Belated Happy New Year! 2017 was definitely an interesting one in the sustainability sphere. And while the world talks about economic outlooks, prophecies and possible fashion trends to expect in 2018, I would like to steer the conversation to topical issues and themes Susty Geeks can look out for over the next 12 months. This 2 part series is based on a webinar anchored by the incredible team at SustainAbility fused with my expectations and aspirations for Nigeria and other countries in the developing south.
- RENEWABLES AND SOLAR
With President Trump announcing the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and Germany’s position as the global champion of climate action and clean energy slipping dramatically given shifting political and economic realities, 2017 has dealt some heavy blows to national leadership on climate change. Regardless, the stance for renewable energy and continued progress on global greenhouse gas reductions remains positive.
According to the team, renewables will have become the cheapest form of new power generation in nearly all markets by 2020. Solar is already the cheapest form of energy in an estimated fifty lower-income countries including China, India and Brazil. This is largely due to the falling costs of manufacturing for both wind and solar as well as improved efficiency.
The prospect of being able to channel all this sun into something beneficial makes me giddy happy! Happy enough to dance shaku-shaku (or attempt to dance at least) Conversations, knowledge and awareness around solar energy still seems basic and exclusive to the middle class and rich in Nigeria, which should be the reverse. I hope that falling cost permeates our economy and results in more homes and businesses having stable, clean and affordable power.
Photo Credit: Union of Concerned Scientists
- #METOO
The Me Too movement was founded over 10 years ago by social activist Tarana Burke. However, it went viral around the globe with the hashtag #MeToo in the wake of several allegations of sexual assault against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Millions of women around the world shared stories on social media shining a spotlight on the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and the misconduct of men in positions of power.
Beyond the glitz, glam and controversies of Hollywood, tech giants such as Uber, Facebook and Google are among the companies that have faced accusations of racial prejudice, harassment and gender pay disparities over the last year. 2018 will see further increases in public and investor pressure for companies and institutions to address sexual harassment racial and gender diversity. Companies will also face demands that they produce robust data that provide public evidence of change, including closing the gender pay gap.
In the developing countries, it’s my aspiration that there is growth in the number of girls enrolled in schools and women representing us in political positions. Our campaigns should resonate #metoo can go to school; #metoo can be a CEO; #metoo can be a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Women do not just belong in “Za kitchen and Za other room.”
Photo Credit: Faye Sadou/MediaPunch/IPX
- Charging Ahead
The end of the internal combustion engine automobile is coming more clearly into view, with China joining the UK, France and Norway in announcing an eventual ban on cars powered solely by internal combustion engines. The announcement has left global car manufacturers racing to protect their ability to compete in China’s future auto market.
Forecasts predict that global sales of all-electric cars will surge 70% in 2018, up from 580,000 last year. Various automobile companies have rolled out various strategies to migrate from conventional vehicles to hybrids. Volvo has announced that it will only offer electric or hybrid vehicles from 2019 onward. Volkswagen has announced $40bn in funding for electric cars, autonomous driving and new mobility services over the next 12 years. Whilst, Ford is investing $11bn in electric vehicles (EVs) by 2022, promising a fully self-driving car by 2021.
Honestly, this can only be good for Nigeria. The prospect of charging Suzy (my car) overnight would do great things for my pocket; as well as for many Nigerians who spend thousands of Naira on the purchase of fuel weekly. While some of you may not agree, this can also allow us to focus on how to diversify an economy heavily reliant on the sales of crude and use of fossil fuels.
A possible challenge is the erratic power supply that still cripples the country 57+ years after independence. If we don’t have light to charge phones, is it cars that we will now charge? I also fear that developing countries may become a dumping ground for gasoline/diesel powered vehicles in the near future.
Photo Credit: Hopefornigeriaonline.com
- Media Matters:
Globally, freedom of speech has experienced an alarming decline across both developed and developing nations; this negative trend is expected to continue in 2018. Private communications surveillance has reached a historical high, as governments, including the UK, pass legislation to enable extensive digital surveillance.
President Trump’s (again this guy) recent decision to roll-back net neutrality may also have major global implications. With experts concerned that America is sending a message to authoritarian leaders, such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping, that western norms regarding freedom of information and the press are shifting. With the Chinese having made large investments in local infrastructure in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, this could adversely affect the freedom of press in those countries. Turkey, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burundi, Egypt, Poland and Venezuela have all experienced a disconcerting decline in both the diversity and independence of the media.
While I feel like this can somewhat limit the trolling and bullying that seems to have increased over the last couple of years. Cyberspace is where one can hold critical and honest discussions on leadership and accountability. As 2019 elections loom, it would be crucial for us to use this platform to challenge leaders, their manifestos and decide on whether we want to collect our change back or not. Social media is the microphone to amplify our voices and can be used as a tool to build the kind of country we want and ultimately determine who will hold the reins of power in the coming years.
Photo Credit: Greg Lukianoff /PragerU
- Executive Advocacy:
The last two years have seen an unprecedented upswing in leadership from companies and CEOs on high-profile public issues. Leaders of Intel, Merck and Under Armor were among the first in the private sector to stand up for racial justice after the Charlottesville protests. Heineken was praised for producing an ad that encouraged people to connect across political divides and Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin joined protestors at San Francisco’s international airport, demonstrating against Trump’s travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations.
Businesses are being called on to take a stand on environmental, social and ethical issues more than in the past. Companies such as Bank of America, Dow Chemical, and PayPal spoke out against Mississippi and North Carolina’s laws removing anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals, with many companies threatening to pull operations out of those states or even to relocate their headquarters to other regions.
Edelman’s 2017 study of 14,000 global consumers found 73% of Chinese consumers and 65% of Indian consumers surveyed were influenced by a company’s outspoken stance on social and political issues. A survey of 14 countries conducted by Masdar finds younger consumers demonstrate higher loyalty to values-driven companies. The report found 49% of Millennials are willing to pay more for ethical products and 31% have boycotted unsustainable companies.
The risk of staying silent is higher than ever before and this trend will continue in 2018. Employees, customers, and other stakeholders are demanding more from business leaders. Consumers are increasingly likely to buy from companies that they perceive, to be honest, and that have similar values to their own. In 2018 and beyond, the most successful companies will be those that authentically and consistently align their core values and business model.
We still seem mostly driven by the price of commodities in Nigeria, but it seems that the younger generation is becoming more aware and holding companies accountable for their actions. We hope that the populace will ask more relevant questions and hold key stakeholders more accountable on environmental and social related aspects of their businesses in the New Year.
Photo Credit : Sergey Brin /PRINXMAURICE
In part 2 I will discuss the remaining five trends