Scaling up Solutions: Why Companies must take Action against Climate Change
Published: 17 January 2023 by Serina Lesnar
In a recent article published, I discussed the myriad of reporting frameworks corporations have the ability to choose from. In this blog, I will take a few steps back to discuss the reason corporations would want to follow these frameworks in the first place. Then, over the next few weeks, we will jump into the actionable options there are to reduce the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions companies are emitting.
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change, more and more companies are beginning to realize the importance of reducing their carbon emissions. But why should voluntary corporations, meaning companies that do not have a legal obligation to lower their greenhouse gasses, care about lowering their emissions at all? There are many reasons, but perhaps the most compelling is the fact that it is simply the right thing to do.
The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels, are causing the Earth’s temperature to rise. This warming is causing a wide range of negative effects, including more frequent and severe heat waves, droughts, and storms, as well as rising sea levels that threaten to inundate low-lying areas. When the planet warms, more water vapor is left in the atmosphere resulting in heavier precipitation and ultimately deadly floods like we have recently seen in California, South Sudan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria to name a few impacted places millions of people call home. Taking a look behind the curtains here — floods do not only cause death and millions of dollars in damaged property, but the effects after these horrendous disasters lead to malnutrition, the spread of diseases such as cholera outbreaks, interrupted education and displaced families according to a recent article by Forbes.
Another way is through the warming of the oceans, which causes sea levels to rise, making coastal areas more susceptible to storm surges and flooding. Warmer water temperatures can also cause the solubility of CO2 in the ocean to decrease, which means less CO2 can be removed from the atmosphere and stored in the ocean from the CO2 corporations are releasing. Further, as the temperature rises, water becomes less dense and CO2 that was previously dissolved in the water can be released back into the air. The productivity of phytoplankton, which are the microscopic plants that form the base of the marine food web and are responsible for most of the ocean’s carbon sequestration, is also reduced with an increase in temperature — leading to less carbon absorption.
Weather patterns are also distorted with climate change from the changes to the jet stream which are strong winds that flow high in the atmosphere and steer weather patterns. When these are disrupted, it causes prolonged periods of extreme heat or cold. When jet streams are changed, there is also the potential harm that the overall timing of seasonal weather patterns change as well, such as earlier snowmelt. On the other side of the equation, extreme Polar Vortexes can occur. When a large area of low pressure, also called a trough, forms over another region, this can cause the jet stream to move south, bringing cold air to the mid-latitudes. This can cause the cold air to be trapped in the trough and create a prolonged period of extremely cold temperatures and heavy snowfall.
So, what can voluntary corporations do to help the planet and people living on it now and in the future? The answer is simple: reduce your emissions. There are many ways to do this, from investing in renewable energy, to improving energy efficiency, to reducing waste and pollution. And the good news is that many of these actions can also save money and help boost the bottom line!
Voluntary corporations have the power to make a real difference in the world. They can set examples for other companies to follow and help create a more sustainable future for us all.
🧠 What does this mean for me? If you are employed at a corporation who is looking to set ambitious targets to lower your greenhouse gas emissions because you care about the science, the people, and the future, follow along on my next posts that discuss the scalable ways to build sustainability into your core values.
