Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Sustainability. How are the various sectors contributing to sustainable development? What are being done to strengthen initiatives to prevent the depletion of natural resources to make them available in the future?
At the second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Forum, leaders of industries presented their best practices last week and showed how sustainability has now become a crucial part of business practices. Confirming their commitment to sustainable development was the presence of company officials whose jobs are solely to direct sustainability efforts.
More significant were the many programs which the companies have designed to contribute to the achievement of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).
Several property development companies, for example, have been pursuing projects that promote sustainable practices – from the conservation of nature to developing materials that will reduce and eventually achieve a zero carbon output.
Sustainability has become the framework of each stage of a product’s development cycle – from design planning to execution, and even to after-sales support.
Some have ventured into energy generation through renewable sources and building robust systems of producing and distributing power sourced from non-fossil fuel-based materials.
Programs pushing for green practices have spread, now supported by green building certification, green product packaging, and green school projects. Technology is used to strengthen the efficient use of resources and the development of smart cities and sustainable industrial estates.
Other sustainability programs presented were the application of sustainable design and construction practices, reducing energy demand through open spaces, preserving nature, the use of electric vehicles in company compounds, applying zero-emission objectives in production processes, the digitalization of operations. Other companies discussed practices that are designed to achieve circularity through upcycling of used plastics, waste management, and the use of environment-friendly packaging.
Government initiatives supporting sustainable development were also presented at the forum by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. Quezon City is the first city in the country to pass an ordinance creating a Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department which “ensures a whole-of-society approach in pursuing resilience and sustainability.” This will be guided by many programs under the city’s Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan 2021 to 2050.
The many innovative sustainability programs that are ongoing provide an inspiration to all – to the business community, private groups, and especially to the youth – that development is properly pursued with resources left for future use. There are now more sectors that are committed to help meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – from meeting the net zero carbon emissions by 2050, to building sustainable communities and cities.
The Manila Bulletin Sustainability Forum aims to further nourish this growing sense of responsibility, especially among the youth. It is a platform for private institutions to spread information about sustainability initiatives, attracting support through echo projects in the barangay levels. It also helps young people see their role in the future of sustainability.
Today is the time to support sustainability initiatives. As this year’s theme of the Sustainability Forum says: If not now, when?
To the youth, the forum posed the question: What are you willing to do now to secure a sustainable future?
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
