Climate

and Environment: Threats and

OpportunitiesMarta Szigeti Bonifert

Board Member, Head of the Sustainability Work Stream

Hungarian Business Leader Forum (HBLF)

3

Megatrends – fast urbanization, climate change and

resource depletion, shift in global economic power,

demographic and social change,

technology/innovation…..

2010 2005 2007 2013

2006 1998 2002 2003 2011

2014

2012

2015 20092016

17 of the 18 Hottest Years on Record Have Occurred

Since the Year 2001

The Hottest of All Have Been the Last Four Years

2004 2001

2017

Warmer air can

hold

a lot more water vapor

With each additional 1° (C) of

temperature, the atmosphere’s

capacity to hold

water vapor

increases by 7%

There is already 5% more water

vapor over the oceans than there

was only 30 years ago

“Global warming is contributing to an

increased incidence of extreme weather

Kevin TrenberthU.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research

June 15, 2011

because the environment

in which all storms form has

changed

from human activities.”

Munich RE , (German reinsurer) natural disasters caused more damage in 2017 than in any the previous

five years, with much of the damage caused by extreme weather events linked to climate change,

above all severe hurricanes, flooding and fires.

• Last year, natural disasters caused USD 330 billion worth of damage, nearly double the figure

recorded in 2016 (USD 175 billion) and the highest in history after 2011 (USD 354 billion).

• Storm Harvey in August 2017 alone, which led to torrential rains falling on Texas, caused USD 85

billion in damage.

• Hurricanes - Irma , which impacted Florida and Maria in the Caribbean, along with the huge forest

fires in California, are also noted by the insurer as being particularly severe in terms of economic

damage.

The monsoon was unusually intense and caused the death of 2,700 people and USD 3.5 billion in

costs.

• Europe - abnormally low temperatures last April caused USD 3.6 billion in damage to agriculture, of

which only 650 million were covered by insurance.

Climate change “will likely lead to

food and water shortages, pandemic disease,

disputes over refugees and resources, and destruction by

natural disasters in regions across the globe.”

U.S. Department of Defense 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap

October 13, 2014

food water

disease

**

*

**

*

*

Zika Virus

Dengue Fever

Cryptococcus Gattii fungus

Chagas Disease

Chikungunya

Rift Valley Fever

West Nile Virus

*The exact point of origin of many diseases is uncertain

Tropical Diseases on the Move

© James Hastings-Trew

Legi

slat

ion

Sustain

ability

Solu

tion

s

ATTITUDE&

BEHAVIOUR

12

25 September, 2015 a bold new global agenda to end poverty by 2030 and pursue a

sustainable future was unanimously adopted by the 193 Member States of the United

Nations. On January 1, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development officially came into force.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a global blueprint for

dignity, peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future.

Three years into the implementation of the Agenda, countries are translating this

shared vision into national development plans and strategies.

“...Narrow the gaps. Bridge the divides. Rebuild trust by bringing people

together around common goals. Unity is our path. Our future depends on it.”

- António GUTERRES Secretary-General of the United Nations

Sustainable Development Goal 13 -Take urgent action to combat

climate change and its impacts (2 long term goals & 3 cycles)

As of 9 April 2018, 10 developing countries had successfully

completed and submitted the first iteration of their

national adaptation plans for responding to climate change.

As of 9 April 2018, 175 Parties had ratified the Paris

Agreement and 168 Parties (167 countries plus the

European Commission) had communicated their first

nationally determined contributions to the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.

Developed country Parties continue to make progress

towards the goal of jointly mobilizing $100 billion annually

by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries in the

context of meaningful mitigation actions.

.

• 1st time climate ambition is universal. All major economies are implementing national

climate plans to reduce emissions and build resilience, and will improve the ambition of

these plans over time. Unlike its predecessor the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement

requires emissions reductions by all countries, regardless of their economic development.

• 1st time the international community has committed to net zero greenhouse gas

emissions in the second half of this century, in order to hold warming well below 2°C, with

a stretch target of 1.5°C. The global community will continuously take stock of progress

towards this goal and a parallel goal to build climate resilience.

• 1st time all countries are subject to the same framework to report and verify their

greenhouse gas emissions and achievement of their national climate plans.

• 1st time an international climate agreement includes the goal of shifting finance flows

towards low carbon and climate-resilient investment. The Paris Agreement recognizes the

importance of climate finance to both global mitigation and adaptation.

• 1st time the private sector is recognized as an integral part of the global solution to

address climate change. There is a clear policy signal for businesses and investors across

all jurisdictions to make low emission or emission-neutral investments, whether through

financing projects or investing in new technologies.

The Paris Agreement a unique opportunity…..

Over 120 global companies have made a

commitment to go 100% renewable

The mission of HBLF is to encourage companies to integrate corporate social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development into the everyday business practice. Members of HBLF promote responsible leadership for the long term prosperity of their businesses and the whole of society.

HBLF Business world for the Environment

The Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF)

established the "Business World for the

Environment Award" in 2000 to honor

environment protection and sustainable growth

efforts of Hungarian business organizations, to

enhance environment-friendly corporate

leadership methods and to popularize the

thought of sustainable growth. The winners

included projects that will be competing for

the European Business Awards for the

Environment held every other year by the

European Union Environment Committee.

The founder would like to use the award to

emphasize the importance of environmental

protection, encourage people to think about

sustainable development, promote

environmentally aware corporate governance,

and promote a meaningful response to climate

change.

Organizing onsultations, events 2015-2018

The implementation of the SDGs should be initiated and take place through participatory processes, adhering to the principle of subsidiarity. ”.

Capacity and knowledge are of key importance in transition processes.

Policies and programmes must be evidence based and transparent, with proper monitoring to ensure accountability.

Actors, including governments, must be ambitious and push beyond the limits with sustained efforts.

https://hblf.hu/events/hblf_25th_anniversary_week_-_europe_ambition_2030_roundtable_discussion_.353.html?pageid=11

Europe Ambition 2030

Focus on four "assets": knowledge capital and civic capital to change behavior,

financial capital and natural capital to change patterns of development. “New Earth” a partnership between state and

non-state actors, women and men and different generations…..

To transform our Europe, we need to change politics on the basis of a new

listening and new forms of action. We need to built a new social contract on

the basis of the SDGs…..

The launch of the "enhanced partnership" including sustainable development champions in all EU

countries, we are establishing co-creation and co-leadership mechanisms

in an interdependent world that will allow us to successfully transform

Europe .

The Climate Reality Project long term global partnership of committed individuals and organizations

Establishment of the European Branch

Training in Istanbul for 700+ Climate Leaders (2013)

Awareness raising for strengthening the implementation of the Paris Agreement(continuous)

24 hours reality 2019

http://wp.climatereality.com/