Transformational change is needed to achieve a low-carbon world, and business can deliver it
The Paris Climate Accord signed in December 2015 by 195 countries was an incredible moment in history. Never before had all bar two countries in the world agreed on a single subject and a single goal. Now, in 2017, the remaining countries of Nicaragua and Syria have also signed the agreement which states that:
“Global temperature rise must remain below 2°C and if possible below 1.5°C .”
During the global environmental conference COP23 recently hosted in Bonn, Germany, new scientific studies were released that show we are moving more and more quickly towards 2°C average global temperature rise — a worrying trend and one that we must act quickly to transform. Global greenhouse gas emissions are currently decreasing 3% annually: half of what is required. And yet, the global population are turned off climate change; people are fatigued hearing about the subject. There is perceived to be no happy news from climate change and it is an intangible subject matter to the general public who don’t know how or what to do about it. However, exciting and positive action is happening to prevent further temperature increases. Transformational change is needed and is happening around the world to achieve our climate commitments, delivered by individuals, business and governments.
The Talanoa Dialect
The Presidency of COP was, for the first time, held by a small island state: that of Fiji. The negotiations were opened with a speech by 12-year-old Fijian Timoci Naulusala. He reminded the negotiators that we all have individual responsibility to transform the world we live in and prevent the climate change which is already threatening him, his family and their survival. Fiji also introduced a new way of negotiating the climate agreement; the use of the ancient “Talanoa Dialect”. This simply structured conversation has allowed Fijians to overcome complex issues throughout history by following these three simple questions:
The use of the dialect has breathed new life into the context of the complex climate negotiations, allowing them to move forward and pick up pace ahead of the 2020 implementation of the Paris Climate Accord. But the question now is: how do we deliver transformational change? From my point of view, it consists of innovative technology, industry collaboration and changing the public conversation on climate change.
The potential for the digital economy to create Transformational change
As a global business with global clients who are, like Timoci but in a business context, feeling the effects of climate change, Dentsu Aegis Network must play a role in tackling greenhouse gas emissions for moral and economic reasons. The digital economy offers great opportunity to implement new, low carbon ways of working through investment in technology. In our recent campaign, #DANClimateChallenge, we showcased the exciting technologies that we have available across our global operations for eliminating the need to print and travel. From Follow Me Printing technology to the use of Microsoft Surface Hubs, these tools are transforming the way our people work and reduce our environmental impacts.
We of course then have to consider how we power our digital economy in a low carbon way; at Dentsu Aegis Network, we are committed to purchasing 100% renewable electricity by 2020 for all our offices globally, realising another opportunity that the low carbon, digital economy can provide. We are on track for 25% of our global operations to be powered by renewables by the end of 2017; by the end of 2018, we are aiming for over 60%. The world has reached a tipping point for transformational change in energy production. Producing and purchasing renewable energy has become mainstream and beneficial to business as well as to society. Providing off grid, renewable electricity is alleviating poverty by allowing people in remote parts of the world to study after dark and charge technology, bridging the digital divide in our global society.
The power of collaboration
The 17th Sustainable Development Goal is: “Partnerships for the Goals”. The potential for transformational technology to facilitate collaborative working to achieve partnerships across industry alliances, for example RE100 for renewable energy, but also across our own supply chain as a business is exciting and great. The power of collaboration was shown in a bold move this COP with the launch of the We Are Still In coalition. This group is providing Americans with an alternative to the anti-climate change rhetoric that is being released by the White House. In fact, this group is so large that if it were a country, it would have the 3rd highest GDP in the world; whilst the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement removes roughly 40% of the finance promised in Paris, the We Are Still In Coalition provides roughly $100trillion potential finance (compared to the USA’s $18 billion). This access to finance is vital to push transformational change on global climate and business can facilitate. In addition, the alliance is highlighting that the change in direction by the US government is more of a distraction and will not be able to influence the global shift in action on climate change.
When it comes to our global carbon footprint as a business, business travel and flights are the largest part, comprising almost 60%. Like many businesses, our supply chain also comprises much of our footprint. Whilst we are searching for ways to create transformational change in these areas as a business, we have not achieved them yet. In the wider context, the aviation sector is driving towards carbon neutral growth. However, whilst they are developing fuels with a neutral carbon production, they are still very far away. Likewise, we as a business are attempting to question our ways of working to create transformational change, but in client facing roles, this must come as a joint partnership with our clients.
Setting the climate change agenda
As a global business, Dentsu Aegis Network, its competitors and partners across the media industry must do more to create transformational change within our organisations but also through the influence we have. We will be looking to the future and living this in 2018 and beyond through action on our targets and goals (we are the first media company to purchase renewable electricity in Poland), through our research and thought leadership, and through our work with clients. As a media company, our area of influence may not be finance related, but as Sky is proving with their Ocean Rescue Campaign, we can create transformational change through influence itself. Engaging the public and our clients are what we do best and we must do more of it in a climate and biodiversity context.
