“I don’t like visiting here during summer anymore, the heat is getting unbearable”, said my friend Lila! “Last summer it felt like 47 degrees”, she added!
Lila was talking about her hometown Athens, Greece.
She lives and works in Rotterdam but likes to visit it during summer time.
And she was not wrong complaining about the heat of Athens. I’ve been there, I know how it is!
But the thing is, this is happening everywhere. The planet is getting hotter, our biodiversity is in danger, and there are no signs of the situation changing any time soon.
However, that’s the bad news!
The good news is that, if we start acting now, we can save what’s left and enjoy our precious planet for generations to come. Plus, things might just have started to change towards the right direction!
Under the pressure of consumer trends, companies are incorporating sustainable production methods in their operations. Furthermore, new sustainability trends have emerged.
Sustainability Trends in 2024 And Beyond
We are going to explore those trends in this article. We will learn about the circular economy, what ESG stands for, and why “green” import regulations are starting to appear.
Will Climate Change Get Worse? Yes, But There’s A Silver Lining!
But first let’s start on a pessimistic (or rather realistic) note: the climate change will get worse.
That’s a fact, not just a prediction!
Last year was the hottest year ever recorded.
The temperatures were close to 1.5 Celsius degrees higher than the pre-industrial ones, and there is a high likelihood that these numbers will get higher the years to come.
All this has led to extreme events globally. Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and the lowest sea ice extent ever seen in history. In other words, the ice is melting and our planet is in crisis.
But I did mention a silver lining, didn’t I?
Well, we still have a chance to limit global warming to 1.5 Celsius degrees. That’s the goal set in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
But to achieve it, we must limit greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2035.
Not the simplest thing. Actions however are being taken towards that direction. We will explore those in the following paragraphs.
#1: Sustainable Production: The Heart Of Circular Economy
One of those actions is circular economy. In simple words, circular economy uses resources that can be recycled after the production. Then they can be reused for the same purpose. This way nothing goes to waste and the Earth doesn’t get burdened.
The production and operations are sustainable and the carbon emissions are as low as possible.
To fully grasp this concept let’s look at an example! Green Gatherings produces single-use biodegradable picnic bowls. These are made from tree leaves that have fallen to the ground. After usage, the bowls can be composted and used again to feed the trees. And the circle goes on!
Get it? From tree to tree! Circular economy!
In case you want to learn more about Green Gatherings and our products, check out our website.
But one might ask: is circular economy enough to save our planet? Can it be applied everywhere?
Well, the answer is obviously no, but there are other eco-friendly trends that are emerging. Let’s explore further!
#2: ESG Metrics: For Profits And For Planet
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance.
We will evaluate businesses based not only on their financial performance. They will also be judged based on environmental, social and governance metrics.
What’s the environmental impact of the company? How does it treat its people and the communities? Is the work place a safe place? What about the wages? Are they fair and proportional? These factors, and many others are crucial to score high on the ESG metrics.
But why would a business care about the ESG metrics? Are they mandatory? No, they are not! At least not for now. But businesses should care!
Companies that score high on the ESG metrics have a positive financial performance, according to a 2023 study. If they want to be successful in 2024 and beyond, they should perform well on the ESG metrics.
So, save the planet first in order to make profits? Is it too good to be true? Only time will tell!
But that could lead to something bigger: stricter import regulations to ensure product sustainability.
#3: “Green” Import Regulations
This is merely a prediction but import regulations will be more… well, “green”.
As the demand for sustainable product will rise, countries will want to make sure the products entering their markets are eco friendly.
It’s happening already! Many countries have banned single-use plastics, others have introduced taxes and fines on plastics, and the EU has implemented a 2022 Green Import Tariff. There’s still a long way to go, but the wheels are set in motion.
How Can I Jump On The Bandwagon?
What can you do to save the planet, you ask? There’s a lot you can do!
From recycling to ditching plastic, from reducing waste to buying locally produced food. And the list goes on.
However, the most important thing is to raise our voices and ask for measures that protect the environment.
Because let’s face it, what we personally do to save the planet is a step to the right direction, but it’s not enough.
Alone we can have a small impact, together we can achieve a lot.
From influencing things with our votes, to taking part in climate change protests, to choosing products from environmentally friendly companies.
Conclusion
There you have it! Some of the sustainability trends to keep an eye on, on 2024 and beyond. Circular economy, ESG metrics, and “green” import regulations.
Let me take a quick opportunity here to briefly talk about what we do at Green Gatherings.
We are at the forefront of the sustainability trends and passionately support the circular economy. Our picnic products are fully biodegradable, the carbon emissions are kept to a minimum, and during the process we support local parks and local economies.
And, on a kind-of-an unrelated note, we have put together a short free email course on hosting an eco-friendly picnic.
We know that our readers are nature lovers who enjoy hosting picnics.
But do they know how to host an eco-friendly one?
This is our gift to you, for making it this far. Sign up below to get access to the course!
Dear Faikor,
this is an excellent introspective to what is going on today with climate change and how we could help at a personal level, one day at a time.
Although, we can think that our ecological action have no impact when we do it alone, i dare to believe that each action has a ripple effect and yes, as you pointed it out, doing it in mass has a bigger impact as well.
It starts at home, at our street level, then county level and goes bigger.
Why not for instance organise a clean city challenge every end of the month?
Hygiene is also an educational topic and starts at home.
There are so many creative ways to show respect to oneself, others and the environment we are visiting or find ourselves into.
Anyway, good job!
Dear Christelle,
Thanks for your insight. I am glad you liked the article. And yes, you are right; it starts at home, at a personal level. I added the doing-it-in-mass angle because, at this point, I believe we need more drastic action to reverse climate change.
A clean city challenge is a great idea!