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DR. PROF. WAYNE VISSER
TAGLIO DI PO, ROVIGO, ITALY
SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2016
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
AS A CRUCIAL OPTION
FOR ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS

3THE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GAP
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS ACHIEVING HIGH HUMAN DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE EARTH’S CAPACITY
Source: UNDP, Global Footprint Network

4THE SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION
OUR HUMAN FOOTPRINT IS A THREAT TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, SOCIETY AND ECONOMY
Source: WWF, Trucost

5UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
A MASSIVE STIMULUS FOR INVESTMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLE, BIO-ECONOMY TO 2030
The annual SDG financing gap in
developing countries is estimated to be $2.5
trillion
This is only 3% of global gross domestic
product or 1.1% of the value of global
capital markets
We Mean Business harnesses the power of
over 550 companies and investors
They represents over $7.8 trillion in total
revenue and over $20.7 trillion in assets
under management
Italy has pledged USD 334 million (EUR
250 million) to the Green Climate Fund
Source: UN, UNCTAD, OECD

6RESPONSIBLE COMPETITIVENESS
Three Elements & 21 Measures of the
Responsible Competitiveness Index:
THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS
Policy Drivers: 7 measures of the strength of
public policies and ‘soft power’ that encourage
responsible business practices;
Business Action: 7 firm-level measures of the
application of governance, social and
environmental good practice, codes and
management systems; and
Social Enablers: 7 measures of the broader social
and political environment that enable businesses,
government and civil society organisations to build
effective collaborations to reshape markets.
Source: AccountAbility, World Economic Forum

7RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION
THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ECONOMIC INNOVATION
Source: Philips, AccountAbility, European Commission
RESPONSIBLE COMPETITIVENESS INDEX
VS
EUROPEAN INNOVATION SCOREBOARD* As companies continue to create new products and services in the
future, how important are innovations in protecting the
environment to you?
** How satisfied are you with the products now available to you in
protecting the environment?
PHILIPS MEANINGFUL INNOVATION INDEX

8GROWTH OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGY MARKETS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN THE BIGGEST MARKETS OF THE FUTURE
Source: World Bank
GROWTH IN TOTAL REGIONAL
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY SALES
GROWTH IN TOTAL GLOBAL
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY SALES

9ECO-INNOVATION AS AN EU COMPETITIVENESS POLICY
THE SUSTAINABILITY ELEMENTS OF THE LISBON 2020 EU ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS STRATEGY
Source: Adapted from European Commission
ECO-INNOVATION IS:
The development and
application of a new
business strategy
That entails a combination
of a significantly improved
or new product
(good/service), production
process, organisation and
business model
That will lead to improved
sustainability performance

10THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ECO-INNOVATION
THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ECONOMIC INNOVATION
Source: European Commission, UN Environment Programme
BENEFITS FROM 100 EU SPONSORED
ECO-INNOVATION PROJECTS:
8 full time jobs per project
609,000 tonnes less waste (=city 125,000)
170 million m3 water saved
4 million tonnes material saved (200 Eiffel
Towers)
11.6 m tonnes CO2 saved (= 1.7 m homes)
€1.6 bn env. & econ. benefits
€20 revenue per €1 invested

11FINANCIAL RETURNS FROM CARBON REDUCTION
THE LINK BETWEEN CARBON MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND FINANCIAL RETURNS
Source: World Bank
CLIMATE INVESTMENT RETURNSEFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT RACE

12CHEMICAL SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES
THE PRIORITIES OF STAKEHOLDERS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT REPRESENT A MARKET OPPORTUNITY
Source: BASF
HIGH PRIORITIES:
Energy
consumption/efficienc
y
Resource scarcity
Sustainable production
Water pollution
Waste
Product stewardship
Life-cycle thinking in
value chain
Pollution opportunities
Agricultural practices

13BARRIERS AND ENABLERS FOR THE BIO-ECONOMY
OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TAKING OUR INNOVATION AND SCALING IT IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE
Source: International Energy Agency
BARRIERS
Uncertain demand /
payback (ROI)
Access to subsidies /
finance
Lack of investor
experience
Low priority on energy
Lack of authorities co-
ordination
Perception of high costs
Technology lock-in
ENABLERS
Accurate energy and
material prices
Supportive government
policies (e.g. subsidies)
Skills development for
technology transfer
Consumer awareness
and choice
Investor & financial
market education
Technology innovation

14CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS
OUR CHOICE IS BETWEEN FLOURISHING ABUNDANT LIFE AND THE END TO LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
Source: International Energy Agency
"Human ingenuity is the answer. We created the
science and engineering technological revolution
on which all our wellbeing is based. That same keen
intelligence can point to the solutions to the
hangover challenges and this requires nothing less
than another renaissance.”
- David King, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the
Environment (SSEE), Oxford University, UK, and member
of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on
Emerging Technologies 2012-2013
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15THANK YOU!
AND GOOD LUCK
www.waynevisser.com
www.sustainablefrontiers.net
wayne@waynevisser.com
Wayne Visser
@WayneVisser
WayneVisser
csrinternational
Wayne Visser
CSR International