Stories from GreenFutures
Energy
Stronger Local and Trans-border Policies Needed to Tackle Air Pollution
By Ibrahim Maiga The World Health Organization (WHO) recently sounded the alarm about global air quality. In the 1,600 cities […]
September 11, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Disruptive Business Models Shake Up Existing Markets
By Duncan Jefferies Electric vehicles, 3-D printers, nanomaterials and the Internet of Things are all poised to reshape the world, […]
September 4, 2014
Voices for Change
Kung Fu and the Art of Living in Systems
By Jeremy Mathieu I have been training in Kung Fu and Tai Chi for 10 years now. That makes me […]
July 22, 2014
Voices for Change
How Women Are Changing the Energy Sector
By Sarah Butler-Sloss Lack of access to clean energy is debilitating for women in the developing world – not just […]
May 20, 2014
Energy
Op-Ed: We Still Need Precaution, Says Forum for the Future Founder
By Jonathon Porritt The CEOs of the world’s biggest chemical and agribusiness companies recently petitioned the presidents of the EU […]
May 15, 2014
Technology
Op-Ed: Design Has to be Emotionally Durable
By Jon Turney Any hilltop is enhanced by a wind turbine. The symmetry of the turning blades is as pleasing […]
May 15, 2014
Finance
Culture is Center Stage in the Need to Rethink Economic Models
By Alison Tickell The creative industries are thriving. In 2012 they were worth £71.4 billion ($120 billion) to the U.K. […]
May 1, 2014
Energy
From Singapore to Argentina, Cities Get Serious About Local Food
By Anna Simpson Unlike its neighbors, Singapore does not consider itself an agricultural nation. Rightly so – for now, at […]
April 23, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Jaguar Land Rover Embraces Carbon Finance to Deliver Change
By Will Simpson Can an auto manufacturer make a difference in millions of lives? That is the goal of U.K. manufacturer Jaguar […]
March 25, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Why Family Businesses Have a Sustainability Head Start
By Anna Simpson Nguyen Binh, a director and board member of one of Vietnam’s most successful enterprises, speaks with pride of […]
February 26, 2014
Finance
India's Train Odyssey for Entrepreneurs
By Charukesi Ramadurai When Delhi-born Ashmeet Kapoor, 28, returned to India after seven years in the U.S., he knew that […]
February 21, 2014
Technology
The Rise of 'Energy Citizens' Spurs Clean Energy in the UK
By Martin Wright No finance director likes a wasted asset. But not everyone is as adept at spotting one as […]
February 20, 2014
Technology
How the UK Can Unlock the Community Benefits of Renewable Energy
By Fiona Harvey Greg Barker, the conservative energy and climate minister, has championed the idea that more of our energy […]
February 18, 2014
Energy
Renewables Could Make Farms Financially Viable
By Tess Riley Our food system generates roughly a quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions, in large part due […]
February 17, 2014
Energy
Informal Networks Provide Essential Services in Cities
By Ben Goldfarb In October 2011, as rising floodwaters threatened to submerge Bangkok, the Thai government stumbled. Officials issued conflicting […]
February 14, 2014
Technology
We Need to Drive Innovation, but with Due Precaution
By Jonathon Porritt The CEOs of the world’s biggest chemical and agribusiness companies recently petitioned the presidents of the […]
December 2, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Reinvention Comes Through Collaboration
By Ian Cheshire Sally Uren and I have seen rather a lot of each other over the past couple of […]
November 11, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
7 Trends That Could Make or Break Southeast Asia
By Ivana Gazibara No one can deny the pace of change in Southeast Asia: it’s one of the fastest growing […]
November 8, 2013
Technology
How to Govern for a Sustainable World
By Duncan Jefferies When announcing his plan to kickstart the U.S. economy in the midst of the Great Depression, Franklin […]
November 5, 2013
Energy
The Rise of Indoor Cropping
By Tess Riley It’s commonly accepted that record food prices were one of the key triggers for the Arab Spring. This […]
October 11, 2013
Technology
Reprogramming Existing City Infrastructure for Sustainability
By Scott Burnham Across the world, innovative solutions to urban needs are emerging from new uses for existing structures and […]
October 8, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
All Bets are Off for Brazil’s Future
By Jonathon Porritt I’ve just had a crack at coming up with a vision of what the world might look […]
October 4, 2013
Energy
What Does the Future Hold for Genetically Modified Cotton?
By Roger East Two decades into cotton’s genetic modification (GM) revolution, J. Berrye Worsham, President and CEO of the U.S. […]
August 2, 2013
Finance
Will We Ever See the End of Land Grabbing?
By Ben Goldfarb Compared to other limited resources, from fossil fuels to fresh water, we don’t pay much attention to […]
July 19, 2013
Finance
Why Today's Managers Need Courage and Ambition
By Anna Simpson Over the last 10 years, Ruby McGregor-Smith has amassed 15 awards recognising her influence as a role […]
July 17, 2013
Energy
New Consortium Takes on the Chai Challenge
By Heather Connon A nice cup of tea is the usual prescription for everything from severe shock to a tiring […]
July 12, 2013
Finance
Tech Hubs are a Key Part of Africa's Future
By Adam Oxford Africa’s tech scene is surging. Across the continent, new hubs, labs and co-working environments are giving rise […]
July 10, 2013
WWF Team Develops Cookstove to Halve Congo Charcoal Use
By Martin Wright At first glance, you could easily mistake Lake Kivu for one of the world’s tourist treasures. Its […]
July 5, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Can We Trust Organizations with Our Data?
By Tom Blass and Duncan Jefferies Big data could help solve many problems, but only if we trust organisations enough […]
July 2, 2013
Finance
Why the Carbon Bubble Will Burst
By Jonathon Porritt Whenever I see “sustainability” included in a long list of issues to be addressed by a company or […]
June 14, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
A Solar Fridge for Fresh Food in Hot Climates
By Ian Randall The University of Cincinnati responds to food shortages with solar-powered cold storage for farms. Food shortages in […]
June 6, 2013
Finance
Resource Shortages are Rife with Opportunity, Says Asset Manager
By Anna Simpson “When the rains fall in the Sahel, the pasture can be quite dense for a short window. […]
May 24, 2013
Energy
Where’s Our Sense of Urgency on Solar?
By Jonathon Porritt The reach of solar will spread, the scale will increase, and the impact on people’s lives will […]
May 13, 2013
Voices for Change
Health Care Innovations Outside the Hospital
By Jon Turney Technology is taking healthcare into the community and closer to home, saving valuable resources Your imaginary medical […]
May 9, 2013
Energy
Unearthing the Value of Soil
By Katherine Rowland Healthy soil could be our best hope in the face of climate change, food crisis and biodiversity […]
May 7, 2013
Finance
Upgrading the Brains of Global Leaders
By Carl Frankel Google, Apple, Nike and McKinsey are on the growing list of companies to recognise the rewards of mindfulness. Carl […]
April 18, 2013
Finance
The Rise of Impact Investment
By Heather Connon More investors are coming forward with “socially responsible” funds, but their impact is equivocal. Could a new […]
April 12, 2013
Energy
Genetic Modification: Time for a More Nuanced Debate
By Anthony Kleanthous Picking sides on genetic modification isn’t as easy as it used to be What is a person […]
April 10, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Mahindra World City: The Future of Gated Communities?
By Oliver Balch Safe, separate and exclusive is one model for sustainable living, but is it scalable? Rush hour is […]
March 27, 2013
Finance
How Solar-Powered Rickshaws Might Save Bengal Tigers
By Martin Wright A solar-powered rickshaw might sound like a quirky indulgence. But for the people living on the fringes […]
March 20, 2013
Energy
Why Global Food Solutions Need Women
By Sarah Lewis-Hammond You can’t have biological diversity in the food system without social and cultural diversity, too. Judith Harry […]
March 13, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Ecover and Method Demonstrate Merging of the Minds
By Anna Simpson Are mergers and acquisitions a route to scale for innovative companies that want to reach the mainstream without […]
March 12, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Single Mums Lead in Global Green Spending
By Laura Hall and Isabel Sloman Women control nearly two-thirds of consumer spending, causing one marketing agency to identify mums […]
February 28, 2013
Voices for Change
India's Drive for Clean Water and Clean Hands
Dignity is a driving force for sanitation in India, alongside public health and convenience. When former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh […]
February 27, 2013
Finance
Crowdsourcing Business: Embrace the Wisdom
By Tess Riley From start-ups to large corporations, businesses are crowdsourcing their future. But is such a strategy wise? Before […]
February 25, 2013
Finance
Indian Businesses Revel in 'Unreasonable Goals'
If innovation is the sexy face of sustainability, then efficiency is the boring flip side. But it often drives the […]
February 22, 2013
Finance
Why We Need to Address STEM's Gender Gap
More women in science and technology could lead to better solutions Educational bias, workplace policies and lack of encouragement may […]
February 21, 2013
Finance
Why Social Enterprise Attracts Women
From Rwanda to Shanghai, women are setting up new businesses with social and environmental change at their heart. Charlotte Sankey […]
February 15, 2013
Finance
The Business Case for Women in the Workplace
By Oliver Balch “Gender equality in business is smart economics.” This isn’t the verdict of a rights campaigner. The words […]
February 8, 2013
Finance
Interface Looks at Castor Beans for Source Materials
From castor oil to carpet tiles: an innovative approach promises new markets for one of India’s most resilient crops. Castor […]
February 6, 2013
Voices for Change
The Link Between Health and Sustainability
By Virginia Marsh Will the next generation accept the concept of “healthy planet, healthy people” more easily, thanks to […]
January 30, 2013
Finance
Businesses Embrace the Wisdom of the Crowd
By Tess Riley From start-ups to large corporations, businesses are crowdsourcing their future. But is such a strategy wise? Before […]
January 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
It's Time For a New Cargo Culture
By Michael Ashcroft The world shoulders a heavy burden when it comes to shifting our stuff. Could new approaches lighten […]
January 24, 2013
Energy
Why Consumers Should Welcome Scientists to the Farm and Table
By Andrew Kuyk Innovation and technology can help make what we eat tastier and more sustainable, says the Food and […]
January 23, 2013
Finance
We Consumers Talk Green, but We Buy Brown
By Jonathon Porritt I honestly can’t remember when I last heard anybody argue that the sustainability revolution we so urgently […]
January 18, 2013
Technology
Sustainable Design Embraces the Old While Making the New
By John Eischeid High above New York’s Lexington Avenue, in a dimly lit loft with plain white walls and concrete […]
January 16, 2013
Lighter Living: The Rise of the Modern Nomad
By Symon Hill and Anna Simpson On-the-go access to energy and communications is changing our relationship to the world around […]
January 10, 2013
Technology
Industrial Symbiosis Promotes Company Cooperation and Resource Reuse
With the help of worms and maggots, the natural world can put most ‘shit’ to purpose, while some big industries […]
October 17, 2012