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As we are heading towards a very new phase of global economies we should at this stage realize what we might expect from the future.  This is time when we are waking up for very different drivers that will direct the future path of our economies at the grand scale. For sure, what we see for now is only a tip of the iceberg but I can guarantee the issue will be getting more visible as we linger on with our present distorted economics. I am talking about resources, global resources. The resources we are using for our basic life conditions as well as for any commercial enterprise.

I am part of the group that helps to support World Resources Forum, where issues around how to manage globally scarce natural resources are brought to discussion.  This is alternative to World Economic Forum, where environment/sustainability might be an interesting side track but very seldom at the centre of the focus.  We believe that as we enter the sixth wave of development of industrial societies we should see that without a very focus effort to adjust the real cost of reckless resource use – which would involve a fundamental shift of taxation and legislation – we cannot attain any of these global welfare goals we have committed ourselves: to get rid of poverty, provide basic means of decent life for all, and save natural resources for the future generations to come.

The future economics of global commerce will evolve around resource use. We should really ask ourselves how resource-wise society function: how it recycles raw-materials, how it arranges the transportation systems, how it taxes resource use instead of labour, how it protects the atmosphere, how it produces energy and so forth.

And please do not think we don’t have competence for making it happen: We have the technology, we have all the necessary information what happens if we continue  emitting unbearable amount of emissions in the atmosphere, we have already rising awareness on these topics. The only thing we really need is a strong political commitment, supported by citizens and businesses.

In Switzerland, where I wrote this, there are already some steps that have been taken. They have adopted already some time ago an ambitious sustainable development strategy which has the position to act as an umbrella framework for all other governmental strategies. As it looks like, this strategy really directs a lot of action. Furthermore, the business has been very actively involved and with their strong support, a Clean-tech Master Plan has been formulated.

I think the future is with those countries that has the courage to take bold steps in making sustainability dreams into concrete action.  Because this is eventually about the future economics of global commerce.

I wish Finland will belong to that league one day.