Demand flexibility will be key in accelerating the energy transition, but there are cost advantages available now to those who are prepared to play the system…

This is a question that I think about a lot. The past decade has seen an explosion in businesses hiring Heads of Sustainability to lead environmental and social initiatives as ESG takes it’s place firmly on Board agendas. But, could sustainability be so integral to a business’ growth trajectory that it no longer requires a specific department or leader?

Organisational purpose has become a buzzword, and in so doing, it has somehow managed to perfectly exemplify how organisational purpose can, and is, so easily lost.

As someone who has worked in energy and sustainability for 30 years, I tend, more often than not, to think about corporate sustainability through the lens of actions and the corresponding carbon savings, ESG strategies, net zero trajectories and the RoI of

sustainable investments. But, what brought me to a career in sustainability, was a passion for the natural world; biodiversity, ecology, natural history and clean air, having spent my youth in Scouting and playing outdoor team sports, loving the outdoor world

and with an insatiable appetite for David Attenborough productions. It has always been my desire to live my life treading as lightly on the earth as possible and living well within the natural regenerative capacity of our planet.

‘Water doesn’t just fall out of the skies’, was a fantastic quote from a former Australian PM and whilst amusing at the time, it is a really serious observation. In the UK we get our water from rainfall. Year round water supply relies on winter rain being stored in aquifers and reservoirs. Climate Change is seriously affecting rainfall patterns and our ability to store water. The dichotomy is that with climate warming, the UK is experiencing more rain - according to the Met office the decade ending in 2020 was 9% wetter than the 30 years ending in 1990 - however, brief intensive bursts of rainfall lead to a significant proportion running back into the seas, not the aquifers and reservoirs where it is needed.

Commercial sustainability is no longer just the responsibility of the Sustainability Manager or CSO. Creating and supporting a business culture that empowers sustainable healthy growth, has to be integral to the day-to-day decisions and actions of every member of your team. Businesses who get it, are leading the way on innovation, and are already reaping the rewards of an engaged team, an inspired customer base, an integrated supply chain and interest from investors who are looking to capitalise on the early entrants in tomorrow’s low carbon economy. But how do businesses make the transition?

In this article, Sarah Evans, co-founder of Cogent Action Limited argues businesses who under invest in Net Zero do so at their peril, for it represents a wonderful and very timely opportunity for meaningful reinvention and recreation, at a time when economic challenges, geopolitical tensions and social discourse are threatening to change the game.

In the tumultuous journey toward addressing the climate crisis, one question looms large: Is there reason for optimism? It is a question that often stirs strong and conflicting emotions in climate circles and more generally in society, especially in the face of recent rollbacks in global and national net zero commitments and trajectories. However, amidst the turbulence, there is hope - a beacon fuelled by the increasing role that businesses, collaboration and Generation Z are playing in the fight to slow climate warming and biodiversity loss.

In the wake of stark warnings from the IPCC, the imperative for global nations to expedite climate action has never been more urgent, and with more than 60 countries heading to the polls in 2024 - including major players like the US, UK, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and Russia - it's widely expected that climate concerns will feature prominently in party manifestos.