Ι found myself in Paris, beginning of September, participating in the IPEM Conference which hosted the decision makers of Private Equity in global scale. All extremely interesting papers presented by the speakers of the Conference demonstrated the need to balance the goals and yields of sustainable investments and the role of private markets in building a strong, sustainable investment strategy. It has become clear, by now, that the future belongs to those taking sustainability seriously. The time of “trends” is over.
To put succinctly, “climate change and ESG investments (Environmental, Social, Governance) will prevail over the next decades”. The consequences of climate change are no longer an issue to face in the future, they are already here and we experience them intensely.
This year already, Greece registered a rapid increase in the occurrence of natural disasters (wild fires, storm winds, floods etc.) as well as severe droughts. The isles of Leros and Sifnos declared state of emergency for a whole month due to water shortage, but other islands, such as Mykonos, Serifos, Santorini, were on the verge to do so as well. Attica takes extraordinary measures, because if the last two-year drought persists the water reservoirs will only last for four years.
Extreme temperatures and weather conditions are no longer the exception but the new rule. Policies and actions launched by the international community and national strategies implemented in order to deal with climate change cannot have an impact unless we all personally participate and commit ourselves towards this goal.
UN 79th General Assembly was dedicated to the Future as a critical landmark in climate change, sustainable change, peace and security.
We must now think actively of better ways to secure the sustainable operation of cities, rural areas and industry and we must lead the Future we are to bequeath to next generations.
