Boarini (OECD): "Dalla ricerca dell'OCSE risulta necessario combattere il cambiamento climatico tramite un percorso verso il Net Zero, riducendo i costi economici del 2,5%"

Romina Boarini, Director, OECD Centre on Well-Being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity, in occasione del 7° Forum Mondiale di OECD sul benessere "Building Well-being for People and Planet: the Role of Public-Private Partnerships" ha dichiarato:

"Thank you so much to Generali for bringing us together around this very important topic. Much of what we will discuss over the next few days revolves around the idea that we can no longer approach economic problems as we did in the past. This is really the starting point for well-being approaches, which must be articulated clearly by considering economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

I want to emphasize the importance of a long-term perspective, which is crucial. For example, based on the research we are conducting at the OECD Centre on Net Zero, we have calculated that if efforts to combat climate change do not accelerate, the GDP in EU countries will decline by 3.5% by 2050. However, if we manage to follow a net-zero trajectory, this economic cost will be reduced to 2.5%. While this is still significant, it is nonetheless lower.

The challenge is that everyone understands the benefits of reducing climate change, but the costs are concentrated among certain workers and communities, who will be the most affected. We have found that workers in the most polluting industries face the highest risks of displacement and unemployment. Therefore, it is essential for economic strategies to account for these distributional aspects and to find effective solutions.

When discussing businesses, it’s interesting to frame this agenda in terms of value creation. Currently, value creation is no longer just about making profits and creating jobs, which remain very important. We also need to consider a number of other factors and risks. Businesses often utilize a framework that distinguishes between opportunities, risks, dependencies, and impacts.

For instance, regarding the net-zero transition, the International Energy Agency has estimated that this year, green finance for clean energy investments reached $2 trillion, a substantial amount that is expected to double by 2030 if we stay on track toward net zero. These represent significant financial opportunities for small businesses looking to invest in this area.

Another critical aspect concerns our dependence on nature and how we can protect and restore ecosystems. This issue, while less understood than climate change, is gaining attention. SAP has estimated that more than half of global GDP depends on nature and ecosystem services, such as water and fertile soil. This means that if companies do not invest positively in nature, they will face substantial risks.

The value of businesses and their sustainability heavily depend on actions taken today—not only to combat climate change but also to invest in the protection of nature and people. As the Secretary-General has mentioned, the Task Force on Social Related and Inequalities Financial Disclosures embodies this idea: businesses want to be resilient to inequalities and seek solutions that contribute to their reduction. This is not only beneficial for them but also fosters macroeconomic stability and addresses the issue of polarization.

In summary, tackling these issues is not only an ethical responsibility but also an opportunity to promote growth and prosperity."