Alt3: Insight through understanding. Creating sustainable advantage. Leading edge development.
Dynamic strategic development in a time of great change
minimising future risk
creating sustainable advantage
creating opportunity
PREVIOUS MONTHS: January 2010
DISASTER PLANNING AND RESPONSE: 21st January, 2010
Is it me? Am I somehow seeing this in a completely wrong light?
The grave disaster that struck Haiti recently brought an immediate and admirable global reaction. We are all in this world together. If disaster befalls one then it is good and fitting for others to respond with assistance in which ever form of assistance can be given. The response was there. And it was heartening to see how previous barriers were suddenly (if temporarily) no longer a barrier to co-operation and the mutual progression of humanity.
However (and this is where I may be going out on a limb), but many days after the disaster struck ... the aid still wasn't getting through with the result that people with hungry and injured children were resorting to extreme measures. Yes, I know, because of the nature of the disaster, the infrastructure of Haiti was almost completely destroyed, but surely, with all the helicopters in the area, with all the troops on the ground, then the all essential medical and food aid could be shifted around to the desperately needy instead of being held on board cargo ships.
Who's in charge?
Who's organising things?
The Haiti earthquake was a true disaster. But it's not as if this was the first ever disaster therefore why the apparent chaos in delivering aid, inadvertently making a serious situation even more serious.
The world had responded to the humanitarian call for assistance. Governments, companies and ordinary people all over gave and continue to give generously. Aid agencies stepped to the fore to do what they do best. Yet the aid was not delivered to where it was needed. Was this because of the security situation? Was this because of armed gangs or the masses of desperate people? No doubt these all play a role in judging the situation. However ... perhaps I'm wrong but looking on from the outside, and admittedly, from the safety of thousands of miles away so I have no actual first hand evidence of the situation on the ground, it just "seems" that there is (or was) an overwhelmingly chaotic approach to the delivery of aid so much so that while the initial response was admirable, there was a crucial several days - more than a week - when things looked as if they were simply standing still ... and the aid was being held on cargo ships. Yes, I know, there are complex factors to take into account ... but the aid wasn't being delivered.
Is it me? Am I somehow seeing this in a completely wrong light?
This strikes to the heart of disaster planning. Disasters are often not predictable. If they were predictable then they would not be disasters. But if you are a country or if you are a company then YOUR disaster planning has to be better than what we've seen so far. If it isn't ... you'll be in trouble. Disasters don't always happen to someone else. The time immediately after any disaster is THE most crucial in terms of saving lives or in some instances saving business. What you do or what is done in that time determines the speed and level of recovery. If there is a significant lag, as we've seen, there is continuing suffering - suffering that may well have been avoided. How would YOU feel if that was you on the ground?
We have to be better than this.
Regards
JS
NEW SERVICE FROM ALT3: 11th January, 2010
Alt3 is launching a new leading edge service for corporate and national clients.
In todays world of increasing environmental and sustainability importance, it is essential for companies and countries to play a leading and responsible role in developing the future. Carbon will need to be controlled. Energy use and type will need to be changed. The use of resources will need to be rethought. Unintended outputs will need to be controlled with greater stringency than ever before. There needs to be strategy and governance and metrics aligned to sustainable business benefits.
But where to start?
Alt3 knows where.
With a unique mechanism that gives insight into the relative strengths and weaknesses over a range of critical areas along with the creation of a cycle of continuous improvement, Alt3 can give YOU the starting point you need. We can give you the detailed visibility of the range of strengths of weaknesses of YOUR environmental performance that reflects YOUR unique situation, and then work with you to increase that environmental performance based on accepted metrics.
Now ... isn't that something to shout about?
You will be in a position to visibly display your improvement, your responsibility - and your future. This isn't as difficult as some would have you believe. Neither is it easy, yet with our help we can show you how to reach from A 2 B efficiently and effectively.
Work with us. This is a unique development that will transform your future. In-depth details on request.
Change that future.
Work with us.
Regards
JS
NEW YEAR - NEW OPPORTUNITY: 5th January, 2010
Without a doubt, on a number of different levels the world is approaching a critical point. This is generally termed "convergence". It is the convergence of a number of major factors at one time, which magnifies the impact of the individual factors.
However, as the world faces this major challenge, for one continent - Africa - this may well be the time to make a massive leap forward. True, Africa will suffer from shortages of water, peak oil and a range of other factors affecting the world in general. But Africa has a greater resilience than even it believes. Opportunity is opening up for significant investment in the future of Africa ... and the future of the world.
For decades, if not centuries, the resources of Africa have been plundered by outsiders - and heavily squandered by those who should have shown better government within the different African countries. But still resources remain, including an almost infinite amount of renewable energy as well as business sense amid an emerging market. This is attracting an unrivalled amount of interest from outside of Africa even in todays continuing unsettled economic landscape.
If Africa is to be successful it needs to avoid the worst consequences of peak oil - and fully grasp their renewable energy sources as a means of gaining energy independence and propelling development without the heavy cost restrictions that will be felt throughout the remainder of the world.
The economic power houses within Africa - such as Nigeria and Kenya - have major roles to play ... but only if they overcome their own very unique challenges. Nigeria, for example, MUST:
- gain a greater level of national unity
- gain greater (current) government cohesion
- combat corruption and a perceived lack of fairness within its own borders
- not allow the extremists to undermine growth and development and split the country into hideous warring factions
- use oil revenue to increase future development
And imagine the stabilising regional impact of a Kenya that manages to fulfill all its strategic economic and political goals. This will be possible if Kenya can:
- secure water sources for its agriculture
- not allow the most productive land to be bought up by foreign companies with the sole intention of exporting food only
- secure renewable energy sources to continuously feed national development
- resist the temptation to be involved in the extremist conflicts of the north and east of Kenya
- increases its tourism and other industries as an important revenue source away from the reliance on agriculture
Indeed, at the mercy of extremism, corruption and global challenges such as water, oil and climate change, Africa needs stability. It is important for the outside world to note that significant progress has been made with respect to stability and growth - and Africa is no longer a continent reliant on foreign aid. Yet now is the time to increase the momentum of this stability and growth, to spread beyond the pockets and create a continent wide shift that will benefit all people, not only Africans. There is no doubt this will take vision and it will take courage - and it will take properly focused investment, not because this is Africa, but because this is a new era.
Regards
JS
Insight through understanding. Advice you can trust.
If you don't understand the risks, how can you prepare? Can you afford to let the issues be blurred?
The turbulent 21st century
life isn't black and white