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Firstly, it is important to understand the scope and complexity of the enormous task it is to create a sustainable world. If we underestimate the task, we also overestimate our (current) efforts. The result is that we, as a world community, will not reach the goal.
In the work with globalization and sustainability, the sense of proportion is very important: The task is to handle sustainability in a globalized world, which counts 7 billion people today and more than 9 billion people by 2050. A world, which today has a total economy worth more than $ 100 trillion. To put the 1 trillion number in perspective: One trillion seconds ago, the Neanderthals inhabited Europe. We are over 31,000 years back in history.
A good example of the importance of a sense of proportion is the current use of solar and wind energy. In a time when there is a lot of focus on these sustainable energy sources, the reality is that sun and wind cover less than 5% of global energy consumption. If we look at the actual facts, proportions and correlations, we understand that there is still a long road ahead.
Secondly, it is important to ensure the structure, overview and systematic approach in the work with numerous topics, tools, methods and actors that are important for the development of a sustainable world.
A sustainable world is economically as well as socially and environmentally and demographically sustainable. But that's not all. The means we use to reach the target itself can be more or less sustainable. Goals and means cannot be separated.
In other words, the complexity is enormous. It is thousands of globalized, interdependent processes that must be made sustainable by using a combination of thousands of tools and methods that will also involve thousands of very different actors. It is this complexity that needs to be addressed using the structure, overview and systematic approach.
Thirdly, it is necessary to find new ways to promote engagement, cooperation and action. We have to find much better answers to the questions:
- How do we engage the many rather than the few?
- How do a lot of people cooperate on a lot of issues?
- How do we all move from insight to action?
The key words are commitment, cooperation and action in a world with 7 billion people. The task is not solved by simply engaging ourselves and / or 100,000 or 1 million citizens. It takes much more.
There is a need for new, more efficient platforms to share knowledge, build networks and generate solutions. What Luis van Ahn called “Massive Online Collaboration Platforms”.
Among other things, this means that tomorrow’s cooperation platforms should be integrated with the world's educational institutions:
In 2025 there will be more than a quarter of a billion students in higher education. Instead of writing papers no one reads, the students' skills should, to a much larger degree, be aimed at solving the problems and fulfilling the potential that characterizes our time.
In addition, we need for a more systematic use of the huge commitment that is reflected in billions of hours of global volunteering. The willingness to work voluntarily - for a good cause - will most likely increase. All the more important it is that we, as volunteers, can see concrete results and experience that our efforts make a difference. If we cannot, the commitment fades away.
Fourthly, a sustainable world is best achieved under the heading of profit, people, planet. The world's businesses must realize that tomorrow's business case is to earn money while creating a better world.
Shared Value Economy is the way forward, just as is the case with a Circular Economy. The transition to a sustainable world is hardly possible without the use of the dynamic approach that characterizes the business world.
Along the same lines, it is important that all of us experience sustainable development as something positive. Breaking ingrained habits cannot - in the long run – be associated with deprivation. Sustainability must be a cool movement, where there is money to be made and jobs to be had.
Fifth, a holistic and horizontal approach is essential, if we are to achieve a sustainable world. The reason is that today's work in sustainability is very divided in branches, or "silos", if you will.
At times, it can be useful and necessary with this division. Within their respective industries there is an abundance of expertise within Energy, Water, Food, Transportation, Construction, etc. The problem arises if the work within the branches is not supplemented by cooperation across industries. The absence of the holistic perspective might mean that solutions developed in one industry leads to large - unexpected - problems in other industries.
A related problem could be that solutions developed in one sector do not spread to other industries, where the solutions could otherwise be applicable. All in all, there is always a price to pay, if you overlook the big picture. (Just as there is a price to pay, if you are so concerned with the big picture, that you do not see the specific problem in your own area).
Furthermore, we need to focus on the solutions that draw on elements from several industries. These solutions may never be developed if the work with sustainability becomes too divided.
Sixth, it is crucial to develop an ABC + Alliance for sustainable development. An informal alliance across Academia, Business, Civil Society + Politics. None of these sectors can create a sustainable world alone. Everyone needs each other.
- Academia can contribute with facts and accurate descriptions of the challenges and opportunities we face in a globalized world.
- Business can ensure dynamics and dissemination of solutions through market forces, innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Civil Society can build commitment and support.
- Politicians can be local, national, regional and global drivers in creating a framework for sustainable development.
At its core, the ABC+ alliance consists of individuals or groups of individuals from the individual universities, companies, NGOs and political parties. The ABC+ alliance would gain the most from informal cooperation based on trust.
The ABC+ alliance does not require the emergence of new, hierarchical organizations. Global Citizen is specifically intended to contribute to the establishment of informal platforms that will strengthen the ABC+ alliance. In this sense, Clay Shirky inspires us.
Seventh, it is crucial to bring new resources to the work with sustainability. Each individual industry has its own challenges, but they all have opportunities to find funding. The lack of resources and investments often relates to the holistic and horizontal work for sustainability.
We have to find ways to create a more systematic use of the one trillion hours of volunteering potentially available on a global scale. We should also look at the possibilities in involving students. College and university students will total more than a quarter of a billion students in 2025.
Last but certainly not least, we will see more opportunities for banks, insurance companies and pension funds to invest in holistic and horizontal initiatives for sustainable development. These options will occur when the divestment movement reaches a tipping point.
At that point, banks, insurance companies and pension funds will inherently be interested in investing in companies that make money through creating a better world.
This also means that there will be an interest in promoting citizen-to-citizen projects for a sustainable world. Thus, we can expect a far broader alliance for sustainability than we have seen so far.
