• Home
  • RRC
  • About this Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Register
  • Logout
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Health, Safety & Environmental Training that Works

  • Health & Safety
  • Environmental Management
  • Events
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Megatrends and Sustainable Development

Megatrends and Sustainable Development

John Binns · 04/06/2024 ·

What are megatrends! Good question that we’ll take a look at in this blog post in addition to how they relate to environmental management and sustainability. 

First mention of megatrends

The term megatrend was first coined in the early 1980s by futurologist John Naisbitt in his book “Megatrends: Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives’. As our IEMA students should know they are trends in society that have an impact on a global scale. Having an understanding of them is key to getting to grips with sustainability impacts. 

‘Root causes’ of sustainability issues?

I’m the sort of person who wants to know how and why something got here whether it is a building, animal, technology or people! I find the journey just as interesting as the destination. I often think of megatrends as being the ‘root causes’ of sustainability issues. They are what leads to most or arguably all sustainability impacts. They tend to be categorised as social, economic, political, environmental or technological changes. I’ve seen many different lists of megatrends over the years and as far as I am aware there is no definitive list. 

Eleven megatrends

Perhaps a good approach to breaking them down is taken by the European Environment Agency who define eleven megatrends. It is a holistic list covering a whole host of different issues, which are:

  • Diverging global populations trends
  • Towards a more urban world
  • Changing disease burdens and risk of pandemics 
  • Accelerating technological change
  • Continued economic growth?
  • A increasing multipolar world
  • Intensified global competition for resources
  • Growing pressure on ecosystem
  • Increasing severe consequences of climate change
  • Increasing environmental pollution, and diversifying approaches to government.

Big issues

Another approach taken by the global consulting firm PWC is to categorise megatrends as climate change, technological disruption, demographic shifts fracturing the world and social instability. No matter how megatrends are categorised as we can see these are certainly big issues that I spend a lot of time discussing as a course tutor. 

Each megatrend is a massive issue. However, they also impact each other for example changes in particular have many links to the other megatrends. For example, risk of pandemics and disease burdens are increased, accelerating technological change could lead to more greenhouse gas emissions, or conversely less if we can create climate friendly technological solutions. There are likely to be changes in migration as places around the world become more inhospitable. This is just one megatrend the others in most cases are just as positively or negatively linked.

Understanding the triple bottom line issues

When dealing with megatrends we need to understand the triple bottom line (social, environment and economic) issues. There is no use in just considering one of these issues. Take for example climate change energy is needed for heating in many parts of the world (social need) it needs to have a limited environmental impact (low amount of greenhouse gas and other emissions) and it needs to be affordable (economic). Just as it is for sustainability there will need to be some trade-offs required to solve these problems, balancing ‘People, Planet and Profit’ is key.

These are just a few of my musings on megatrends. It is well worth you exploring this topic further.

They are key subjects which every environmental practitioner should be aware of. They are what lead to many of the organisational risks that we must deal with on a day to day basis. Understanding these social, economic, political, environmental or technological changes is certainly core knowledge for those who want to progress in the field and really make a difference.

John Binns BSc (Hons), MSc, MIEMA

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is J-Binns.png

John Binns BSc (Hons) MSc MIEMA is an experienced  environmental tutor and consultant.

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share

Filed Under: Environmental Management, IEMA Tagged With: Environmental, Environmental Management, IEMA, megatrends, Sustainability, Sustainable Development

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

Popular Posts

Is Recycling Really Good for the Environment? Pros and Cons ExplainedIs Recycling Really Good for the Environment? Pros and Cons Explained0 Total Shares
What Is a Risk Assessment?What Is a Risk Assessment?0 Total Shares
How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis to Improve Health and Safety OutcomesHow to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis to Improve Health and Safety Outcomes0 Total Shares

Categories

Latest Articles

  • Is Recycling Really Good for the Environment? Pros and Cons Explained
  • What Is a Risk Assessment?
  • How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis to Improve Health and Safety Outcomes
  • Packaging Waste Regulations – Implications of Waste Disposal Fees 
  • Deposit Return Schemes Coming to the UK
  • The Benefits of Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
  • NEBOSH Level 6 Diploma vs ProQual Level 6 NVQ Diploma
  • Setting Environmental Objectives for an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS)
  • Five New Year’s Resolutions for Environmental Practitioners in 2025
  • The Role of Mental Health in Workplace Safety

Article Archive

Admin

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Copyright © 2025 • Daily Dish Pro on Genesis Framework • WordPress • Log in