Climate of Fear or Climate of Opportunity
In my role as CEO of Business SA, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for South Australia, I remain close to those who take calculated risks to better themselves, their organisations, families, employees and South Australia. After the seismic turbulence of the last 18 months, who could blame the owners of many small to medium sized business for thinking about packing it in?
However, have we ever stopped to think what would happen if business owners lost their individual and collective appetite for risk? Have we even dared to quantify the dire economic and social consequences of a scenario where hundreds or even thousands of business owners pulled up stumps because it is simply too difficult to earn a living, let alone build any meaningful wealth? Personally, I don’t even want to consider this scenario as it is not a pretty picture on so many levels.
All I can say is kudos to the business community. You are the true heroes of 2020 and 2021.
So, let’s consider why so many business owners have kept on keeping on, even when things have looked so bleak. In my own experience, it sometimes comes down to a conscious and personal choice about whether to live in a climate of fear or a climate of opportunity. Let’s face it, over the last 18 months, we have all seen examples of both and have probably even experienced both ourselves.
This is not about being Pollyanna and ignoring the sometimes seemingly insurmountable challenges of operating a business in a global pandemic with disruptions, lockdowns and restrictions. Quite the opposite. Instead, it’s about being extraordinarily resilient. It’s about having a very different mindset, one that keeps telling you that there is always a way forward no matter how bad things may appear.
Again, kudos to the business community. I am in awe of your strength and fortitude.
If this conversation resonates with you, I now encourage you to think about another seemingly insurmountable challenge. Climate change.
With the recently released United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report stating that planet earth has entered “Code Red for humanity”, we have every reason to be fearful. Very fearful. However, it’s that very fear that will motivate us to act. Also, are we asking ourselves the right questions? Maybe, just maybe, there is an opportunity here.
As a jurisdiction, South Australia has one of highest uptakes of renewable energy on the planet. We are also leaders in everything from container deposit legislation, single use plastics, waste and recycling, battery storage technologies, wind farming, blue carbon innovation, sustainable water management and agricultural practices. We have real opportunities for green minerals, green steel production and green hydrogen, and the State Government has a plan to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 (based on 2005 levels).
Let’s consider why? Well, that takes me back to South Australia’s entrepreneurial spirit and the creativity and resilience of the business community.
Ahead of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, Business SA will host its very own Climate of Opportunity luncheon in Adelaide to explore the challenges for international trade and growth in the low emissions economy.
Guest speakers will include Hon David Speirs MP (Minister for Environment and Water, South Australia), Steph Lysaght (Consul-General of the UK), Akhil Abraham (Head of Climate Diplomacy at the British High Commission, Canberra) and a panel of South Australian business leaders who will discuss how we can position our businesses for future success in a changing world.