Question

8) Environmental Sustainability: Currently, about 97% of scientists agree that we are experiencing man-made global warming. Yet policy makers continue to ignore climatological science. For example in May 2018, Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) suggested during a Congressional hearing that rocks falling into the ocean might account for the rise in ocean levels (USA Today, 05-17-18; an analysis by The Washington Post found that it would take the top five inches of all land surface flowing into the ocean every year to account for current rate of rising sea levels). Identify which of the following you think needs to take the lead to reduce global warming – private citizens, business and industry, advocacy groups (including scientists), or governments? Then, briefly justify your answer based on the concept of embedded sustainability. >

Answer 1

Based on the concept of embedded sustainability, and the general trends in global warming, there is no doubt that business and industry, as a whole, needs to take the lead to reduce global warming.

Contributions needs to come from every citizen and every business. Advocacy groups and governments can recommend and lay down certain guidelines, but the main action is expected from business and industry.

To elaborate further, embedded sustainability is where business operations should incorporate certain core values - through introspection, of their impact on society and environment - in a way that there is no compromise on price or quality of the products and services. This is the key to long term sustainability, and it will be embedded in the business itself.

If businesses understand that they are the main contributors to global warming, and that their mindset can have a long term and lasting impact, they will translate this into sustainable business operations. Hence, they are desperately required to take the lead to reduce global warming.