Event Details

SUSTAINABILITY IN IEM

Understanding and Navigating the Complexity of the Global Sustainability Landscape


Level: Foundation and Intermediate


Language of Delivery: English


Prerequisites: Recognised University Degree or Higher Diploma. Candidates who have a grounding in transdisciplinary studies will have a deeper understanding of the content. Experience and field of study / specialisation are not an inhibiting requirement.


This course provides an in-depth journey into the complex realm of global sustainability, and how this translates into local impacts and risk. Over the past decade humanity has experienced significant environmental change, causing widespread societal and economic instability. These drivers are complex, and impact on all spheres of society – from increased energy costs, food shortages, global and local supply chain disruption, to being a driver of regional conflicts. It has been said that the next wars will be fought over resources, which is starting to occur, destabilising large regions of the globe, driving inter-and-intra migration. Similarly, drivers of social and environmental change are at the forefront of news locally and globally, and it is growing exponentially. The burgeoning interest and focus on corporate ESG is another 'tell-tale' sign that sustainability has become a critical developmental imperative.


The course content systematically considers this burgeoning landscape and will explore the developmental pathway within which Sustainability developed. We will explore the global and local voluntary and mandatory requirements around sustainability disclosure – including global protocols, agreements, frameworks and statutory requirements. The course will similarly provide participants with insight into the most current and applicable sustainability science, including unpacking the planetary boundaries concept, delving into resilience and systems thinking, and how these can contribute to better impact management decision-making. We will also touch on the double materiality of climate change and biodiversity loss, and how these aspects are busy shaping the financial and developmental future.


It is anticipated that this course will provide participants with a holistic understanding of the complex sustainability landscape. Understanding how, why and when sustainability became mainstream, and the global drivers contributing to this prominence. Gain deeper insight into drivers of environmental and social change, and the voluntary and mandatory frameworks required for disclosure and reporting. The narrative of this course is focused beyond ESG.

Agenda

08:00 - 08:30
Registration
08:30 - 08:45
Welcome
08:45 - 09:15
1. The Sustainability Provocation
09:15 - 09:45
2. Introduction to Sustainability 2.0 - Timeline
09:45 - 10:15
Tea/Coffee Break
10:15 - 10:45
3. The Great Acceleration
10:45 - 11:15
4. The Notion of Sustainability and Sustainable Development
11:15 - 11:45
5. Pushing the Boundaries
11:45 - 12:15
6. Doughnuts for Tea - Alternative Economics
12:15 - 13:15
Lunch
13:15 - 13:55
7. The Twin Emergency
13:55 - 14:25
8. The Risk Conundrum
14:25 - 14:55
9. Double-Materiality / Triple-Materiality
14:55 - 15:10
Tea/Coffee Break
15:10 - 15:40
10. Disclosure Environment
15:40 - 16:00
11. An Integrated Approach
16:00 - 16:40
12. Building Back Better
16:40 - 16:55
Wrap Up and Course Feedback

Speakers

  • Thomas van Viegen (Director of Earthinc)

    Thomas van Viegen

    Director of Earthinc

    Thomas van Viegen has spent the past three decades as an active practitioner in the field of environment and sustainability - working at the interphase of complex business, environmental and social systems; embedding a deeper understanding of the multiplicity and trans-disciplinary nature of emerging sustainability risk, where disruption and uncertainty characterises the new normal.

    He is the Managing Director of EARTH.INC, and the Natural Capital Finance Alliance (NCFA) South Africa Project Lead for ENCORE (Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risk and Exposure).

    As an environmental and sustainability subject matter expert he co-creates and designs interventions that tackle complex business problems at the interphase of environmental, social and governance systems. He has a specific interest in how embedding complexity and resilience thinking can increase the agility of organisations to respond to emergent environmental and social shocks and surprise.

    Further, Thomas’s experience in environmental and social impact management is particularly broad and deep.
    He has extensive experience in multiple infrastructure sectors across Africa, the Middle East and Small Island Development states; in 24 countries including South Africa.

    He has been extensively involved in the design and management of decision support systems as well as policy relating to environmental impact management within the ambit of sensitive environments. He was involved in drafting the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) for South Africa and instrumental in embedding environments, with specific regard to environmental sensitivity into framework legislation. In addition, he contributed to the environmental evaluation and assessment of strategic development policy at a national level in South Africa’s National Growth and Development Strategy. He is an expert in the development of Environmental Management Frameworks (EMFs) and was instrumental, as one of the founding members in its development.

    He is a co-author of the Environmental Potential Atlas for South Africa book, and has contributed to numerous articles relating to Environmental Impact Management and Sustainability related issues. He has extensive working knowledge of IFC and World Bank Safeguard Policies and Procedures, as well as funding requirements of the major donor organisations (AfDB, BADEA, ODI, EU, NORAD, DANIDA, GEF, GTZ, SECO).

    Thomas holds a BLArch (Hons) in Environmental Planning and Design (University of Pretoria), and a PGD in Sustainable Development (Cum Laude) (Stellenbosch University). He is an alumni of the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL) Executive Programme, and holds a verified certificate in Planetary Boundary and Resilience Science from the SDG Academy / Stockholm Resilience Centre.

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Tickets

IAIAsa Member
Member Price R 4,000
Non-Member
Standard Price R 4,500

Venue

CSIR International Convention Centre

Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa

If you have any questions please contact Sue George

Contact Organizer

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