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The Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate ChangeWhilst many in the design sector appear to hang on every word of the Cox Report to seek funding and justify initiative after initiative, there was little in it that one could identify as creative or innovative, with most of what was reported looking like an agenda or at best a strategy for the Design Council.
The figures, although interesting, provided a stark reminder that design's contribution to GDP was diminishing, a fact aptly expressed in the despondently titled Keep British Design Alive consultation.
By contrast the review published on October 30th 2006 by Sir Nicholas Stern has much more relevance to the design sector and although it provides gloomy reading it also offers the design profession challenges and opportunities that it should readily embrace.
Stern calculates the cost of taking action now against climate change at an average globally of 1% of GDP.
He calculates the cost to GDP of not doing anything to be 5%, with opinions ranging to 20%.
Even on Stern's figures, an investment today will produce a 400% return by 2050.
Even 1% is an ambitious amount but design can play a role in lowering the initial costs of our high carbon economic growth and so that a balance is achieved of levying taxes and lessening energy use.
As a profession we influence products of all sorts and buildings and the energy they use.
more: www.csd.org.uk/news/news_002.jsp... (168)
November 1, 2006 | Viewed 44,854 time(s)
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