Sustainability Horizons is CISL’s monthly scan of issues and evidence coming into view, but which may not yet feature in the mainstream sustainability debate. This is not a prediction of the future, but a way of helping practitioners and policymakers to get early notice of new ideas, trends or evidence, to inform their own view of what might or should happen as a result.Find out more about our own work in developing new ideas and approaches that have the potential to deliver transformational change and rewire the economy. |
Latest review
14 February 2019
February 2019: The EAT-Lancet Commission’s report delivers scientific targets for a healthy, plant-based diet with a low amount of animal-based foods. It promotes investments into smallholder farms and systems that operate in harmony with nature. Further, the report advocates policy changes and an effective governance of ocean and land use.
Causal link between climate, conflict, migration
14 February 2019
February 2019: A recent empirical assessment shows a causal connection between climate change, conflict, and migration in countries with poor governance and lower levels of democracy, such as Syria. The study underlines the complexity of migration but offers new perspectives on the potential consequences of climate change and fulfilling the UN’s SDGs.
Desalination facilities alter oceans
14 February 2019
February 2019: Desalination facilities extract fresh water from oceans and release effluents back into the sea. They produce 50% more brine than previously thought, increasing the ocean’s salinity and may cause hypoxia, which poisons marine organisms and creates dead zones. Researchers now suggest ‘mining’ the brine’s metals or using it as a feed supplement in aquaculture.
14 February 2019
February 2019: Offshore mariculture is a viable and emerging alternative to land-based coastal aquaculture. It uses submersible cages in high energy off-shore environments that allow producers to raise large numbers of fish in small spaces such as in the Caribbean. However, off-shore mariculture struggles from insufficient capital investments, regulatory issues, and environmental concerns.
12 February 2019
February 2019: Germany announced its plans to phase out coal by 2038, to invest €40bn in structural aid over the next 20 years, and to compensate businesses for closing down coal plants. Transforming Germany’s energy system towards natural gas and renewable energies impacts north-western Europe’s ability to reach its Paris climate change goals.
Policy planning in the anthropocene
12 February 2019
February 2019: Researchers have developed a new 7 point-plan promoting cross-departmental and international collaboration to combat global challenges in the ‘Anthropocene’, such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Earth’s systems will only be at a biophysical level favourable to human life if policy design moves from a short-term mind-set to long-term collaborative strategies.
Sustainable steel manufacturing
16 January 2019
January 2019: Achieving climate change goals will require decarbonising the steel industry, since it is one of the largest CO2 emitters. A shift towards greener but still experimental technologies such as the use of hydrogen as a reductant agent could fully decarbonise the steel industry. However, concerns remain over the economic feasibility of new steel making technologies.
Efficiency of workplace resilience programmes
16 January 2019
January 2019: While job markets expect investments into workplace resilience programmes, the majority of the programmes remain ineffective. The study recommends that employers shift away from resilience programmes towards leadership development and cohesion building amongst the workforce.
Economy of environmental clean-ups
16 January 2019
January 2019: A retrospective study analyses the Boston Harbour clean-up and shows that environmental clean-ups are economically viable. It gives insights into the profitability of a completed environmental restoration project and concludes that clean-ups can lead to significant increases of private investment and economic growth in coastal areas or along urban waterfronts.
16 January 2019
January 2019: Rising pressure to reach climate goals incentivises governments to turn towards nuclear energy. In light of storage problems and grid congestions for renewable energies, advanced nuclear technologies are becoming promising alternatives for a decarbonised economy.
