BSR Insight | Time to Listen to Planet Earth: Peter Bakker at World Water Week
About the Author(s)
Ryan Flaherty, Manager, Advisory Services
Publication Date
September 18, 2012
Share
"I don't think the planet is talking to us anymore. I think she is screaming at us, and water is the language she is using."
—Peter Bakker, World Business Council for Sustainable Development incoming President, during the closing plenary at World Water Week (August 31, 2012)
Referencing arctic ice melts, droughts, floods, and ocean acidification, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's incoming President Peter Bakker noted that business can no longer ignore environmental changes: "We need a revolution, boys and girls, and we need it fast."
The private sector was also a focal point in other discussions at this year's World Water Week, whose theme was "Water and Food Security." Agriculture accounts for an estimated 70 percent of freshwater use globally and contributes to food security issues such as land use, price volatility, and waste.
These issues affect industries including financial services, health care, information and communications technology, and transportation and logistics. Water and food security are fundamental components of a stable, business-friendly environment—something any company operating in any part of the world can appreciate.
For more on World Water Week, see Ryan Flaherty's new blog.
About the Author(s)
Ryan Flaherty, Manager, Advisory Services
Applying his extensive on-the-ground experience in developing countries, Ryan brings a unique perspective to BSR’s supply chain strategy work... Read more →
Topics
Related Content
Sustainable Investment in China article: As Environmental Protests Increase, New Implications for Business and Investment
BSR Insight: Sustainable Procurement in Practice: AT&T, Best Buy, and Dell
Share Your Thoughts
Please note, all comments are subject to moderation.