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| Nina Jensen, Secretary General, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Norway). (Photo: Ivan Tostrup) |
WWF teaches schoolchildren to collect used tea light cups. The children have a lot of fun with this and also show real commitment. Nina Jensen, Secretary General of WWF Norway, says that there are serious intentions behind the tea light campaign.
"The campaign involves learning, for the children and their parents, about consumption and waste, and the value of resources. This goes right to the heart of one of the most important social challenges of our time," she says.
"One of every two children thinks that their families need to be better at sorting waste. The tea light campaign demonstrates that waste can be turned into new resources and that it is possible to consume less. Aluminium is a good example - because it can be recycled again and again. It is important to have good recycling programs for these materials because they are very energy-intensive to produce in the first place and they can be made into valuable new products like bikes, electric cars and much more," she says.
We only have one planet!
WWF is the world's largest independent conservation organization and works to stop the degradation of the natural environment, protect biodiversity and combat climate change.
"Every two years, we document the planet's health in our 'Living Planet Report'. Our latest report reveals that the population of Norway alone consumes so many resources that if everyone on the planet had the same consumption pattern, they would consume the resources of 2.7 planets. It is our joint responsibility to hold consumption within the limits set by our one and only planet. Major companies such as Hydro have an extra responsibility in this area because they both contribute to the problem and are part of the solution. The problem arises from the extraction of natural resources and the emission of vast amounts of greenhouse gases. The solutions lie in a product that is infinitely recyclable and can be produced with renewable energy. Hydro must take responsibility to cut emissions and reduce the carbon footprint throughout its value chain. WWF has also released an energy report. It shows that a 100 percent renewable society is possible and profitable for that society, even though earth's population will continue to grow until 2050. The solutions exist - if we are willing to pursue them," emphasizes Nina Jensen.
"In Norway we are seeking a climate bill that will provide long-term predictable conditions for restructuring. This will be an important tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and clarifying companies' framework conditions for new value creation. Today we have one policy for climate, one policy for energy and yet another for industry. We lack an overall, coherent policy that sees the production and consumption of energy in context and emphasizes the opportunities inherent in what we refer to as the 'renewable society'".
Need to work together
In this regard industry is part of both the solution and the problem! Industry is a major focus for us, and we work with several major companies. We also expect that Hydro will become a major part of the climate solution, by investing in new production that contributes to the renewable society," she continues.
"Of course industry must continue to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, reduce energy consumption and increase its use of energy from renewable sources. Hydro should make a greater effort to reduce emissions and ensure 100 percent renewable energy in its production. But in addition, industry must step up and take responsibility for holding resource consumption within what nature can bear. This is essential for the companies' long-term profitability. We only have one planet. This is about rethinking value creation in the society and creating patterns of consumption that use up fewer resources," states WWF's Secretary General in Norway.
Do not waste opportunities
"One of the dangers in Norway today is that the petroleum sector absorbs the majority of the creative resources that could speed up the necessary innovation and change. We do not want an industry that blocks or delays effective solutions. From a Norwegian perspective, we must constantly ask: what role do we want our businesses to play? In practice, industry will set the agenda for the politicians."
Nina Jensen thinks she has some good advice.
"Large businesses have more opportunities than small, and certainly a bigger responsibility. Those which do not plan for the long-term may suffer the same fate as Kodak, which ended up seeking bankruptcy protection. Which reality will we face in 20, 30 and 40 years? How can today's business be a positive and profitable player in the future? I want business leaders who provide clear direction on how we must work together to create a sustainable society. I would also like to see that business leaders emphasize even more in their communication what makes sense in the long term and that they make it clear to their stakeholders, including shareholders, that this is more important than short-term gains.
Many jobs to do
"Aluminium is exciting, not least because it is really energy in solid form. WWF wants aluminium production to take place in Norway - whenever it is possible to do it using renewable energy. Through the carbon tax compensation program in Europe, Norwegian taxpayers already subsidize Hydro to be a part of the climate solution. Now it's up to Hydro to follow up with increased production here in Norway. WWF wants the commitment to make aluminium part of the climate solution to be even stronger. This can be best achieved when companies like Hydro show responsibility in all stages of the metal's life cycle. Good recycling solutions will become even more critical in the years to come. Industry knowledge will play an important role in this area as well," concludes Nina Jensen.
