Water security now ranks as one of the greatest risks to civilisation
Water is now one of the highest global risks, alongside the economy, unemployment, food shortages and extreme weather patterns, new research by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has found. The report identified water security as a top priority for the planet and pointed to what it called “a significant decline in the quality and quantity of fresh water, combined with increased competition among resource-intensive systems, such as food and energy production” as key resource risks facing both business and wider society. It said that increasing water risks were a result of mismanagement and increased competition for already scarce water resources from economic activity and population growth. Nestlé chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe has previously warned that water shortages could spark a global food crisis by 2030 and expressed concern about the possible impact of water shortage on food production, “not surprisingly, and with other factors involved, the risk of a food crisis is also ranked very highly among the threats to our future.” (Edie)
Employees
Proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards tops 20 percent
The proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards has topped 20 percent for the first time, raising hopes that the UK government’s target of 25 percent female membership by 2015 can be reached without mandatory quotas. However, progress in raising the number of female executive directors remains slow and only four FTSE 100 companies have women as chief executives: Royal Mail, Easyjet, Burberry and ImperialTobacco. Whilst women now make up 25.1 percent of non-executives, the proportion of female executive directors is just 7.2 percent; campaigners hope more women will eventually win top executive jobs once the pace has been set on more boards. Elin Hurvenes, founder of the Professional Boards Forum, who published the data, said that, “Germany is introducing quotas. The UK is succeeding without – it is impressive and encouraging.” (FT*)
Environment
Britain tops table of worst climate change offenders
According to a study by Canadian scientists, Britons have greater historical responsibility for global warming than any other nationality and may be required to cut emissions faster than other countries to compensate for the damage done. The amount of coal burnt since the Industrial Revolution began 250 years ago helped to place Britain at the top of a table ranking countries according to their contribution per capita to the rise in global average temperature. The study also included the impact of deforestation and agriculture as well as consumption of fossil fuels. Results could influence international negotiations led by the UN over how to share the burden of reducing emissions, with 130 countries arguing that historical emissions should be taken into account when deciding future limits for each country. (Times*)
BP study predicts greenhouse emissions will rise almost a third by 2020
A new report by BP has found that global greenhouse gas emissions are set to rise by nearly a third in the next two decades, putting hopes of curtailing dangerous climate change beyond reach. The report claims that the drastic rise in emissions, despite international efforts to cut carbon, will come despite the predicted growth in the use of shale gas. Shale gas will account for a rising proportion of the growth in energy in the years to 2035, but its use will not cause a decline in greenhouse gases. Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, said that, “the case for shale gas is crumbling. Experts say it won’t lead to cheaper fuel bills, and now BP says it won’t cut carbon emissions either. Instead of going all out for shale, we should focus on the real answers to the energy challenges we face: energy efficiency and renewable power.” (Guardian)
Technology & Innovation
Google unveils smart contact lens
Google has announced the creation of a smart contact lens that is designed to help diabetics measure their blood glucose levels. The company is currently testing prototypes of the lens, which uses a tiny wireless chip and a miniaturised glucose sensor embedded between layers of lens material. The sensor can take one reading per second and scientists are working on adding tiny LED lights to the lens in order to warn users when their glucose levels cross certain thresholds. The news follows a string of announcements from the technology giant this week, including a commitment to invest $75 million in a Texan wind farm, forming part of its goal to operate on 100 percent renewable energy, and its acquisition of smart thermostats company Nest Labs, a deal that aims to accelerate Google’s position in the energy efficient homes market. (TechCrunch, Edie)
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