The THRIVE project would like to extend our warm gratitude to Sunil Murlidhar Shastri and Morris Fedeli for being guest presenters at our August Thrivability Matters webinar. This month’s theme focuses on the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, SDG14 & SDG15 (Life Below Water & Life on Land).

About our speakers

Sunil Murlidhar Shastri is a consultant, expert and speaker in ocean and environmental governance. Since graduating from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1977, Sunil has been a university academic, consultant, and researcher in ocean and environmental policy, and in mining and ocean engineering.

In 1982, he found his passion for Pacem in Maribus under the tutelage of Elisabeth Mann Borgese and has since made it his mission. Thereafter, he has served on several professional and public bodies as director, governor, and trustee and is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He is best known internationally for his MasterClass in Ocean and Environmental Governance and for his erudite analysis and candid opinions. Our Thrivability Matters Podcast with Sunil on “One Ocean, One World” can be found here.

Morris D Fedeli is a semi-retired practitioner and doctoral researcher at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, with three decades of industry experience in helping organisations achieve success through the application of new emerging innovative business models and technologies. Offering a unique Australasian perspective, with experience across three continents and degrees in science, business and project management, his research interest and passion lie in sustainable business innovation strategies for a prosperous society.

As a member of THRIVE Project from inception, he aims to guide enterprises and countries to innovate their strategy towards a thrivable future through the adoption of sustainable innovative practices. He is also a social entrepreneur with experience in the ICT industry, where he combines his academic know-how in high order mathematics with his passion in doing good to do well. Our Thrivability Matters Podcast with Morris on “What is Thrivability?”  can be found here.

Summary of the webinar 

Sunil Murlidhar Shastri on the topic of One Ocean, Three Approaches, Five Issues, Seven Solutions

Sunil started the presentation by introducing us to how ‘our whole thinking must change’ towards the concept of One Ocean. Although there are up to 7 ocean bodies if we split the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean into North and South, there is only One Ocean, just as there is only One Planet. In fact, 96.5% of all water on Earth is in the ocean. Therefore, losing it would be catastrophic, as the ocean generates 50-80% of oxygen.

Moving onward Sunil then discusses his approaches which are advice, advocacy, and action. After which, he moved on to the issues at hand regarding our Earth. The main issue being our addiction to fossil fuels. Due to our greed and addiction ‘we have become a LAW-less society – Landless Airless Waterless’. 

In the ocean the mangroves, seagrass, and corals are a ‘simple’ insurance against imminent climate catastrophe, whereas on land planting trees is a simple insurance. Further solutions in avoiding climate catastrophe are:

• Increasing our knowledge and wisdom through science and technology.
• Geopolitical economy where every country participates.
• Institutions and organisations where we VOTE not VETO.
• Legislation and implementation where both are continuously under development and reviewed.
• Discussion of the corporate and individual social responsibility in the Civil Society role framework.
• Financial Initiatives where money goes towards the ‘right’ solutions.

Finally, Sunil’s central pillar is Education and Awareness. It’s a discipline that any framework can embed.

Sunil concludes his presentation by giving us his final thoughts and top 10 solutions to reverse climate change. Which can be seen here.

Morris D Fedeli on the topic of Lessons from the THRIVE Framework Measuring what Matters Most

Morris commenced his presentation by introducing us to the THRIVE Framework and the ‘move from Sustainability to Thrivability’. Sustainability inspires towards net zero, whereas Thrivability aims for net positive. As Morris mentions there are many organisations that are working towards reaching sustainable development goals (SDGs).  

Morris then discusses the THRIVE Framework’s three pillars: Research, Education, and Advocacy. As well as who uses the framework such as consumers, researchers, consultants, government, and corporations. Some examples of the THRIVE approaches, methods, and tools are the 7 C’s, the 12 Foundational Focus Factors, the Systemic Holistic Model, and the Ciambella Chart.

Morris’ main example of THRIVE’s work in practice is the Seafood Stewardship Index (SSI) of the seafood industry pilot study. Where THRIVE have compared and analysed data of different seafood companies. The pilot study showed that the maximum Sustainability Performance Index (SPI) score of these companies was 2.698 of 5. Meaning that the seafood industry needs to keep working towards sustainable solutions for us to THRIVE. His final thoughts on this subject can be found from here.

CONCLUSION

In summary, Sunil concludes that we as individuals are part of the process. As our whole thinking must change, we must become agents of change. The desire to help the earth needs to come from within to save our One Ocean. Morris adds Sunil’s presentation intertwines with THRIVE’s seafood industry pilot study. They both present issues and solutions towards keeping the Ocean thrivable. As Sunil iterated, there is only One Ocean, just as there is only One Planet.

If you missed out on the presentations or the live Q&A session, you could view the recording on our YouTube channel once it’s released.

Make sure to register for the September webinar on SDG11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

Thanks, and do keep on thriving!

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH

Next month, we’re focusing on SDG11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, an increasingly pertinent subject given that 70% of people are expected to be city dwellers by 2050. On that front, we’re thrilled to have three experts – Jennifer Luke, Laura Puttkamer and John Trinder – talk about what it means and how to get there. Register now and save the date!