Climate debate fatigue

Dear all civilised world leaders,

Just like in your politically-driven world, employees of businesses often have to navigate a fine line between doing what is right for themselves and what is right for their shareholders. One of the most rewarding aspects of consulting is being asked to make recommendations based purely on the facts. Acting independently permits us this freedom to ‘say it as it is’ – without fear of recourse or retribution. The following shouldn’t be anything you don’t already know – but it is always important to remind ourselves of the bigger picture and equip newcomers to the challenge with relevant context.

Around the time stonefort’s founding partners were born, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes were about 15 billion tonnes per year. Today, they are around 37 billion tonnes. As you will hopefully know, there are fundamental reasons for this: exponential population and consumption growth. Over the same 50-ish year time period, the world’s population increase broadly equates to that seen from the preceding 4 million years. Because of globalisation, emissions per capita have followed a similar pattern – or, in other words, our ancestors caused much less harm to the planet over each of their life courses than the longer living & ‘greedy us’ do today. Unless planet earth undergoes a miraculous science-fiction-like expansion or transformation, this is unsustainable. Little wonder that mother nature has started to execute her correction strategies to restore balance. Though well-intentioned, and for a number of reasons, your efforts as world leaders continue to fall far short of delivering the changes required. It is time now for surgery; not triage.

Recommendations: 1) heavily tax non-essential consumption, and use this fund to adapt for the warmer future that lies ahead; 2) incentivise lower fertility rates – plan ahead carefully; 3) continue to innovate across the entire system to reduce and capture emissions – any savings now can buy us a bit more time; and 4) resist the temptation to point the finger of blame at industry – this serves only as an unnecessary distraction and is a waste of everyone’s time. Instead, partner and collaborate with them for the benefit of us all.

We hope you receive this message in the spirit in which it is intended. Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you want any discussion related to strategies that can support the maritime industry’s own voyage to carbon neutrality.

Yours faithfully, stonefort.