A keynote speech at the Ethical Finance Global summit called for ‘less doom more boom’ and an end to counterproductive rhetoric.
Delivered by Andrew W. Mitchell, founder of Equilibrium Futures and an advisor to the UN, believes that positioning nature as a ‘victim’ and emphasising the depth of the crisis causes many people to switch off. Instead, opportunities linked to the environmental should be the focus of messaging, encouraging the public, politicians and business leaders to learn more about how they can make meaningful investments that deliver real returns.
‘For decades, the environmental movement has sounded the alarm – me along with it – and often, rightly so. From biodiversity loss, to climate disruption, to water scarcity, we’ve all been told, and shown, that the natural world is under threat,’ said Mitchell. ‘Governments strapped for cash and businesses pressured for growth tend to switch off from a message of crisis without solutions. Doom fatigues people. It paralyses action.
‘In today’s world, we don’t just need awareness, we need momentum. That’s why we need to shift the story, from less doom to more boom. This means recognising that nature is not just a victim, but a vast, under-explored arena of opportunity. Nature is not only something to save, it is something to invest in,’ he continued. ‘When we stop seeing nature only through the lens of cost and start seeing it through the lens of value creation, we unlock a new pathway: one that resonates with policymakers, with investors, and with the public.’
The Summit, hosted by the Global Ethical Finance Initiative [GEFI], forms part of the wider Edinburgh Finance Festival, with Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and former First Minister Humza Yousaf also in attendance. Other speakers included Hans Stegeman, chief economist at the sustainable Triodos Bank, who made the case for greater investment in regenerative farming, circular industry, and new ownership models.
Image: Matthew Smith / Unsplash
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