IE GEMBA Application Process Essay - Question G: Do you think the lifestyle of the inhabitants of your town or city reflects behaviour that is in line with the concepts of sustainable development? In your opinion, what should be improved?

1. Is Bahrain
inhabitants’
lifestyle in line
with concepts
of sustainable
development?
What should be improved?

2. Introduction
 What is sustainable development?
 Bahrain at a glance
 Bahrain at a glance – revisited
 Sustainable development opportunities
 How to improve?

3. What is sustainable development?
UN definition: “The use of renewable and
non-renewable resources in a manner
that meets the needs of the present
without sacrificing the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.”
Brundtland Report - 1987

4. What is sustainable development?
Environment
EconomicSocial

5. Bahrain at a glance
 Kingdom of Bahrain
 Capital city: Manama
 Independent since August 1970
 Population: 1.4 Mio
 GDP: 31.1 Bio USD
 60+% of the population is below 30 years
 Banking & financial services center
 Home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet

6. Bahrain at a glance

7. Bahrain at a glance - revisited
- Water contamination
- No public sewage system
- No water treatment facility

8. Bahrain at a glance - revisited
- Oversized, fuel-inefficient cars
- No efficient public transport
- No car technical control

9. Bahrain at a glance - revisited
- No stringent construction guidelines
- No insulation
- Poor energy efficiency
- No calcium water treatment

10. Bahrain at a glance - revisited
- Poor initiatives for sorting of waste
- No re-use or recycling of waste

11. Bahrain at a glance - revisited
- Expansion through land reclaim
- Potable water through desalination
- Desertification

12. Conclusion

13. Sustainable development opportunities
SHORT TERM
 Define clear vision & communicate plan
 Build guiding coalition with key stakeholders
 Promote energy efficiency (water, electricity)
 Motivate and facilitate the sorting of waste
 Segregate hazardous waste
 Sanction inadequate personal behavior

14. MEDIUM TERM
 Support energy-efficient house construction
 sustainable insulation
 low-energy lighting specifications
 natural light optimization
 central air-conditioning (rather than split units)
 low flow faucets and toilets
 smart appliances, smart meters, etc.
 Promote local fishermen & organic farming
 Develop reliable public transport
Sustainable development opportunities

15. LONG TERM
 Control & contain desertification
 Use renewable energy sources (sun, wind)
 Recycle waste into valuables
 Change people‟s mentality
 Create civic engagement
Sustainable development opportunities

16. How to improve?
People seldom change their behavior all at
once, but rather go through predictable
phases:
AWARENESS
INTEREST
EVALUATION
ADOPTION

17. How to improve?
AWARENESS
 Public information campaigns
 close or repair water tap
 switch off stand-by power
 switch off light when leaving
 segregate common waste
 etc.
 Educate population in ludic manner

18. How to improve?
INTEREST
 Increase price of utilities
 Reduce plastic bag consumption
 Promote recyclable packaging
 Engage in education at school level
 Reward „early adopters‟

19. How to improve?
EVALUATION
 Continuously measure and monitor
 Evaluate progress towards objectives
 Fine-tune, re-assess, emphasize, …
 Communicate results

20. How to improve?
ADOPTION
 Top-down implementation
 “Reduce – Re-use – Recycle” is the norm
 Sanction incoherent behavior
UAE announced a plan to ban
all plastic carrier bags by 2013
Arabian Business, Feb 2010