SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT049Above: Ian Cheshire is Group CEO at Kingfisher plcnet deforestation by 2020, was a good start. Butprogress needs to be made and that investment muststart now in conjunction with the private sector. Moreimportantly, COP17 and Rio+20 must be a watershedbeyond which governments act with decisive impact tohelp rectify the gaps between our collective ambitionsand actions, and re-set the world on a trajectorytowards One Planet Living. A comprehensive policy framework built around atleast 30 per cent Greenhouse Gas reduction targets by2020, zero net deforestation, and financial support forsustainable business practices, would send the rightsignals and support to businesses and individuals,providing them with the confidence and security theyneed to invest in sustainability. Governments need to look beyond the usual short termcycles and our current economic situation. Not takingactions is a false economy. We understand thechallenge may appear daunting, but it is also anopportunity to demonstrate real leadership and help usmake the most of the One Planet we have. nABOUT THE AUTHORIan Cheshire was appointed Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher plc in January 2008. Prior to this Mr Cheshire was Chief Executive of B&Q from June2005. His previous roles at Kingfisher include ChiefExecutive of International and Development, ChiefExecutive of e-Kingfisher and Group Director ofStrategy and Development. Before joining Kingfisherin 1998 he worked for a number of retail businessesincluding Sears plc where he was Group CommercialDirector. Mr Cheshire is a Non-Executive Director of Whitbread plc and lead non-executive member on the Department for Work and Pensions Board. He isalso a member of the Prince of Wales CorporateLeaders Group on Climate Change and a Member ofthe Employers' Forum on Disability President's Group.

wo thousand years ago, Roman historianLivy wrote in his monumental history ofRomeAb Urbe Condita Libri("Chaptersfrom the Foundation of the City"): "It istime to dare something bigger." This is especially truetoday, in view of the urgent and daunting challengesconfronting humanity. "Dangers lie in delay," continuedLivy - and he was right. This appeal to boldly tackle solutions with confidenceand energy is tailored to the challenges facing usthroughout the world, and particularly in growing cities,regarding the environment and living conditions. We already consume more resources than our planetcan provide over the long term, and the emissions fromour energy systems are endangering the livingconditions of the entire planet. Considering that anadditional 2.3 billion people will be populating ourplanet by 2050, and will understandably hope forgreater prosperity and a comfortable life, there is a realdanger that the situation will get even worse. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)warns that humanity is expected to consume 140 billiontonnes of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass a yearby 2050 - three times the resources used today - andthat energy demand could also double.Nevertheless, we have the ethical obligation to leavesucceeding generations a livable environment. Andthis is possible only if the most important industrialand emerging countries declare sustainableeconomics to be the highest ethical directive and actaccordingly. It must be possible to decouple economicgrowth and improving prosperity from resourceconsumption and also satisfy the soaring demand forenergy while limiting global warming to at least lessthan two degrees Celsius by 2100. In the end, this willmean nothing less than transforming our energy andeconomic system into a culture of sustainability - fullyin the spirit of Livy's "daring something bigger".That this has not succeeded so far is particularlyregrettable, since environmental protection andeconomic growth ceased to be antagonists long ago. Onthe contrary, innovative, environmentally-friendly andenergy-efficient technologies are now a major stimulusfor employment and economic growth. Just to cite oneexample: Germany's Federal Ministry for Environmentstated that over 370,000 people were employed inGermany alone in the field of renewable energies lastyear. That marks a 10 per cent increase over theprevious year, and their number is steadily growing."ITISTIMETODARE SOMETHINGBIGGER"050SMART CITIESPETER LÖSCHER, PRESIDENT OF THE MANAGING BOARD AND CEO, SIEMENS AGT