Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjørkskov

For some time now I have been called by and actively looking for ways how to reframe the way our society relates to “sustainability”, “nature” and our participation in it. It is a lifelong learning curve, a part of which had just ended with my PhD in “facilitating an ecocentric design process”. In simple words this means how we behave and relate to this world so we can make the right decisions and co-create value with/for everyone. For all of us that are living, have lived and will be living. Starting from Earth. The beautiful story of Rewilding Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria is such a piece of wisdom that serves to illustrate how coming back to what the wild land needs creates a ripple effect of “restoration” of all cultures co-existing together. Those species that have become extinct but come alive again as part of a gigantic effort of reintroduction carry the potential for all of the other species to thrive. “Even” human. Even human that has become extinct has returned to his home. It is such an amazing telling of a process of how the thriving of one supports the other, people come back to their home places, looking for and enhancing the value of what is already there, creating better life conditions for all. Oh my, do you feel the rumble in your belly in the final scene when the vultures are about to take their first flight in their new home? I bet some of your naturally wild cells still do. I feel endlessly grateful to Rewilding Europe for making the movie for telling a story that might not be easy to tell and receive for the larger audience. Yet, it is vital for where we stand in these times. There’s so much possibility lying ahead and so much yet to be done. Still this rewilding story shows how everyone could be care-fully thriving in their ecological niche, all is restored in a natural rhythm, no need to overthink and strategise. Simply be in the right place. And we, “even” we - humans, have our ecological niche and are serving the beauty unfolding of this web of life. What would happen if we truly co-created from our true purpose and values and be accountable for it? #sustainability #ecocentricdesign #planetcentreddesign #rewilding #ecocentricity #cocreation

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🧠 #Neurodiversity in #climatetech: a superpower or a challenge? 🎆 Great minds don't think alike. At The Drop conference in Malmö earlier this year, Pippa co-organised a ‘Ripple’ (roundtable) with Robin Allenson about neurodiversity in the climate start-up community. The people who joined them were mostly founders and investors, all of whom related to neurodiversity on a personal level. It is estimated that both #ADHD and #autism are found in the entrepreneur community at around five times the level of the general population, with around 29% having ADHD and 5% being autistic - so why don't we talk about it more? Pippa has written up some of the conversation from the Drop, including the superpowers and challenges that come with #neurodiversity. She's also shared the answers to the two questions that she's had most often from others since talking more about her ADHD. Read more here => https://lnkd.in/eGFNTE_G Please do get in touch with any thoughts or questions.

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Danish climatetech startup raises €5 million to accelerate global decarbonization efforts Electricity Maps, a Copenhagen-based climate-tech startup, recently secured €5 million in funding from climate-focused funds Transition and Revent. The company specializes in accelerating the data-driven decarbonization of the electricity grid by providing a platform that enables businesses to align their electricity consumption with clean energy availability in real-time. The funding will be used to scale up the company’s operations and expand its data platform globally, allowing it to continue empowering companies and end consumers to become proactive stakeholders in energy production and consumption, and to drive impact in decarbonization strategies worldwide. https://lnkd.in/dZ8qtasg #funding #nordicmade #denmark #climatetech #energytransition #startups #trending

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🌍𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Kasper Benjamin Reimer Bjørkskov's new piece flips the script on conventional sustainability talk. According to him, it's just not enough to aim for "no harm" in a world that's already over its limits. We need bold, regenerative actions that rebuild and renew, not just maintain. By making the right information and the right tools accessible to more people, we can create a system that keeps us thriving long-term - but how? 🛠️This is a deep dive into how we redefine our approach to living on this planet, through actions that are as radical as the problems they aim to solve. Read on for a look at what truly sustainable actions look like in practice. #sustainability #regeneration #environmentalchange #actionablechange https://lnkd.in/ejzx29wp

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Interesting read. This World Economic Forum article discusses how circular business models are being incorporated in regional and global sustainability strategies. One example is the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund (Handelens Miljøfond). Through a NOK3/€0.25 ($0.26) membership fee per plastic bag sold by its retail members, the Fun is effectively contributing to a behavioural change, at-scale nature restoration and circular plastic value chain development. I hope that this mechanism can be adopted by more businesses across various sectors to help protect our natural environment. 🤞 #nature #protectouroceans #sustainability #climatechange #circulareconomy #oceanconservation #ActOnClimate #ClimateAction

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The A-to-Z of circular economy by Vojtech Vosecky and Anna Kolback 💡 Let's try to put one of the letters in practice each day, a month in a row? C'mon...it's not that difficult! I am starting with C today 🤝 #circulareconomy #circularstrategies

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How dare you use AI in sustainability projects!? Don't you see the contradiction?! ... is the gist of many comments that I get on our work, such as the Sustainable Design AI Lab that we offer. Well, let's start with the facts. In a paper from 2023, AI was shown to use about 0.04% of the world's energy. That's not negligible, but American TV's alone used about *7* times as much, as shown in this post by Amy Luers. https://lnkd.in/ej7QY7rs According to renowned energy strategist Michael Barnard, a ChatGPT search will spew out about 0.03 grams of CO2, and a DallE image 0.365 grams. Making a cup of tea could produce10's or 100's of times that. https://lnkd.in/eA2UrFdu Similarly, the water use of data centers may present local pressures, but completely pales to something as mundane as leaky pipes, or eating hamburgers. https://lnkd.in/eZ9zBAVy And let's not forget that the power needed for data centers is electrical, which has excellent decarbonisation options. Very likely much of the new energy needs will be fulfilled with renewable energy, simply because it is the cheapest. These new investments in clean energy might even have second order positive benefits for local grids and power production, making renewable energy even cheaper. A word of caution though: the use of AI (and cloud-computing in general) is experiencing something like exponential growth, and we all know how deceptive that can be. Even though I'm not worried about resource use on a per-project basis, on a global scale it is definitely something to keep a close eye on. So, contrary to what you might think, I believe that sustainability and regeneration are some of the very best uses of AI. Instead of staying away from them, sustainability professionals have a responsibility to embrace these new tools and make them work for us in the most positive way possible. #aienergy #sustainability #ai #regeneration #sustainabledesign

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🚀 New White Paper Alert! People Powered's Co-Executive Director Josh Lerner has just released a groundbreaking white paper titled "From Waves to Ecosystems: The Next Stage of Democratic Innovation". Commissioned by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative, this paper presents a transformative approach to defending and expanding democracy. 🔍 Key Proposals: 1️⃣ Expand our understanding of democracy: By revisiting its diverse 5,000-year history, we can gain a fuller perspective on democratic possibilities. 2️⃣ Build balanced ecosystems: Move beyond competing waves of democracy to integrate electoral, direct, deliberative, and participatory practices into sustainable systems. 3️⃣ Support a just transition for democracy: Identify and eliminate unhealthy habits while adopting strategies to grow healthier democratic ecosystems. This white paper is essential reading for anyone committed to renewing democracy and addressing its current challenges. It highlights the need for multiple interconnected solutions to build a robust democratic future. 👉 Read and share the white paper here: https://lnkd.in/gNMVSU7k Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts. Together, we can advance the next stage of democratic innovation! #Democracy #Innovation #Governance #PeoplePowered #WhitePaperLaunch #DemocraticEcosystems

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Today, we’re following Wopke Hoekstra's hearing as Commissioner-designate for Climate, Net Zero, and Clean Growth. We support his commitment to strengthening #CBAM, advancing carbon pricing, and prioritising carbon capture to drive Europe’s climate ambitions. Yet, we believe more emphasis on dedicated #decarbonisation #funding is essential to reach net zero in sectors like #cement. 📢 At CEMBUREAU, we’re calling for a Cleantech Deployment Fund that expands on the Innovation Fund, along with a robust, watertight CBAM aligned with EU ETS. Together, these will secure the investment needed for breakthrough technologies like #carboncapture while levelling the playing field for EU industry. Ambitious goals require equally ambitious funding and fair competition across borders. 🙌 Find out more in our Net Zero Roadmap: https://lnkd.in/dpe97puD & in our position paper on #financing: https://lnkd.in/dCjRJhbD

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What is the actual difference between a biodiversity unit and a biodiversity credit? When dealing with a new industry it is critical that everyone understands the specific terminology. Biodiversity Units is the core BNG unit of measurement and what we at Gaia help buy and sell, and have over 25,000 on our exchange. Biodiversity credits is a scheme that allows the government to sell credits if there are no biodiversity units available on the market. If you have any questions BNG related or would like support in either buying or selling then please do reach out! #BNG #biodiversityunit #biodiversitycredit

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👉 If ever in need, and you are a Board Member, here's your Pocket Guide for Nature and Climate Action by Global Commons Alliance , AccountAbility, @ Climate Governance Initiative, Climate Champions

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Let's be honest: a business model that does not take the environment and nature into account - either in the form of protection or restoration of nature - is no longer a viable business model today or in the future. But how do you ensure that projects to restore nature are actually "legitimate"? When you seek out nature-based projects (NbS) to meet the ever-growing sustainability goals, performing due diligence on potential projects is crucial. Cases like the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) have shown that relying solely on certificates is not enough—a project that suffers from various flaws thorough due diligence may have identified earlier. To avoid shortcomings, you need extended, comprehensive due diligence that also focuses on the following key aspects: ↪️ Environmental assessments to understand a project's effects on biodiversity ↪️ Social impact studies consulting local communities to identify cultural concerns ↪️ Financial modeling through cost-benefit analyses ensuring outcomes outweigh costs ↪️ Expertise in evaluating technical feasibility and mitigation of greenhouse gases Due diligence will allow you to make well-informed decisions that balance returns with responsible, long-term impacts. Unfortunately, these steps are often overlooked in practice. That’s why recarb® thoroughly checks all the points in a reforestation nature-based project. How do you ensure the project you're investing in is high-quality? 💭 📑 source: carbonmarketwatch(.)org #recarb #biodiversity #nature #naturerestoration #natureduediligence #naturefinance

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The European Ecodesign directive has gotten a significant upgrade to the new Ecodesign Regulation 🎉 As of mid July it’s now in force impacting nearly ALL products sold in the EU. For those of us sustainability in design nerds we are pretty happy about these improvements, especially in light of the rapid progress towards circularity in the EU. I was reading through the new additions and thinking about a report I was commissioned to write in the early 2000’s for the Australian Government reviewing all the global ecodesign laws. It’s very exciting to see such significant progress towards cleaning up the unsustainable acts of our profession and I can only hope that the current government under the leadership of the Honorable Tanya Plibersek takes similar action to codify #repair and #reuse and ban the burning of unsold good, increasing material use and normalising sustainability in product design. I put together a summary of what’s changed and how this will impact designers and product managers/owners and companies as these new rules will apply to products produced and sold in the European marketplace, have legal ramifications and allow consumer groups to bring class action cases against manufactures who are not complying with the new ecodesign rules. Over the years I’ve been asked by many progressive in-house design teams and consultancies to come in and train their staff on applying sustainability and circular design strategies from a science-based approach. These companies will have a significant advantages now that there is such an uptick in demand for these specialised design services. I'm curious if this new set of rules will trigger a wider and more progressive uptake of leadership in design for sustainability? Reach out to our team at The UnSchool of Disruptive Design if you want to find out more about our online training in sustainable design and CE or our specialised in-house workshops that support rapid knowledge and capacity building. #design #sustainability #circulareconomy #makechange #circulardesign #eu #ecodesign #laws #policy #designindustry #designforsustainability

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❓ Does it matter how we imagine the future of climate mitigation? ❗❗ Yes, it does! 💡 Today's visions and ideas shape what futures appears as possible and desirable. They, in turn, define which steps we take in the near future. We wanted to know which role Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can and should play in a low-carbon future for Scandinavia. We dug into the scientific literature to find out. 📃 The result is this wonderful article, masterfully led by Lina Lefstad and co-authored by Jonas Allesson, Wim Carton and, well, me. #proudsupervisor 🏭 We found that there is one dominant idea about how CCS will play out in Scandinavia. The main purpose of this vision is to preserve the industrial base of the region. It does so by depoliticising CCS and framing out alternative pathways to carbon neutrality. The article is available open access in Energy Research and Social Science https://lnkd.in/ev6Dfrqz

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The below infographic in simple way explains Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions. #carbonfootprint #climatechange #directemissions #indirectemissions #Greenhousegases #climateemergency #company

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Emission offsetting? Yes, but only as a complement to emission avoidance – and only if you do it right! ⚠️ Many critics see offsetting as a type of greenwashing rather than an effective way to cut emissions. And indeed, offsetting, when used as the main method to reduce emissions, presents problems, such as continued dependence on fossil fuels and limited availability of high-quality offsetting projects. However, offsetting still has the potential to be a helpful measure in the fight against global warming. What is essential is that offsetting should not be seen as a substitute for emission avoidance. Plus, remember that not all carbon offsets are alike. If you want to use carbon offsets to reduce your carbon footprint, consider our five tips to make an actual impact ⬇️ #offsetting #CO2 #emissions

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Watching Johan Rockström's July 2024 TED Talk on the tipping points of #climatechange and where we stand (https://lnkd.in/e65i4Uwc) is quite alarming. It's not just the increasing climate #risks he outlines, but also the unsettling reality that we still lack a clear, effective strategy to tackle them. Yes, we have countless plans, agreements, reports, pathways, playbooks, and roadmaps. But, hearing Rockström's assessment of our progress and his frustration with the absence of significant progress on reversing these troubling trends, it’s obvious that we are still falling short in securing a safe and just future for humanity. IMO, one of Rockström's points is key for any change we hope to make: "...there are so many positive items as well. The most important one in my mind is that we have ample evidence that citizens across the world, a majority of them, care about nature and climate. They trust climate science, they're concerned about climate change, and they want solutions. And the second key factor is that we have so much evidence today that the solutions are not only available, but if we implement them, we get a more healthy, stable, secure future with the jobs and the economies that can compete and provide livelihoods into the future." Our failure lies in connecting the dots between climate solutions and what people truly care about. Yes, people care about the climate, but they care even more about their economic, societal, and personal wellbeing — and they act accordingly (just look at the US elections as an example). No transition will occur unless climate solutions are framed, delivered, and communicated as solutions for people's current economic, societal, and personal #wellbeing. This is the area we need to focus on, otherwise, we will continue to fail in addressing our most critical challenge. What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts. #climatecrisis #climateaction #tedtalk #climateweek #tippingpoints

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Reframing the Climate Problem: A Call for Design-Driven Solutions The climate crisis demands a radical shift in our approach. Instead of relying on the same old methods, we need to rethink our approach to change. At the heart of our climate challenges lies the excessive consumption of goods and services. To address this, we need to reimagine business models and foster sustainable practices. Introducing Conscious Together ✨ Our new design thinking campaign, Conscious Together, aims to inspire businesses to embrace a more responsible approach to consumption. By focusing on sustainability at every step - Production, Packaging, and Disposal - we are aiming to create a more environmentally friendly world. Curious and want to learn more? You can reach us at +91 96533 80779 #ClimateChange #Sustainability #DesignThinking #ConsciousConsumption #Innovation #YouthEmpowerment Mandeep Kaur Jhajj Jinal Rajpopat Heidi Faye Pereira Divya Pinge

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💬 “ “Earth for All” emphasises very strongly that it is possible to move not only towards a sustainable future, but to do it very fast.” We spoke to Johan Rockström, Director of PIK - Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and co-author of “Earth for All” in the week that it was announced that Earth may have breached the seventh of nine planetary boundaries. Why does he think that there is still a way forward to a “safe landing” for people and planet? Watch now to find out. #Earth4All #PlanetaryBoundaries #TippingPoints

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