Sustainable Solutions Overview

Pack It In, Pack It Out"—The True Cost of Waste in a Net-Zero Future As the world accelerates toward net-zero goals, sustainability isn't just about decarbonization—it's about holistic environmental responsibility. Waste management plays a crucial role in shaping a cleaner, more sustainable future, yet the persistence of everyday waste materials in our ecosystems is staggering. Consider this: A plastic bottle can take 100 to 1,000 years to decompose. A disposable diaper lingers for 450 years in landfills. Even an orange peel, seemingly harmless, takes two years to fully break down. These timelines challenge the very essence of sustainability. While we focus on reducing carbon footprints, we must also address the parallel crisis of persistent waste polluting our oceans, forests, and urban landscapes. The Net-Zero & Circular Economy Connection True sustainability isn’t just about reducing emissions; it’s about closing the loop—moving from a linear "take-make-waste" model to a circular economy. This means: ✅ Eco-friendly product design (biodegradable and recyclable materials) ✅ Extended producer responsibility (EPR)—holding companies accountable for end-of-life waste ✅ Behavioral shifts—reducing single-use plastics and embracing zero-waste lifestyles ✅ Innovations in waste-to-energy solutions The Call to Action As professionals, businesses, and policymakers committed to sustainability, we must rethink our consumption patterns and integrate waste reduction into net-zero strategies. The future demands not just cleaner energy, but cleaner habits. Every decision—from packaging to recycling infrastructure—matters. Because in a world striving for net zero, waste has no place. #Sustainability #NetZero #CircularEconomy #WasteManagement #ClimateAction

𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥. Too often, we assume #sustainability is a matter of better tech, cleaner energy, smarter policy. Incremental improvements, driven by technology and optimisation. But if we want real, systemic change, we need to rethink the questions we ask — and the concepts we rely on. A recent paper offers a compelling blueprint for this rethink: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eZzPDxwW Key insight? Transitions are not just technical or economic — they are conceptual. And without a shared understanding of how transitions unfold, we get fragmentation instead of coherence. We need both: ⚙️ Efficiency — doing more with less 🌿 Sufficiency — doing what’s enough, in the right places And above all: asking the right questions about power, equity, risk, and resilience. The authors propose 5 Shifts we must make to turn vision into viable pathways: 🟢 Industry Shift From extractive and linear → To circular, inclusive, and low-carbon. 🟢 Urban Shift From sprawling and car-dependent → To compact, connected, and equitable. 🟢 Energy Shift From fossil lock-in → To renewable, efficient, and just. 🟢 Land Shift From degradation → To regenerative, multifunctional landscapes. 🟢 Culture Shift From mistrust and division → To collaboration, curiosity, and civic agency. 🧭 #Transitions are messy, non-linear, political. They require not just “innovation,” but governance, imagination, and conceptual clarity. If we don’t align on what we mean by transition, we’ll keep pulling in different directions. ✅ Let’s move beyond narrow metrics. ✅ Let’s design for interdependence. ✅ Let’s ask better questions, and act from better foundations.

There’s resistance towards new solutions not just because we’re animals of habit, it’s often because people spent a lot of time, energy and sweat into the tool that is now being replaced. It comes down to communication: instead of focusing only on how much better the new solution solves certain problems compared to the old one, there needs to be also acknowledgement of how the old solution was the right one under previous circumstances and a recognition of all the work that was put into it. Even better is when the people who worked on the old solution are taken as “champions” into defining and implementing the new one because of all the knowledge and expertise they have. The best way to deal with resistance is not silencing it, it’s turning it into advocacy and allyship - and that requires understanding every individual involved. #changemanagement #datagovernance #tiankaistuff

New research from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)), with risk analysis from global insurance group Howden Group Holdings, demonstrates the transformative economic efficiency of risk-sharing systems to provide vulnerable countries with financial security from climate related disasters. The smallest and most vulnerable countries risk losing over 100% of their GDP from extreme climate shocks next year, according to the findings, which underlines the scale and severity of the risks faced by the Global South. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other vulnerable countries bear these overwhelming threats almost alone. This can be solved. The report, which models Loss and Damage (L&D) implementation, reveals these risks are insurable and proposes a solution using the power of (re)insurance and capital markets to dramatically scale up the impact of L&D funding. The modelling shows that the intolerable financial risks faced by this group of countries could be reduced to just 10% of GDP. The research outlines an action plan for L&D implementation across 100 less developed, climate vulnerable countries. It proposes leveraging donor funding to unlock vast sums from (re)insurance and capital markets to provide guaranteed financial protection to exposed communities now, and through to at least 2050.  https://lnkd.in/e-tX4AsP

I am happy to co-author this article with Beatrice WEDER DI MAURO, President of the CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research, reflecting on the urgent need to engage in collective thinking and action to adapt our response to the challenge of insurability in the face of escalating climate risks. This article, which captures key convictions from our joint workshop hosted at Collège de France by the AXA Research Fund and CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research, couldn't have been more timely.   Devastating floods in Valencia, the wildfires in Los Angeles, the typhoons in Mayotte and La Réunion... These recent climate catastrophes show a clear reality: climate risks are intensifying and the protection gap for local communities and economies are becoming evident. Global economic losses from extreme weather events reached $320 billion in 2024, while in Europe, only 25% of economic losses were insured - leaving individuals, businesses, and communities vulnerable.    To address this, we need to enhance risk-sharing mechanisms and promote partnerships between public institutions and private companies.   Ensuring insurance accessibility and effectiveness is crucial. This can be done through: ➡️ Hybrid models, combining market mechanisms with public-private partnerships, to help ensure broad coverage and affordability. France’s CatNat regime and Switzerland’s hybrid model offer valuable insights. These models can be adapted to regions facing extreme exposure, such as sea level risks. ➡️ Greater investment in prevention and risk-sharing mechanisms. Initiatives like local municipal risk assessments can help small municipalities assess and mitigate local climate risks. ➡️ Impact underwriting, where insurers incentivize policyholders to adopt risk-reducing measures in exchange for lower premiums. ➡️ Public education on climate risks and stronger coordination between insurers, governments, and consumers to ensure preventive measures are taken seriously.   As we move forward, it's clear that policymakers, insurers, and society must work together to strike a sustainable balance between affordability and fiscal viability. This is not just about who pays the bill. It is about how we manage risk in an increasingly uncertain climate landscape. Let's continue to foster collaboration and innovation to close the protection gap and build a resilient future. 👇 https://lnkd.in/er6BkrtZ

What works—and what doesn’t—in efforts to address land degradation in Africa? A recent study in Sustainability Science identifies key success factors and lessons learned. Efforts to reverse land degradation and improve human well-being in Africa succeed when they manage to balance competing demands and engage local stakeholders effectively. The most successful projects share key characteristics: 💵 Economic incentives matter: Tangible benefits, such as increased income or resource security, keep communities motivated and invested in long-term success. 🤝 Engaging communities is essential: Inclusive governance structures that empower local populations, including women and marginalized groups, build legitimacy and trust. 🫴 External support is crucial: Financial aid, technical expertise, and material resources reduce the risks associated with adopting new practices, particularly in low-income settings. 🌍 Governance must be adaptive: Community-based management (CBM), backed by external guidance, often delivers better outcomes than top-down interventions, which can alienate local stakeholders. 🌈 Short-term gains and long-term goals must align: Addressing immediate needs, such as food security, while building toward broader ecological and social improvements ensures sustained engagement. 💪 Commitment and flexibility are key: Projects must maintain long-term support and adapt strategies as circumstances evolve, ensuring that initial successes are not squandered. However, the path to sustainability is littered with missteps. Projects stumble when: ⚠️ Incentives are unclear: Without tangible benefits, enthusiasm wanes, and participation falters. ⚠️ Communities are excluded: Top-down approaches, conceived in distant capitals, often fail to resonate with those most affected. ⚠️ Resources are insufficient: Inadequate funding or technical support shifts the burden to impoverished communities, stalling progress. ⚠️ Local dynamics are overlooked: Ignoring traditional governance systems or social structures undermines legitimacy and fuels resistance. ⚠️ Short-termism takes hold: Premature withdrawal of funding or oversight leaves projects vulnerable to collapse. ⚠️ Risk aversion prevails: In poverty-stricken contexts, populations are understandably hesitant to adopt new practices without guaranteed benefits. ⚠️ Political instability disrupts progress: Conflicts, as seen in Tigray and Burkina Faso, can undo decades of work in a matter of months. ⚠️ One-size-fits-all solutions fail: Projects that ignore the complexities of local contexts rarely achieve lasting success. The lessons are clear: sustainable development requires patience, pragmatism, and a commitment to long-term adaptation. Striking the right balance between immediate needs and future benefits is the only way to achieve resilience in Africa’s varied and challenging landscapes. Ruth Kamnitzer reports for Mongabay News: https://mongabay.cc/STkZpj

Sustainability needs a Trojan horse. For 10 years, the Greeks tried to conquer Troy. But no matter how hard they tried, the city wouldn’t fall. So they changed the strategy, gave up on force and used a trick instead. A wooden horse as a symbol of surrender, left outside the gates. The Trojans brought it in. The rest is history. Not 10, but for over 50 years, scientists, activists, and entrepreneurs have tried to conquer another kind of Troy: Our resistance to acting on the climate crisis. The science is clear. The logic is undeniable. And yet we don't change. Not fast enough. Why? Because humans aren’t driven by logic. We’re driven by desire, status, convenience, taste and identity. If we want sustainable solutions to scale, we can’t just push harder. We need Trojan horses. 🌱 A plant-based burger that wins on taste, not morals. ⚡️ An electric car that talks about speed, not reach. 👗 A secondhand platform that makes fashion more fun, not less. 📦 A plastic-free product that feels luxurious, not just ethical. 🧠 An software tool that helps sustainability teams save money, not just emissions. Sustainability can’t be the message alone. It has to be the mechanism inside the thing people already want. That’s the power of a Trojan horse: It doesn’t ask for permission. It meets people where they are. And it opens the gates from inside. We have to stop selling the problem. And start hiding the solution inside something desirable instead.

🌿 How Insurance Supports Climate Adaptation When it comes to building resilience to climate change, insurance can be a powerful partner to companies and governments. It offers not only financial protection, but also the tools, data, and incentives needed to adapt proactively rather than respond reactively. Here’s how: 🔹 Data for Decision-Making Insurers have vast climate and catastrophe data that can help governments, businesses, and communities make smarter planning and infrastructure choices. 🔹 Risk Pricing Signals By adjusting premiums based on exposure to climate risks, insurers send market signals that encourage climate-resilient behavior, like relocating from flood zones or retrofitting buildings. 🔹 Innovative Products Parametric insurance, microinsurance, and nature-based solutions (like mangrove protection for coastal communities) are real-world examples of insurance enabling quicker recovery and ecosystem resilience. 🔹 Finance for Adaptation Insurance-linked securities and public-private partnerships can unlock much-needed capital for climate-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems. 🔹 Community Support At the local level, insurance mechanisms can protect vulnerable populations from being pushed into poverty after climate shocks. 🔹 Protecting People, Not Just Assets Life insurance, critical illness cover, and employee benefits are essential to supporting financial security, mental wellbeing, and workforce resilience especially as health risks and socio-economic pressures increase. These offerings are part of how the industry supports the social dimension of sustainability. More than a risk carrier, insurance can act as a strategic advisor and enabler of both climate and social resilience, working alongside policymakers, businesses, and communities to navigate uncertainty and invest in long-term wellbeing. Also read: https://lnkd.in/dDtqydUM

Should Your Insurance Company Be Investing In Climate Resilience? The insurance industry stands at a crossroads as climate risks surge and traditional methods of underwriting, risk assessment, and investment face unprecedented challenges. Traditionally focused on pricing and distributing risk, the industry now has an opportunity to actively shape resilience by investing in climate-adaptive infrastructure, clean energy, and innovative technologies. In this episode of InsurTech Amplified with ⁠Charlie Sidoti⁠, Executive Director at InnSure⁠, we discussed the evolving role of insurance in a world facing accelerating climate risks. Charlie highlighted the insurance industry’s untapped potential as both a financial safety net and a force for resilience. Instead of merely reacting to disasters, insurers could be investing strategically in climate-resilient projects, supporting renewable energy, and even collaborating with tech innovators to drive resilience at the community level. The insurance sector can do far more than cover losses—it can actively shape a safer, more sustainable future. Charlie’s vision goes beyond tweaking traditional insurance models; he’s pushing for real innovation. Imagine a world where communities own their risk and manage resilience investments through mutual insurance models, where insurers directly collaborate with city planners and environmental startups to drive down future risks. This isn’t just about adjusting premiums; it’s a call for all of the stakeholders to recognize the profound role they play in our climate future, moving from mere risk assessment to becoming champions of climate adaptation and resilience. #insurance #insurtech #technology #resilience #riskmitigation Theresa Blissing David Gritz Tony Lew InsurTech NY Martin Ronfort Renata Quintieri Valentine Fontannaz https://lnkd.in/guHpDchQ

10 Hard Truths About Working in Corporate Sustainability After six years working in corporate sustainability, I've seen many deep-rooted challenges. Here are some of those our sustainability superheroes are taking on daily. 1. Rising costs can derail even the best sustainability intentions. UK corporates are hesitant to prioritise environmental and sustainability investment as a ‘necessary’ driver, with low business confidence and economic headwinds limiting progress (Barclays, 2024). 2. Budgets are a constant battle. There is low appetite among UK businesses to invest in sustainability, and many are reducing investment rather than seeking new funding (Barclays, 2024). 3. Regulatory change is relentless and confusing. UK corporates face a maze of evolving ESG regulations from multiple bodies, with frequent changes making it difficult to plan and comply effectively (PwC, 2024). 4. Accountability is fragmented and often unclear. Only 12% of UK businesses assign sustainability accountability to the CFO, and responsibility is often scattered across departments, slowing progress (PwC, 2024). 5. Proving ROI is tough - and measurement is messy. More than a quarter of UK businesses struggle to prove the return on investment for sustainability initiatives. It is difficult to link ESG metrics to business value (Barclays, 2024). 6. Stakeholder priorities clash. While 53% of UK CEOs see ESG as “extremely important,” 70% have encountered investor resistance to sustainability strategies, with many shareholders preferring to wait for competitors to act first (KPMG UK CEO Outlook, 2023). 7. Burnout and emotional strain are real. Over 60% of UK sustainability practitioners report burnout, and 69% struggle with motivation due to the scale of the challenge. Support for wellbeing and soft skills training remains limited (edie Sustainability Leaders Survey, 2024). 8. Change fatigue is a factor. Repeated reorganisations, shifting priorities, and the pressure to “do more with less” sap enthusiasm and momentum, leaving many teams feeling isolated and overwhelmed (edie Sustainability Leaders Survey, 2024). 9. Supplier engagement is a missing link. 85% of leaders believe they’ll fail to meet sustainability targets without supplier buy-in, yet only 12% incentivise suppliers to achieve these goals (Capgemini Research Institute, 2023). 10. Progress is possible - but rarely linear. Despite the barriers, 83% of UK business leaders intend to maintain or increase sustainability investment by 2026. Breakthrough moments do occur! - when leadership, funding, and culture align. The landscape is challenging, but every incremental improvement in governance, funding, or culture can unlock real impact for both business and the planet. Which ones resonate most for you - or is it all of the above? Please do post anything that gives you hope in your work in corporate sustainability. ♻️ Repost this to help your network 👉 Follow Christian Arno for more