Reflections on Sustainability written by the generation now picking up the baton
Over the course of the past month, we've been joined by interns as part of an impact internship scheme from the University of Birmingham. We were lucky enough to be joined by not one, not two, but three interns - Tess Fitzgerald, Ethan Richards-Cole and Indhi Gupta. Over the course of their internships, they've had to navigate the joyous world of remote working. Receiving their laptops in the post, dealing with (and organising!) virtual socials and meeting the team over teams was never going to be the easiest of transitions. Nevertheless, face it they did, and the result was a very rapid and harmonious integration into three projects that has resulted in some really valuable ideas and contributions that we will continue to take forward. Meanwhile they will enjoy a well-deserved break to make the most of finishing university and the easing of Covid-19 restrictions - something that is definitely overdue (we've tried not to be too envious when comparing plans over the remainder of the summer).
It's been a pleasure getting to know them - learning that Ethan can 'apparently' perform a backflip on a snowboard (we still don't believe you!), that Tess is a TV star and that Indhi is desperate to meet Rihanna. We have no doubt that they will excel in what they go on to do and hope that we've played our part in their development. With the next generation being tasked with dealing with a rapidly worsening climate and natural world, we wanted to share their reflections on sustainability both before and after their internships. Here are their perspectives…
Our sustainability interns adjust to remote working and collaborating from afar!
The term ‘sustainability’ has rapidly grown in popularity during the last decade, igniting the start of a global shift towards a cleaner and greener future. The establishment of global Sustainable Development Goals has been one of the key steps of this transition, and discussions of sustainability have become increasingly normalised in everyday conversation. However, it is important to understand the depths and intricacies of this word we have become so accustomed to using to mean ‘green’. The idea of sustainability encompasses an entire movement, spanning from investment into renewable energy and veganism to biodiversity in nature, responsible resourcing, and green finance. The scope of sustainability is not just confined to environmental benefits, there are vast opportunities for social and economic growth, accelerated by our emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic. The social impact of assets like green spaces and well-connected, sustainable public transport systems can yield substantial social value gains. There is also great economic opportunity through green jobs, resource efficiency and lower cost. This untapped ‘green potential’ of the economy means there is a chance to build back both better and greener from before the pandemic. These divisions are not standalone, often overlapping as they are symbiotically connected in complex ways. Above all, the concept of sustainability is growing in presence, importance, and now urgency on a global scale as the impacts of a changing climate become more prominent. As such, when we were invited to undertake internships with Accelar, a purpose-driven sustainability consultancy working to accelerate the clean growth transition, we were equally excited and grateful for the opportunity to gain an insight and real-life working perspective of this rapidly evolving sector.
Tess Fitzgerald
Collectively, working at Accelar has provided us with a greater appreciation of the multi-faceted nature of sustainability. Covering key themes such as climate resilience and carbon management throughout our work, my internship has enabled me to grapple how scientific concepts are applied in the professional sphere to help ensure sustainable practice within both the public and private sectors. This has been evident when participating in external meetings with Accelar clients, where such themes are central to discussion. It has been especially encouraging to see interest from the private sector in developing frameworks for sustainable decision-making, as this sector must become a key player in sustainability action to drive forward the net-zero transition at the fast pace required. This also became particularly clear as I was involved with Accelar’s work on a new climate resilience tool which explores the impacts of climate change, and the risks and opportunities present. One of the key challenges that I witnessed was that there is currently a lack of discourse surrounding climate resilience, such as how to measure it, and with no industry standard it is difficult to accurately predict how effective infrastructure will withstand future changes in weather patterns. This encouraged me to think about how I can personally help to increase awareness surrounding the need for climate resilient infrastructure and has inspired me to reflect on my own sustainable behaviour.
Indhi Gupta
Completing this internship has informed me that part of this clean growth transition relates to the rapidly growing area of Green Finance, another central theme for Accelar and the focus of my internship. Green Finance concerns private sector investment into areas such as natural capital and nature-based solutions, with the aim of creating positive environmental change, while reducing negative environmental and social externalities. For example, many Green Finance projects in the UK focus on peatland restoration, as these environments can store even more carbon than forests, thus providing a greater return on investment due to the larger sum of carbon credits. Such schemes can also provide other environmental benefits, such as improved water quality, flood attenuation and increased biodiversity – all of which can reap further economic benefits. Thus, in a global economy that has become increasingly powered by neoliberal politics and economic policy, working at Accelar has provided me with vital insight to the ways in which Green Finance must play a role in combating climate change by placing appropriate values on nature. To help encourage these Green Finance investments, my work with Accelar has mainly focused on developing a Green Finance Impact Hub, which will be available online soon. This hub will provide key metrics which can be used by private sector investors to evidence that revenue can in fact be generated from investments into nature, while communicating associated positive environmental outcomes. Carrying out this work at Accelar has consolidated the knowledge I learnt studying Physical Geography at university relating to the company’s central themes. It has led me to understand that despite increasing climate change rhetoric from both Government and industry, there are still countless steps which must be taken by both public and private institutions to drive forward decarbonisation, achieve net-zero targets and decelerate climate change.
“Ours can be the first generation to end poverty – and the last generation to address climate change before it is too late.””
Ethan Richards-Cole
One of the most interesting parts of the sustainability sector I have learnt about has been understanding the growing prevalence of themes such as carbon reporting and the circular economy within the decision-making process of almost all industries. I was involved in analysing how the transport infrastructure sector currently approaches sustainability and exploring how this could be improved. It has been reassuring to witness how much value is being placed on sustainability themes, particularly in relation to future developments. At the same time, it is clear that in order to reach national targets such as becoming a net zero economy by 2050, a revaluation of how we incorporate sustainability into development is needed to further drive the clean growth transition. Certain ways of doing this that I have explored at Accelar include improved data capture techniques and the industry standardisation of sustainability metrics. Success in progressing this transition is critical, made more pertinent with every scientific publication and policy review. I have found it fascinating to gain insight into the work of genuinely passionate people, such as those at Accelar, driving this transition and I thoroughly look forward to watching the sector continue to expand.
Overall, our experience at Accelar has highlighted the collaborative process underpinning actions to ensure sustainability, with the key message that these changes must be happening now and should be looking to make the most significant impacts possible. Our perceptions of sustainability have been significantly widened, with a newfound appreciation for the rapidly growing themes that make up sustainable development and a stronger understanding of the processes behind the clean growth transition. Going forward we hope to see a growing awareness of climate change in decision-making processes, supported by compound legal frameworks that will guide more sustainable development. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a knowledgeable and supportive team who have inspired us to continue the fight for a more sustainable global future.