Now or never: Boards taking actions in the wake of climate change

The worsening climate crisis makes a green transition of our society a necessity in all areas. I want Slovenia to be united in calling for a Slovenian green transition. I support Chapter Zero Slovenia because the Slovenian economy has a particularly large and important role to play in the green transition of our society. Not only because of the extensive and far-reaching new EU regulation, which will of course also be binding on Slovenia, but above all because this is the only way we will be able to remain economically competitive. In this respect, Chapter Zero Slovenia opens the door wide for the necessary flow of knowledge and experience in Slovenia and beyond.

In recent decades, humankind has threatened the stability of many planetary systems, especially the climate system. The increase in global population and, above all, the desire of more and more people for constant economic and material growth does not take into account the fact that we have limited, non-renewable, natural resources at our disposal. While intervention in nature contributes to human development, it comes at the price of increasing costs for mitigating the effects of unforeseen risks and unexpected events. This calls for changes in our behaviour and different systems of consumption and production. With the current energy, food and mobility systems, sustainable development is not possible, and even the continuation of today's civilisation is questionable. All initiatives in this direction, in particular Chapter Zero Slovenia, are therefore most welcome.

The European Green Deal envisions the transition of the EU to a fair and prosperous society with a competitive economy, net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and decoupled economic growth from growth in the use of natural resources. Chapter Zero Slovenia is a contribution to the Slovenian chapter of this transition. The World Economic Forum recently published the results of its survey on key economic risks for the next decade. The message is clear: the future will be green ... or it won't be.