Climate & Environment

Environmental Strategies to Fight Poverty

VIDEO: How can companies ensure they have a positive relationship with the world around them?

Members of the Business Fights Poverty network share their insights through a series of “how-to” videos on the themes of Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020. In this video Cristianne Close, Global Practice Leader, Markets, at WWF looks at how companies can ensure they have a positive relationship with nature and at the same time help to address other problems like poverty
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Upcoming Online Event: Nature and Its Value to International Supply Chains

As part of Business Fights Poverty NYC Online 2020, Business Fights Poverty and Standard Chartered are convening a webinar and online peer discussion to explore how we can account for, invest in and enhance the value of nature present in supply chains. This article delves into nature’s benefits to international supply chains, and examines one initiative that is seeking to align commercial and environmental imperatives: the ‘Soft Commodities Compact’. 
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Don’t simply restart the engine; building back better means re-tooling

Not only has the Covid-19 pandemic affected our health and personal lives, it has also and continues to, fundamentally challenge our political, social, and economic norms. Most notably it has impacted how many of us think about tackling the big issues like climate change. In this article we will talk about the similarities and differences in tackling this big issue. We will also discuss how, as we continue to emerge out of lockdown, we need to start to re-tool in order to build back better, rather than simply restarting the engines again.
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Air Quality: A breath of fresh air

Today, 91% of the world’s population inhabits places where air quality fails to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness surrounding the costs of air pollution, while global lockdowns have improved air quality temporarily. With WHO air quality guidelines set to be updated this year, a new report by Barclays Research analysts explores the actions required to effect long-term change in the air we breathe and the associated investment opportunities.
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Youth Perspectives on Our Future Economy

As part of Business Fights Poverty Online 2020, we teamed up with youth from around the world from the Economy of Francesco to organise a co-creative session dedicated to imagining and evaluating future economic models and to begin to co-create our future together.
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New Ways of Thinking, Convening, Leading

WWF is supporting the Business for Nature Coalition in convening a major global leadership event on 15 June to address the vital role of nature in building a resilient future for everyone. This unique virtual event will bring together CEOs from five large multinational companies with the heads of key UN institutions in exactly the type of conversation and collaboration we need to grow in the coming months.
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Covid-19: ‘We Won’t Get Back to Normal Because Normal was the Problem’

Discussions about the world that will emerge from the coronavirus pandemic have already started apace. Many commentators are wondering whether the crisis offers the opportunity to set the world on a more sustainable and equal path. The Covid-19 recovery offers an opportunity to create a different type of ‘normal’ – one that can help restore trust in the state and reaffirm crucial economic and social rights.​
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Cohabiting with a Virus: We Must Learn to Live Life on Land More Sustainably

The current pandemic crisis offers a chance to reimagine our approaches to managing natural resources, argues Martin Noponen of the Rainforest Alliance.
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Why Off-Grid Energy Matters…And How it Can Matter Even More

Roughly 600 million people in Africa lack access to electricity. Off-grid energy solutions, such as solar home systems and mini-grids, are the most efficient way to provide energy to over half of these people. Although the impact of providing energy access on people’s lives – including through off-grid solutions – may seem obvious, it’s important to better understand and quantify exactly what this means. Because it’s through this detailed understanding of impact that we can become better investors.
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Why ESG is Core to Long-Term Success in Venture Capital

Venture capital (VC) is a relatively new asset class but is already having a transformative impact on large sections of the global economy.
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Is Davos Signalling the End of Business as Usual?

As world leaders in politics and business gather in Davos, IIED director Andrew Norton considers progress on the event’s ‘business with purpose’ agenda and asks how a progressive sustainability manifesto can omit climate change.
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It’s Time We Understand All of a Business’ Impacts on People and the Planet

As society is becoming more aware of its responsibility to the world we live in, businesses are under increasing pressure to be transparent about all their impacts – but do they know how to measure them?
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Sustainability and Profitability Can Co-Exist. Here’s How

The effects of climate change and global warming have created serious doubts over the continued existence of mankind. Why are we still debating the merits of marrying sustainability with business profitability?​
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Top Stories of 2019

While the social impact and business agenda is shaping up for 2020, we first wanted to share the most popular stories we published in 2019 with you. A huge thank you to the authors featured in this list and to all of you who made contributions. We hope these stories inspire you and welcome your submissions this year*.
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10 Trends That Should Be on Your Board’s Radar

I have vivid memories, from the years I spent working on social impact in-house for big business, of scrambling for Board or Exec report around this time. ‘Please summarise the key social impact trends and the effects on business’, was the exam question. This year, I thought I would do the same for you. Feel free to borrow, comment and add your own.
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How a Sanitation Waste Partnership is Transforming Cities in Bangladesh

After four years of testing how entrepreneurs can deliver sanitation services to the poorest urban citizens in Bangladesh, a business model developed by Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor is starting to create significant change. To mark World Toilet Day, we are reflecting on how this business model is achieving what very few other approaches have achieved: financially viable sanitation services which benefit low-income residents.
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Self Devouring Growth

“We live in a world where it is easier to imagine the end of humanity than it is to imagine the end of capitalism,” said Fredric Jameson about 40 years ago when Climate Change wasn’t even on the agenda (Capitalist realism, 2010). What is worrying is that this claim holds true to this day. When did we move from politics of collective well-being to politics of consumption?
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Five Questions on Partnership with the Pollinate Group

SDG 17 calls for a revitalisation of global partnerships. In India and Nepal, a social enterprise, Pollinate Group, is working in partnership to empower women to distribute solar energy products in informal settlements. Pollinate Group is partnering with Greenlight Planet and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Business Partnerships Platform.
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In Memoriam: Tribute to Paul Polak – Market-Based Development Pioneer 1933 – 2019

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we remember the life and impact of Paul Polak, Market-Based Development Pioneer, who sadly passed away on 12 October.
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Prathyusha Parakala

This podcast marks the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. On this day, 2nd October 2019, India will begin a nationwide ban of single use plastic. Prathyusha Parakala, Hydrabad millennial, radio DJ and climate ambassador, joins us to share her first-hand experiences – about the wave of social and environmental actions sweeping across India.
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What do we mean by "Climate & Environment"?

Explore initiatives that leverage climate and environmental preservation as critical tools in the global fight against poverty.

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