EXPLORING LINKS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

I am delighted to be asked to discuss a subject which is close to my heart and so critical in today's society; the growing recognition of the need to be green. The essential link is that human beings, in their quest for economic development and improvement of the quality of life, must come to terms with the reality of resource limitation and the carrying capacity of ecosystems, and must take into account the needs of future generations. This is the central message of the World Conservation Strategy and, in one form or another, the concept which is central to most subsequent considerations of the environment and development. The principle that development and environment are inseparable is being increasingly recognised. The 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) Report emphasises that Failures to manage the environment and to sustain development threaten to overwhelm all countries. Environment and development are not separate challenges; they are inexorably linked. Development cannot subsist upon a deteriorating environmental resource base; the environment cannot be protected when growth does not take into account the cost of environmental destruction. These problems cannot be treated separately by fragmented institutions and policies. They are linked in a complex system of cause and effect. Therefore, adequate attention to environmental factors is an essential basis for development - if that development is to achieve and sustain its intended contribution to human welfare. This basis, however, has to be adopted and applied at all levels of activity, be it individual, business, public sector, national or international, bilateral and multilateral entities. This thesis also makes economic sense: it is profitable to adopt environmentally friendly strategies and measures. A wide-ranging debate continues, however, about the interface between business - taken to include the entire range of production and delivery of goods and services, both commercial and industrial - and the environment - taken to include the Earth's natural resources in addition to its supporting ecosystems. On the one hand, supporters of business contend that the business of business is business, and nothing else. On the other, environmentalists argue that since business and industry constitute the largest users of the Earth's natural resources, concern for the environment and responsible stewardship of the finite resource base should be a priority in the conduct of business. The debate is taking place at a time of profound environmental and social change. Global concern for the environment has emerged as the preeminent issue on the public's agenda, while the blight of poverty continues to grow, adversely affecting the lives of millions in poor countries. The former requires that we act decisively to halt degradation. The latter requires concerted action at varying levels - local, national, regional, and international - to reduce population growth, accelerate economic growth and improve the quality of life of the world's poor. Few doubt the inherent urgency of both situations. Fortunately, protection of the environment and economic development do not have to be in opposition to each other. Governments, acting in partnership with businesses and taking a judicious market-friendly approach to environmental protection and development, can meet the challenges discussed above and thereby promote sustainable development.