of people should highlight individuals as subjects and not objects – we should feature their humanity alongside their connections to nature. Including full names whenever possible helps showcase both humanity and agency. 84 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

We can all do better in showcasing people as both part of nature and as humans. Portraits of people must highlight individuals as subjects and not objects— we should feature their humanity alongside their connections to nature. Including full names whenever possible helps showcase both humanity and agency.

Envisioning

Through the Kitchen Window: A Vision of a New America Is it possible that we Americans still have it in us to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create a new America? Let’s see. By Gus Speth

had something like a vision not long ago as I was enjoying my breakfast. It began when I looked out the kitchen window and saw, instead of my front yard, a community going about its everyday affairs.

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I now spend some time almost every day looking through this window and observing the changing scene. My conclusion, based on what I have seen, is that I am viewing a vision of a new, much better and, to me, a very attractive America. It’s clear to me that the people I am watching are building this new America themselves—in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities—without waiting for big government or anybody else. Some huge differences jumped out at me right away. Do you know the expression “going local”? These folks are really doing it. They are rooting economic and social life in their own local communities. They try hard to live closer to work, walk more, and drive less. They love their locally grown food. They make a lot of things in shops and factories that we today import from far away. Local businesses there stay rooted and keep money in the community. Co-ops are a big deal, especially worker-owned ones, as are other types of innovative enterprises, including for-profit/notfor-profit and public-private combinations. Part of the idea is to get away from control by giant corporations and absentee owners.

Credit: Olivia Sanders

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Envisioning

As enterprises there have shifted to local ownership and control, and as the people have come to realize that cooperation is more powerful than competition, the importance of the profit motive has shriveled to about nothing. Sappy as it may sound, businesses are operated to do good. They debate a lot about what is in the common good—what best serves the commonwealth—but at least they know where they want to go, and it is not the endless search for profit and the creation of false needs through advertising. Work is important to those I am seeing. People expect meaningful work, even joyous work, not destructive work or makework. They are great believers in economic democracy. For example, they expect to participate significantly in the big investment decisions that affect their communities. The world I am viewing runs on 100% community-owned renewable energy, and the people there manage their lives and their work and play

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so that they live lightly on the planet and are not contributing to climate change. They demand environmental regulations that protect from toxic chemicals. They teach kids to love and appreciate nature and encourage schools to pursue “no child left inside” programs. And they are protecting a lot of open space, natural areas, and wildlife. Natural beauty counts a lot for them. And they see humans as part of nature, not something above it. Another thing I have noticed is that these folks have broken the habit of consumerism. No more “shop ’til you drop.” Instead, it’s “do more, own less, rent the rest.” They have found a new worklife balance, working fewer hours and freeing up time for hobbies, skill development, volunteering, exploring nature, participating in the arts, sports, and more. Instead of searching for meaning and acceptance through what they own and what they buy, they seek real abundance in what truly matters, the things that bring happiness and joy: family and friends, the natural world and

Envisioning

its beauty, spirituality and worship, meaningful work, diversity of many types, and giving rather than getting. The focus on local life also contributes to neighborhoods that are safe and resilient—and fun places to live. People play a lot in this new America, including the adults. Instead of feeling isolated, distrustful and threatened, neighborhoods and social groups are knit together, and they respect and care for each other. People are very active in local government, schools, community groups and religious organizations. They prize the religious, cultural, racial and gender diversity in their midst, There are not only communities; there is a sense of community. It is interesting that they have also come to see themselves as citizens of the world, at least as much as they think of themselves as citizens elsewhere. It seems they have learned in school that both global governance and local governance are important. Impressively, I have not seen any real poverty or homelessness in this new America. There are differences in income, but there is an agreed top and bottom. Equal rights are paired with actual equal opportunity, and the status of women and nonbinary people matches that of men across all walks of life. People also give top attention to how children and young people are doing—in their education, their right to loving and drug-free environments, good nutrition and health care, and freedom from violence. Parenting is a big deal and highly respected, and there is plenty of time for it. To support their approach to life, they have developed measures of real community wealth— not overall gross domestic product but a Genuine Progress measure they have developed. They joke that GDP doesn’t stand for “gross domestic product” but for “grossly distorted picture.” I saw a bumper sticker, “The Best Things In Life Aren’t Things.” When I look away from this window, I realize that the place I have seen would be a really great place to live. It also occurs to me that each of these positive things I’ve observed is to some degree already underway in America. When we look around, we see individuals and families and communities pioneering in all these areas, and more. Now, that’s encouraging.

My time peering into this possible world has stimulated a big question, maybe the biggest question of all. Is it possible that we Americans still have it in us to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create a new America, similar to the vision in the window or perhaps even better? Together, we could pursue a positive vision of an America where: • the “pursuit of happiness” brings steady improvements in the well-being of people and nature, as well as greater joy in people’s lives – from families and friends, from work and creativity, from shared diversity, from worship and song; • the American Dream is realized as each person achieves her or his human potential, accomplishments made possible by access to free education and health care, economic opportunity, supportive communities, and, even more basically, equal rights and personal freedom, including the freedom to be different; • the benefits of economic activity are widely and equitably shared, and no one has too much and no one too little; • democracy lives strong as honest, competent government of the people, by the people, for the people, and where there is separation not only of church and state but corporation and state; • the virtues of simple living, self-reliance, and deep respect for nature predominate, and where we know we are all close kin to wild things; and • we stand together with our fellow humans in awe and humility before the creation, secure and unafraid. I think this is the quiet message of the special window: building a beautiful future starts with a beautiful dream we share. James Gustave “Gus” Speth is a distinguished fellow and co-chair of The Next System Project at The Democracy Collaborative. He is also a longtime environmental movement leader and author. First appeared in: https://www.vnews.com/ Column-A-Vision-of-a-New-America-31222392

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Envisioning

Happy New Year 2030 By Robert Costanza, PhD

It’s new year’s day 2030 and, like many on planet Earth, I’m surprisingly happy about the way the last decade finally turned out and the prospects for the future.

t the dawn of the decade in 2020, things looked incredibly bleak. The climate crisis was rapidly accelerating and it looked as if we would never get a handle on it.

I remember sitting in my apartment in Canberra, Australia on Jan 1, 2020 surrounded by dense smoke from the catastrophic bushfires consuming the country’s southeast coast and thinking: this has got to finally wake people up! The entire county was burning up! The increasing heat and drought that caused fires of this magnitude was obviously related to climate change. The majority of the population of Australia agreed. Yet Australia’s Prime Minister at the time was still in denial. He believed that dealing with climate would “hurt the economy” and was still touting coal as the answer even though solar and wind were already cheaper world wide and super abundant in sun-burnt Australia. The fossil fuel and minerals lobby certainly had a strangle hold on Australia and many other countries back then. Subsidies to fossil fuels globally were estimated by the IMF to top $5.2 Trillion in 20171 and fossil fuel money was pouring into disinformation, lobbying, and political campaigns around the world. Trump’s America was probably the worst case - in league with Putin’s Russian oligarchs. This was interconnected with growing inequality, which had reached epic proportions by 2020. Oxfam estimated that 26 individuals owned more than the poorest 50%2 in 2019. The .01% were in control and the wellbeing of the 88 | Solutions | Winter 2020 | www.thesolutionsjournal.com

broader population and future generations was not their major concern. GDP was growing, but the average person’s income, wellbeing, and life satisfaction were not. The planet and civilization was falling apart. There was an epidemic of pessimism, depression, and defeatism. But things were starting to change. In 2018 a few vanguard countries (Scotland, Iceland, and New Zealand) created the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) as part the larger global Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll3) to challenge the acceptance of GDP as the ultimate measure of a country’s success and replace it with the sustainable wellbeing of humans and the rest of nature as the core goal for all societies. Take a look at this archived TED talk4 that Nicola Sturgeon, then First Minister of Scotland, gave to kick off the network. WEAll was designed as a broad ‘network of networks’, aimed at bringing together the many organizations, governments, networks, academics, businesses, NGOs, and individuals that were already working on elements of the new economy. It was designed to coordinate, facilitate, amplify, and catalyse the wide range of ongoing efforts around the shared goal of creating a sustainable wellbeing economy, society, and planet. WEGo quickly grew to include Slovenia, Costa Rica, Sweden, Finland, Bhutan, and a few progressive states in the US including California, Colorado, Oregon, and Vermont. Annual summits quickly went from the WE3 to the WE7, WE20, and, by 2030, the WE90 while the G7 and G20 summits faded to insignificance. Wellbeing

Envisioning governments are now the norm around the world. The real breakthroughs came when the Vatican and Pope Francis joined WEAll and this opened the door for many other faith communities to join. Then China joined as part of its “Ecological Civilization” initiative and things really started to move. The world today is far different from where it was in 2020 and there is a growing sense of hope for the future. Renewable solar and wind energy have achieved market dominance globally and fossil fuels are rapidly fading. This was accelerated by declining fossil fuel subsidies, divestment from fossil fuel companies, ongoing class action lawsuits for climate damages and the Earth Atmospheric Trust5 as a way to funnel these funds back into reducing emissions and sequestering carbon. GDP is still calculated by most countries, but it is used for its intended purpose of tracking the amount of activity in marketed goods and services, not as a societal goal. In fact, since GDP tracks many things that are costs rather than benefits, the goal for society is now to maximize societal wellbeing with the minimum of GDP required. Jacinda Ardern introduced the first “wellbeing budget”6 in New Zealand in 2019. As Katrin Jakobsdottir, PM of Iceland and one of the other founding members of WEGo said back in 2019 “The wellbeing economy initiative demands new thinking, putting people and the planet first. We have no choice but to rethink our economies to tackle the largest crises of our times: climate change and inequality.” To measure progress toward these goals a Sustainable Wellbeing Index (SWI)7 tracking the net economic contributions to wellbeing (including equity) and the contributions of natural and social capital was developed and eventually replaced GDP as a key indicator of national wellbeing. The SWI was closely connected with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the biggest change was a fundamental change in worldview and goals to one that recognized the interdependence of the economy, society, and the rest of nature and put the sustainable wellbeing of the whole, interconnected system as the priority. We finally realized that the goal was “better” not necessarily “bigger.” This allowed a large number of policy reforms to finally take hold, including versions of the “green new deal”8 first proposed in the US and UK. For example, effective net zero carbon policies

were adopted in most countries. The work week in most countries is now 4 days following Finland’s example. Taxes on both national and global wealth and income are now very progressive, with top marginal rates in the 70-80% range. This, together with taxes on stock trading and reduced military spending allowed plenty of funding for the shift to renewables, zero unemployment, and universal health care and higher education in many countries. These shifts really took hold after Trump and the Republicans lost the 2020 election and the US regained some of its lost standing in the world. They implemented health care and higher education for all, reduced gender and overall inequality, massively invested in renewables and community infrastructure rather than continuing to subsidize fossil fuels, and finally, in the end, joined WEGo. So it seems we are finally over the hump and the future looks bright again in 2030. Carbon emissions are falling globally with a massive shift to renewables. High speed rail and electric cars are the norm and even air travel is getting better with hydrogen fueled planes on the horizon. Inequality in many countries is decreasing for the first time since 1980. Wellbeing (as measured by the SWI) is growing almost everywhere even as GDP has leveled off or even decreased in many countries. Global population is headed toward stability faster than projected back in 2020 due to more investment in education for girls in developing countries. There are still bush fires in Australia every summer, but better forest and fire management fully engaging indigenous people, knowledge and practice and a commitment by a string of Wellbeing governments to real action on climate have meant no repetition of the disastrous fire season of 2019-20. Happy New Year 2030. References 1. IMF working paper (dropbox link): https://bit.ly/38vNbFL 2. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jan/21/world26-richest-people-own-as-much-as-poorest-50-per-cent-oxfamreport 3. https://wellbeingeconomy.org/ 4. https://www.ted.com/talks/nicola_sturgeon_why_ governments_should_prioritize_well_being#t-139631 5. http://claimthesky.org/ 6. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/14/newzealands-world-first-wellbeing-budget-to-focus-on-poverty-andmental-health 7. Modelling and measuring sustainable wellbeing in connection with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Dropbox link: https://bit.ly/2Ph4qTR

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Join the urban leaders who are fighting the climate emergency by disrupting business-asusual and embracing business-as-possible.

The Bonn Forum for Urban Leaders Taking on the Climate Emergency Bonn, Germany | 3 - 5 June 2020 For more information: daringcities.org