Six designers tackle sustainability from food, waste and even death

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the most challenging markets in need of clean energy solutions, with large humanitarian challenges and widespread population needs. But the future of sustainable development in the country rests on its ability to scale clean energy solutions and manage its diverse environmental ecosystem.  The DRC is home to the world’s second largest tropical forest massif after the Amazon with nearly 155.5 million hectares of forest. Forests (60 percent of the Congo Basin) are rich in animal and plant biodiversity (5th in the world) and provide important goods and services (non-wood forest products, timber, wood energy, bushmeat, traditional pharmacopoeia, etc.) on which the lives of thousands of rural people depend. However, a combination of population growth, poverty, poor governance and the administrative deficit is leading to deforestation and forest degradation in the country.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has approved over €1.4m in vital COVID-19 supports for Gaeltacht companies over the past few months.

Sustainability presents a considerable opportunity for the Swiss financial centre. The government primarily acts as a facilitator in this context, cultivating an intensive dialogue with the financial industry and supporting the creation of an optimal regulatory framework.  The competitiveness of Switzerland’s financial centre must be supported, but at the same time, steps need to be taken towards greater sustainability. Financial markets that want to remain successful must be stable and trustworthy.