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Description
Imagine the scene: the year is 2027--China is responsible for 15 per cent of the world's energy consumption; California has imposed permanent water rationing; relief agencies warn that late rains again raise the spectre of widespread hunger in southern Africa; and cases of malaria are being reported among holidaymakers in Greece and Turkey.
It is impossible to predict exactly what the future holds, but given the current knowledge of climate science, this picture is certainly not unrealistic. If it becomes a reality, it will significantly affect what "doing good business" is going to entail in 20 years, as a diverse set of drivers begins to act more forcefully on the political and economic landscape, radically altering the world in which we live and work. There is no doubt that the effects of climate change will become harder to ignore.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) concentration, approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution, has increased to around 380 ppm today. Each doubling of the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration raises the Earth's equilibrium temperature by about 3[degrees] Celsius. GHG emissions are rising globally and the Earth's temperature, under "business as usual" trends, will likely increase by between 2[degrees]C and 4.5[degrees]C by 2100. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that in... |
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