The term ‘sustainability’ is kicked about on a daily basis. Whether it is being debated in parliament, used in the latest marketing ploy or mentioned at school. As a theme, it has penetrated every area of society but there is still a long way to go, and most global patterns continue to actively hinder efforts for a more sustainable future.
In The Unsustainable Truth, David Ko and Richard Busellato examine how everything in the world is linked through investments and economics, and why as people increasingly rely on these processes to provide for their futures, the required profits demand too much of the planet. It is an inevitably unsustainable system.
Writing from thirty years of investing experience, David and Richard explain how the world is trapped in a self- perpetuating cycle. To escape everyone must embrace a new context, where resources are no longer plentiful but running out. Using clear and plain language alongside stories to illustrate the issue’s intricate connections, The Unsustainable Truth compels readers to choose meaning and purpose over comfort and security in the battle for sustainability.
David and Richard are sustainability advocates with extensive experience in the investment industry working at premier hedge funds and major financial institutions, guiding both businesses and communities alike. During their time working in the world of finance, they realised that the constant pursuit of financial growth is the fundamental driver of the pressures damaging the planet. Now they are dedicated to reframing investment and profit in relation to its impact on people and the environment and emphasise that the future depends on leaving resources for others, not on how much wealth individuals can accumulate.
The Unsustainable Truth is a deep-dive into the forces that drive investments and why accruing capital for future uncertainties simply exacerbates the depletion of resources in the current moment. Leading with the idea that sustainability is now a major commercial industry, David and Richard introduce readers to a definition of sustainability that discards financial motivations and prioritises dignity for both humans and the environment.
The book’s chapters cover various topics, from challenging how individuals should think about their pensions to introducing natural diversity as an essential part of sustainability. Stressing the role of people, how to live life with purpose and why individuals are the chief agents in instigating sustainable change, David and Richard provide a transformative perspective on how people should consider the relationship between finance and the environment, and how the act of investing can be made less critical to the planet.
Dissecting the patterns that rule much of current society, The Unsustainable Truth is the perfect read for anyone looking to reassess both their approach to sustainability and their desire for constant financial growth. It will leave even leaders, business people, investment and financial professionals questioning everything they thought they knew about the world of investment and finance.
The Unsustainable Truth is published by Panoma Press and available on Amazon.
