Climate change is everyone’s concern and each one of us can step up to take action. Here is a quick overview of climate change, its impacts, and what you can do as an individual and a business.
The tragedy of the horizon
Back in 2015, Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, warned that climate change would lead to a financial crisis and falling living standards. Unless the world’s leading countries would ensure that their companies come clean about their current and future carbon emissions.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to below 2°C, ideally to 1.5 ̊C versus pre-industrial levels. This objective was ratified in this year’s Glasgow Climate Pact.
Some effects of global warming include extreme heat, a decline in agricultural yields, and tropical coral damage. This might lead to food insecurity, heatwaves, flooding, and economical damage in the future.
What can your organization do to take action?
Climate change is already impacting the world and businesses. So how can we make a difference? We’ve listed eight ideas on how your company can take action, and start building trust by helping protect our planet.
- Take a risk assessment and see how your business is impacted by climate change.
- Evaluate your carbon footprint and take action to reduce your GHG emissions.
- Disclose your actions on steps 1 and 2.
- Use an internationally recognized framework for steps 1 to 3 such as The Science Based Targets initiative and the Carbon Disclosure Project.
- Offset remaining emissions via high-quality biodiversity projects.
- Raise awareness among your colleagues making them understand why this is important and help them take action.
- Engage clients, suppliers, and business partners: carbon emissions for most companies are indirect as they are linked to the use of products or sourcing of raw materials.
- Ensure your lobbying doesn’t hinder climate action efforts.
What can you do as an individual to take action on climate change?
We all have the power to fight climate change, but it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Here are five ways to start making a difference.
- Take a carbon footprint assessment and understand where you can take action to reduce your impact regarding mobility, food, energy, travel, and consumption patterns.
- Raise awareness and attend a Climate Fresk – a collaborative workshop explaining the science behind climate change. Only when everyone understands the current climate emergency will we be able to act at the necessary scale. We are proud facilitators of the Climate Fresk.
- Take the course Climate Solutions 101 by Project Drawdown and learn about tangible solutions to climate change from experts.
- Try the En-ROADS Simulator by Climate Interactive – a transparent, freely-available policy simulation model that gives everyone the chance to design their own scenarios to limit future global warming.
- Visit the Carbon Map – an interactive map to help convey how different countries fit into the climate change picture – both the causes and the risks
Did you find these tips helpful?
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