What has the last year taught us about sustainability, and our individual ability to effect change?

A Beacon Gainer article, written by Ally Goldberg, Ethical and Social Impact Business Manager for Beacon Gainer private client advisory services group, and edited by Hannah Martin.

With a global pandemic and mass restrictions on movement, 2020 was a difficult year. But there was one very significant positive side effect: an improvement in the rate of climate change.

With nearly 50% less flights, far fewer cars on the road and many industries at a standstill, the global ‘human footprint’ was far lower than it has been in decades. Carbon emissions from China, for example, dropped by 200 million tonnes in just four weeks. The reduction in pollution was even visible from space; satellite images were published showing the clearing of smog in China and Italy.

Many countries reported improvements in people’s health as a result of the clearing pollution. In the UK, it was estimated that over 2 million people with respiratory health conditions experienced an improvement in their symptoms as a direct result of the cleaner air. And it has also been estimated that this resulted in 11,000 fewer pollution-related deaths, and 600 fewer preterm births.

All of this was heartening news, and gave us hope that with the right policies in place, and with everyone playing their part, that we can look forward to a cleaner, healthier world. But now that has changed, and the International Energy Agency announced on 3^rd March 2021 that CO2 emissions have bounced back to their pre-Covid levels. This news should be kickstarting everyone and inspiring the world into action. It isn’t too late – we still have time to return to the path we were on and not let the progress we made slip through our fingers.

So what can each of us do to play our part in this healthier world? It starts with small changes we can all make every day. As we have seen following lockdowns, collectively small changes in behaviour can make a powerful difference. Imagine what would happen if we all committed to simple actions like turning off a light we didn’t need on, or getting a bus instead of a taxi?

When it comes to sustainability, it’s important to think flexibly too. One of the key words for 2020 was ‘pivot’. Many businesses needed to rethink how they operated, and in some cases completely revise their business model. And entrepreneurs showed brilliant creativity and innovation.

Just think what wonderful, positive change we could influence if we applied that same level of creativity and flexibility to our business model in future, in an effort to become as sustainable as possible. This can be as much as hiring a professional ESG or sustainability advisor, or as simple as switching to an ethical office stationary or utility supplier, or buying eco-friendly cleaning supplies. By putting sustainability to the top of our agenda, we can make choices that benefit everyone, while growing thriving businesses.

2020 taught us the power of collaboration. While every change we individually make is important, when we ALL change, wonderful things can happen. The last year was tangible proof that we are not too far gone, that changes will be visible if we all commit to them. We no longer have to imagine, but got a real of glimpse the difference we will see in the world if we take to heart the lessons that lockdown taught us, and continue to encourage the positive changes that began last year.