Mr. Pavan Sukhdev : 4. Future society - The Asahi Glass Foundation.

4. Future society

Changing companies' awareness by 2020!

Speaking as a representative of the United Nation Environment Project (UNEP) Green Economy Initiative after presentation of the TEEB final report at the UNEP board meeting in Nairobi in 2011, Sukhdev said that the green economy is the way to realize a sustainable society.

Even after resigning from the posts of TEEB leader and representative of the Green Economy Initiative, Sukhdev was still not sure about returning to the bank because of his strong desire to continue working for the environment and the economy.

"I found a purpose; therefore, I will continue moving forward."
Sukhdev made the decision to resign from the bank and devote himself entirely environmental economics. He consulted with Sir Peter Crane, Dean and Professor of Botany at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in the U.S. and began lecturing on TEEB. In 2012, Sukhdev published "Corporation 2020" in cooperation with Yale University. The book received a great response.

Sukhdev believes that companies are important because they are the driving force of the economy. He is also worried that the global environment is in the worst condition ever. It will be too late to do anything if we wait another 10 or 20 years to take action. He feels that we need to change the situation by 2020. What he calls "Corporation 1920" are old-type corporations that pursue profit without regard to nature. "Corporation 2020" are new-type corporations more concerned about their impact on nature and in pursuing public profit. In his book, Sukhdev writes that if the number of such corporations increase, we can change society.

Continuing engagement in the preservation of nature

Sukhdev is actively engaged in the preservation of nature.
GIST, for which Sukhdev serves as director, established the GIST Advisory to provide support for environmental accounting domestically and overseas as well as in corporations. GIST in India has become global GIST.

TEEB did not end with the final report in 2010. It is now in the phase of individual countries and corporations implementing its concepts.

In July 2016, the Natural Capital Coalition, which Sukhdev helped to establish, took over the TEEB and presented the Natural Capital Protocol, a concept for corporations that implement environmental accounting. More than 200 corporations agreed with the concepts. Sukhdev was moved by the fact that so many corporations decided to implement them.

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He said, however, "It is still not enough. We will continue asking until all corporations in the world implement the concepts."

His final goal is to create a society in which everyone appreciates and acts with respect for nature. He also wants to ensure a society in which his two daughters, their children, and their children's children will benefit from and live in harmony with nature. These are his dreams.