BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENT: A WINNING COMBINATION

Brian H. Davis

Environmental Advantage Law PLLC

Summary Presentation to the 2007 World Future Society Conference

Copyright 2007

 

The vast majority wish to balance economic and environmental interests, recognizing that it is in our interest to do so.  We must build and maintain consensus with the minimum governmental regulation over individual actions that provide societal safety and security in a protected environment.  We readily accept vehicle and air traffic controls, for example, as necessary for a safe society.  Scientifically sound environmental protection is no less critical to our survival.  In fact, stewardship impacts all inhabitants of Planet Earth.  Even coal burned for energy in China releases air pollutants that affect North America.

Leadership to find common ground and build consensus seems to be overwhelmed by selfish agendas and lack of both future visibility and confidence in available information.  Most agree on 90%+ of what is required to protect our environment while still encouraging individual initiative and responsibility.  Based on experience as in-house environmental counsel, EPA attorney, adjunct law professor and member of environmental and government boards, I offer the following recommendations toward building consensus between business and environment: 

1. Environmental and business trends are both critical to present decision-making.
2. Global competition, with its increasing consumer choices, requires regulation of business conduct.  Witness China’s continuing problems with exports.
3. Greater contaminant detection and analytical technologies will lead to increased enforcement, thereby rewarding proactively green business, entrepreneurs and investors.
4. Fossil fuels are losing viability for most global energy needs, due to environmental and health degradation, energy independence and geo-political considerations (think terrorists and terrorist funding), supply constraints and cartel manipulation, increasing economic costs and scarcity.
5. Trends against continued over-reliance on fossil fuels are clear and convincing.  Only environmentally innovative technologies, such as clean coal utilization, offer hope for fossil fuels.
6. Both business and individual impacts on our environment must be mitigated by scientifically sound alternative energies and environmental technologies.   Regulations to assure a level playing field that encourages innovation while ensuring environmental sustainability should then be implemented and gradually tightened.  Organizations that do not adapt quickly will not remain viable.
7. Short term profitability must not drive all business decision-making.
8. Long-term sustainability of our environment and our business/economics are inextricably linked.  We can’t have one without the other!
9. Failure to forge environmental/business sustainability would result in:

·         increasing demand for excessive regulatory, legislative and criminal scrutiny of business,

·         negative business reputation,

·         additional competitive pressures,

·         lost business opportunities,

·         mounting pressure to “walk the talk”,

·         continuing denial of the individual responsibility component of environmental stewardship.

Yes, business and environment are a winning combination.  Leaders from GE, Aveda and others have begun a sustainable trend.   For example, GE’s Ecomagination is an environmentally enlightened initiative reporting $12 billion in 2006 revenues.  GE sells innovative water filtration and environmentally sensitive lighting devices among many environmentally favorable products.  

Water is an example where clear leadership is being demonstrated in Minnesota.  The Clean Water Legacy Act of 2006 has a broad consensus, built through the Minnesota Environmental Initiative, to effectively deal with challenges to our water resources.  These will include not only point sources of water pollution but non-point, agricultural and individual sources of responsibility.     

Though challenging, it can and must be done.  Let’s all create our Environmentally Sustainable Future.

Brian H. Davis

Environmental Advantage Law PLLC