Small World Consulting

The transition to a low-carbon and sustainable world often feels like millions of tiny steps. Today sees one big, symbolic step, as the UK shuts down its last coal power station. Coal has been burning for 142 years to feed power to the UK's electricity grid. Within a lifetime, coal's contribution has dropped from around 80% in the 1950s and 1960s, to 40% in 2012. Now in 2024 it has dropped to 0%. Yes, there is still so much more to change; in lowering our demands for energy (so that rebound effects don't use up all the new clean energy sources we create) in moving away from all fossil fuel source, and redesigning our grid to use and store energy more effectively. But today is a symbol of how quickly we can change what was once thought of as unchangeable. And of how we can say goodbye with gratitude to industries of the past, recognising what they gave us, whilst knowing they no longer have a place in our future. A key challenge as our electricity and manufacturing industries move away from fossil fuels, is to ensure that the people who used to work in what were critical industries are now enabled to work in the critical industries of tomorrow. And that they're proud to be members of the new communities they will create.

What we see around us influences how we act. We need to act differently if we’re going to move to a sustainable future. So we need to see differently too. Banning advertising for high fossil fuel use activities, like cruise ships and airlines, is a simple step that will have a huge impact on what people see, which will influence how they act. In the face of a climate emergency, it shouldn’t be normal to take multiple flights a year, to spend your holiday on a hugely polluting cruise ship or to drive around town in a carbon-emitting SUV. Seeing adverts for these unsustainable behaviours around your home city, normalises them. Changing people’s perceptions of fossil fuel use is one of the first steps to changing their actions. UN General Secretary General Antonio Guterres made a passionate call for action in June this year, “I urge every country to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies. And I urge news media and tech companies to stop taking fossil fuel advertising.” Let’s hope more and more cities around the world follow this legally binding move by The Hague. https://lnkd.in/eFYZdzNB

The UK’s National Parks have been in the media spotlight this past week. There are calls for greater public ownership of land, for reform of their ‘bloated’ boards lacking in diversity, and questions asking how they’ve become so nature-depleted and what their role should be in the face of the nature and climate crises we’re now facing. We’ve worked with all 15 National Parks across the 3 nations of the UK. We’ve helped them set ambitious plans and targets to lead as beacons of sustainability. A vision where nature rebounds, where healthy landscapes act as giant carbon sinks and with a radical reduction in the climate emissions from their millions of residents and visitors. Where they unleash their superpowers to go beyond net zero and become carbon sinks for the nation. “This land should be prioritised for nature and climate. This is a national mission and everyone who lives and works within national parks can play a part in that,” says Guy Shrubshole, and we totally agree. As Jayne Butler, head of National Parks England says, “There is a real opportunity for us to be seen as central to a sustainable future, and delivering on the nature and climate crises that the nation is facing.” The ambition is there. The plans are made. We need policy and funding to be aligned with this vision to help it become a reality. You can read our National Parks Net Zero report below. It sets out the changes needed to the landscapes, communities and tourist economy across the 15 National Parks, to dramatically increase their wildlife and decrease their carbon emissions. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 🌍 We’re Small World Consulting. We calculate carbon footprints for small businesses, through to whole landscapes. We help you see your full impact on people and the planet. And we can show you how you could thrive in a low-carbon future.

The world needs every business at its best - creating good jobs, helping to fix pressing problems and adding value to society. We help organisations work on their own sustainability journeys, but what if we could impact ALL businesses to think and act more sustainably? The Better Business Act is on a mission to change UK law to ensure that companies are responsible for benefiting people and planet, alongside profit. Small World Consulting is proud to support the #BetterBusinessAct. Have you signed up? Have you encouraged others to sign up? Tell us what you think. www.betterbusinessact.org #BetterBusinessAct

How we can encourage greater truthfulness in public discourse? Join our Director Mike Berners-Lee and Lord Deben, as they explore how truth, honesty and the transition to a sustainable future are intrinsically linked. Hosted by Paul Skinner, founder of MarketingKind. Tuesday 10 September, 6:00 - 7:15pm online. Or in person in London, from 5:30pm - 8:00pm. Book your free online ticket: https://lnkd.in/eUpvWPZA

Our Director Mike Berners-Lee is proudly one of 1,176 letter co-signatories calling on MPs to back the #CANBill in this week’s private members’ bill ballot. At Small World, we are science-led in the actions we advise every client we work with. The government should be the same. The time for science-led legislation to tackle the climate-nature crisis is now. https://lnkd.in/eNkgdAPy

These are exciting times at Small World Consulting and we have an ambitious vision to change the world! If you are passionate about sustainability, have an enquiring mind and advanced quantitive analytical skills....and want to make a real difference then get in touch and let's talk about you joining SWC's world leading consultancy team!  https://lnkd.in/e8aJmuTs

This is never more pertininent than in carbon accounting and its place in the bigger picture. It is often essential to understand what the numbers can tells us, but just as important to think about what they can't.

Really good to see how this work is being used in all the UK's National Parks. Our analysis takes account of the full (consumption based) emissions of residents, visitors, industry and land use and shows what a science-aligned emmisions trajectory looks like. At SWC we now have a model that can carry out a similar analysis for any local area in the UK or abroad.