Designing new competitive business models

The green economy has been around for 40 years including the circular economy which was launched 20 years ago. Yet a combination of half-hearted ambitions, policy makers unwilling to bite the bullet and an overemphasis on analysis rather than action hinders a fundamental shift towards more sustainable business models. We still operate with the same business models that are driven by standardization, globalization, cutting costs (and people). No inclusive growth model can be found and the rich are only getting richer.

This cannot continue.

The Blue Economy, a Report to the Club of Rome in 2009, has now already implemented 188 projects, mobilized €4billion in investments and generated an estimated three million jobs. It offers a radically new business approach by focusing on maximising what we have and generate more value than ever imagined. It also focuses on ensuring that the cash generated circulates first and foremost in the local economy. This market driven and systems science based approach is not against any of the existing models, but strives to do more and deliver much better.

About Gunter Pauli
At the request of the United Nations and the Japanese government, Gunter Pauli launched the Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives (ZERI) in 1994. The aim was to design a competitive yet carbon neutral business model. Supported by a network of 3,000 loosely affiliated scientists and scholars, Pauli embarked on the implementation of projects that demonstrated not only that carbon neutral is possible, but also competitive. When he presented his first seven projects at the Hanover World Expo in 2000 it became the most popular pavilion with 6.4 million visitors.

He is a Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences (San Francisco, USA), a creative Member of the Club of Budapest (Hungary), Member of the Club of Rome, moderated the Roundtable of Nobel Science Laureates hosted by HM King of Jordan State and obtained a Doctorate from the Italian Government in systems design. He has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Pécs, Hungary.

He has published 19 books published in 40 languages.