Bruntland report defines SD as :
Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Major positive events that led to Sustainable Development
1962 Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson
1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment and UNEP. The Stockholm conference leads to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in December 1972.
1987 Our Common Future (Brundtland Report), It popularizes the term “sustainable development.”
1992 Earth Summit, in Rio
2005 Kyoto Ptotocol, goals for greenhouse gases, obligations expire in 2012
2015 COP 21 in PAris, to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, from all nations
Major Negative events that led to sustainable developement
1984 Bhopal disaster - toxic chemical leak - leaves 10 000 dead and 300 000 injured in Bhopal, India
2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion - leaks 5M barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days, damaging… everything
SD from 2000-2015 (forme ?)(combien?)
UN Development Goals (8)
(millenium dev goals)
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Global partnership for development
SD from 2015-2030
UN Sustainable Developement Goals -SDGs- (17)
Why use the UN SDG’s ? (give 3-4 reasons)
- Universal and apply to all countries
- Promote International cooperation
- International Sustainability Framework
- Common language for various stakeholders
- Address root causes of issues
- Multi-stakeholders initiative: can be used by all organizations and for all activities
- Resources (guidelines, tools, communications kit, KPIs etc.) available online
Name at least five UN SDG’s
- No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Reduced Inequality
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
- Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Partnerships for the Goals
Are all UN SDGs equally pertinent to all nations? Why?
Not necessarily.
For example : Malnutrition and poverty are more important in africa, while other countries may have different sustainable developement challenges like clean energy, sustainable cities and communitities, etc.
Are sustainable challenges related?
Yes. Sustainability challenges are related (ex. poverty→health) and need to be addressed globally.
Name the 6 steps for CSR strategy for companies.
- Stakeholders’ identification.
- E&S challenges identification
- Risk identification
- Developing CSR strategy
(relevant to previously identified) - Action Plan
- Monitor
(Communication, annual reporting, KPIs, identify E&S controversies)
(loop back to 1 as necessary)
Sustainability est la croisée de ____, ____, et ____.
Environmental, Social, Economic
How to identify stakeholders?
Ask and answer :
- To whom a company has legal obligations?
- Who could be positively or negatively impacted y the activities and decisions of the company?
Steps for stakeholders identification : (3)
Identifying, prioritizing, mapping.
How to map stakeholders?
On a graph with:
IMPACT (or interest) as Y axis, from low to high
and
INFLUENCE as X axis, from low to high
How to communicate with stakeholders …:
- low interest + low influence
- low interest + high influence
- High interest + low influence
- high interest+ high influence
- Minimal contact, essential info only
- Anticipate needs. Keep satisfied
- Keep informed. Monitor closely
- Regularly engage, keep satisfied
Definition of Cautionary Principle (or Precautionnary)
act even when no scientific concensus (eg. Shale gas in France, GMO crops)
The precautionary principle relates to situations that present a potential risk of serious or irreversible damage, often in the absence of proven scientific knowledge on the subject.
Definition of Prevention Principle
known risks, predictable damages (scientific concensus : Yes)
The prevention principle applies to any known risk situation including predictable damages.
This principle allows action to be taken to protect the
environment at an early stage. It is now not only a question of repairing damages after they have occurred, but to prevent those damages occurring at all. In short: it is better to prevent than repair.
Definition of Responsibility Principle
CADRES LÉGAUX POUR IMPUTABILITÉ
+études d’impact enviro
+ex. Total - Erika Case
The responsibility refers to the liability in environmental and social impacts of an economic actor.
Principe qui vise à responsabiliser les organisations pour leur actes/décisions afin qu’ils soient imputables et assument les conséquences.
L’application du principe de responsabilité s’est traduit par la mise en place de politiques ou de cadres légaux en ce qui a trait à l’environnement et à la protection des personnes en situation de vulnérabilité
Ex.(QC)
- Réalisation d’études d’impact environnemental obligatoires pour certains projets de grande envergure (ex. barrage hydroélectrique)
- BAPE
- Lois du travail
Ex. (EU)
- Total - Erika case
- Trafigura - Probo Koal case
Definition of Polluter Pays Principle (PPP)?
Name two (2) methods of implementation.
The Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) is an environmental policy principle which requires that the costs of pollution be borne by those who cause it.
Its immediate goal is that of internalizing the environmental externalities of economic activities, so that the prices of goods and services fully reflect the costs of production.
Either implemented through :
Command-and-control : ex. gov intervention-legal
(max emission levels of cars, Montreal Protocol for CFCs in the atmosphere)
Market-based :Policy instruments using markets, prices, etc.
(DEEE tax in France, Kyoto Protocol limits greenhouse gas)
Are precautionnary and Prevention principles the same? why?
NO. Do not confuse Precautionary & Prevention :
- Prevention principle includes proven risk situations with predictable damag (scientific concensus : YES)
- Precautionary principle includes situations with potentially serious and irreversible impacts for which scientific evidence is not necessarily available (concensus : NO)
What is the Right To Information Principle ?
Where is it mandatory?
ex.
- Public Inquiries opened on the occasion of projects that may have an E&S impact. The public can express their views and know the details of the project.
- In project finance, the consultation of population impacted by a project is a mandatory criterion.
What is the Equity Principle? (2 types)
The INTER-generational equity : It means striking a reasonable balance between satisfying our needs now and setting aside enough to provide for needs of future populations.
The INTRA-generational equity : It refers to the idea that all people throughout a community have the same basic needs that must be taken into consideration. Fair access now to Earth’s natural ressources.
Ex. UN SDGs
What is the UN Global Compact?
Why use it? Is it legally binding?
(10 principles around … -4-)
The UN Global Compact is a program launched by the United Nations in 2000. Its aim is to encourage BUSINESSES around the world to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.
It has 10 principles, around :
- human rights
- labor standards
- environmental protection
- anti-corruption.
It is voluntary. Businesses are encouraged to report their progress.
NOT LEGALLY-BINDING but can result in negative impact for companies (ex. blacklist of bank investing), so that’s why they should follow.
Does the ESG performance of a company translate to its overall performance?
Probably YES.
Especially is publicly traded :
Financial markets are increasingly including ESG criteria (investing strategies but also risk management systems) regulation inline for them to do so.
So, firms are under pressure for ESG criteria (finance/bank ⇄ suppliers ⇄ customers/clients, etc).
ESG performance generally speaking = company peformance as a whole.
