The HP Living Progress Exchange (LPX) is an online discussion that brings together leading experts and thinkers to share perspectives and develop new ideas to help make sustainable progress in three key areas: human progress, economic progress and environmental progress. On September 9, 2014, hundreds of experts from around the world joined HP and GlobeScan in the first online LPX to explore challenges and ideas in these three key areas of sustainability. The discussion was rich and enlightening, with some … “Engaging Experts on Human, Economic and Environmental Progress: The HP Living Progress Exchange”
As we enter the final weeks of the year, we take a look at our forecast trends from this time last year. How have our seven predictions for 2014 panned out? 1. Inequality and vulnerability. We forecast increased global concern about inequality, which has been borne out in our Radar study of citizens around the world, as well as post-Davos conversations and the huge debate around Thomas Piketty’s book, Capital in the 21st Century. And Oxfam’s analysis shows the richest … “A Look Back at 2014 Predictions: GlobeScan’s Year in Review”
It made the news, yet it wasn’t really news to those paying close attention. The world’s leading international body on climate change, United Nations offshoot the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, recently proclaimed that human-induced warming of the climate system is unequivocal and increasingly likely to result in permanent damage. Specifically, the IPCC warned, “[C]ontinued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts … “Companies Take Note: Consumers Trust Climate Change Warnings”
A few weeks ago I moderated a lively discussion with four thought leaders working on the front lines of business’ role in mobilizing action on climate change. Steve Howard (Chief Sustainability Officer at IKEA), Niall Dunne (Chief Sustainability Officer at BT), Paul Dickinson (Executive Chairman at CDP) and Edward Cameron (Director of Partnership Development and Research at BSR) each shared their views on the challenges and opportunities for business to play a more active role in engaging the public in … “Climate Change Mobilization – The Role for Business to Engage Consumers”
On September 26th, National Geographic’s Chief Science and Exploration Officer, Terry Garcia, and I were in Boston MA to publish the 2014 Greendex survey on the status of sustainable consumption across 18 countries, the fifth edition of this National Geographic / GlobeScan collaboration. If you are unfamiliar with it, the Greendex is a composite measure of sustainable (or not) consumer behavior consisting of 65 different types of choices and behaviors analyzed and tracked across four sub-indexes. Quite aptly, we chose … “New Metrics on Consumer Behavior Change”
Consumers adopting some sustainable behaviors, but change not keeping pace with concern, 18-country survey reveals Americans remain last in global consumer sustainability ranking WASHINGTON, DC – 26 September 2014 – A new global analysis released today by the National Geographic Society and GlobeScan finds that concern about environmental problems has increased in most countries surveyed, and that more people now expect global warming will negatively affect them during their lifetime than in 2012. Despite this, National Geographic’s Greendex, a comprehensive measure … “Increased Fears About Environment, but Little Change in Consumer Behavior, According to New National Geographic/GlobeScan Study”
GlobeScan’s Communication on Progress for the UN Global Compact outlines our efforts in making the Global Compact ten principles part of our business strategy and day-to-day operations.
In celebration of today’s World Humanitarian Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked us to reflect on the following question: What do you think the world needs more of? Many people hoped that the end of the Cold War in 1991 would bring about global peace and prosperity. Yet the world does not look like a better and safer place today than it did twenty years ago. Looking at current events, naming one thing that the world needs more of appears easier … “What Do You Think The World Needs More Of?”
In public debates over environmental, economic and social issues around the world, some of the most important voices have yet to be heard: the voices of our youth. For over a century, Boys and Girls Clubs have been helping young Canadians discover, develop and achieve their best potential as they grow to become the nation’s adults, citizens and leaders. In 2013, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC) and GlobeScan joined forces to better understand global issues of concern to young … “How Canadian Youth Would Change the World: A Celebration of International Youth Day”
How did we lose the room? This is the question facing the sustainability community as GlobeScan’s latest Radar data shows a decline in how serious the global public considers environmental issues to be. With ample scientific evidence to the contrary (see the latest IPCC report), how do we explain the decreasing public concern in environmental issues? And, on World Environment Day 2014, what does this mean for organisations trying to make headway on sustainability? GlobeScan’s recent Radar public opinion survey asked … “Enough of the Doom and Gloom: Amidst Declining Environmental Concern, Real Leadership is Needed to Re-Engage the Public”