Is Sustainability Becoming the New Dogma? Trump’s Provocation and Our Blind Spots

Yesterday at the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump called climate change “the greatest con job ever.” We all know the science is real. Temperatures are rising, floods and fires are happening, glaciers are melting.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: maybe Trump isn’t entirely wrong—not about the climate itself, but about how we are handling it.

When “Green” Becomes a Dogma

Over the past decade, sustainability has gone from an innovation agenda to a political battlefield—and, in many cases, to a corporate dogma.

Instead of being a resource, it risks becoming a burden. Why?

• ROI is ignored. Too many projects have no realistic payback. Good intentions don’t pay the bills.

• Competitiveness suffers. Europe tightens rules while other regions grow with fewer restrictions. We may be saving the planet—and exporting our industries.

• Bureaucracy slows progress. Layers of permits, certifications, and reporting requirements often kill innovation.

• Greenwashing thrives. Net-zero promises in 2050 mean nothing if there’s no measurable plan for 2026.

This isn’t sustainability. It’s ideology dressed as policy.

The Contradictions We Don’t Like to See

Electric cars. Marketed as ethical, but mining cobalt in Congo or lithium in Chile raises social and environmental costs that no one likes to mention. Recycling? Still an unsolved challenge.

Construction. Recyclable materials with short life cycles. Incentives that ignore durability, adaptability, and whole-life carbon. Buildings that hit today’s energy targets—but need premature replacements tomorrow.

Agriculture. Rules written in Brussels but imposed on small farmers who cannot absorb the cost. Is that socially sustainable—or socially blind?

We celebrate “green” policies, but often they are grey—full of contradictions once you look beyond the headlines.

The Problem of Timing

Change is urgent. But transitions forced faster than technology and infrastructure allow… backfire.

• Higher energy costs.

• Protests from workers and farmers.

• Political backlash that destroys public trust.

We need realistic phasing tied to technology readiness, not wishful thinking. Otherwise, sustainability becomes the enemy of society instead of its ally.

The Ethical Blind Spot

We like to say “people and planet,” but too often we forget the third pillar: profit.

Can we call policies “ethical” if they cause unemployment, poverty, or higher inequality? If they make essentials more expensive for millions?

Real sustainability means triple bottom line:

• Environmental.

• Social.

• Economic.

Yet too often, we worship the E and ignore the S and the G.

From Dogma to Discipline: A Managerial Playbook

If we want sustainability to work, we need less ideology and more managerial discipline.

1. Life-cycle thinking (LCA by default). Choose based on durability, adaptability, and recyclability—not just marketing.

2. Performance-based rules. Set outcome targets (CO₂ reduction, energy intensity, recyclability) and let companies innovate freely.

3. ROI-gated green capex. If a project has no clear payback or IRR, don’t call it sustainable—it won’t endure.

4. Permitting reform. Fast-track projects with strong environmental and social benefits. Speed is also a climate tool.

5. Transparency with teeth. Fewer slogans, more standardized metrics tied to incentives.

6. Local supply chains. Shorten critical inputs like battery materials and recycling.

This is not “anti-green.” It is pro-results.

Trump’s Mirror

Trump is wrong about the climate. But his provocation is a mirror.

It forces us to ask:

• Are we turning sustainability into a dogma, detached from competitiveness?

• Are our policies designed to deliver results—or to score political points?

• Are we truly using sustainability as a strategic resource, or as a bureaucratic burden?

The danger isn’t denying climate change. The danger is managing it so poorly that people start believing denial is the only alternative.

My Conclusion

The climate is real. The risks are real. But if we want the transition to succeed, we must stop preaching and start managing.

Sustainability should not be a moral lecture. It should be an innovation agenda:

• Cleaner air.

• Quieter cities.

• Smarter buildings.

• Cheaper bills.

• Stronger industries.

That’s how you build public trust. That’s how you create competitiveness. And that’s how you make sustainability truly sustainable.

What Do You Think?

👉 Are current green policies strengthening your sector—or making it weaker? 👉 Where do you see ROI in the next 24 months? 👉 Which regulation would you rewrite tomorrow to unlock real progress?

💬 Share your examples. Challenge my ideas. Let’s move the discussion beyond slogans.

Because if sustainability is our future—it must be more than a word.

#Sustainability #ClimateChange #ESG #ROI #Competitiveness #GreenTransition #Innovation #Leadership