A holistic view for a sustainable future

The four pillars of sustainability and ways to achieve a sustainable future

Stephen Oehme, value management specialist & sustainability advocate managing director at Quantum Thailand Ltd and chairperson of the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 2020, addresses the four pillars of sustainability and actions we can take to achieve a sustainable future. Despite people and organisations’ movement to decrease CO2 levels, not enough is being achieved as there has been a continual increase in carbon emissions and CO2 part per million (ppm). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was formed over 32 years ago in 1988, with the CO2-baseline-level recorded at 350 ppm. Fast-forwarding to 2018, the CO2-baseline-level increased by 16 percent to 409 ppm.  

Oehme notes that around 40 percent of all carbon emissions result from the built environment, with a significant amount coming from the real estate sector. As the rate of real estate development is expected to continue increasing exponentially, the proper approach to addressing this environmental problem isn’t through reducing the number of new buildings. Real estate has enabled better quality of life for billions, a celebration for all. Rather, we need to develop comprehensive and holistic actions.  

The PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit in 2020 explored the property industry and the four pillars of sustainability to see where we are succeeding and failing. The facts and science expertise are here, but holistic reviews are urgently needed.  

“We are proud to be joined by so many championing sustainability – its progress is in our hands.” – Stephen Oehme  

Read the full version at asiarealestatesummit.com/ares-digital-white-paper-vol-1/

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