CLEARING THE AIR
Science-based targets help businesses understand and reduce their impact on the environment.
The months-long Covid-19 pandemic has taken a terrible toll on economies and the wellbeing of people worldwide, but it’s certainly not the only threat humanity faces.
With so much attention and energy being devoted to the pandemic, many people have taken their eye off the longer-term existential threat posed by the climate crisis.
If there was any silver lining in the Covid cloud, it was that restrictions imposed by governments to contain the pandemic — in the form of border closures, flight cancellations and lockdowns — led to drastic changes in energy use and declines in global carbon dioxide emissions.
Research published in May in the journal Nature Climate Change showed that daily global CO2 emissions plunged by 17% by early April compared with2019 levels. The weeks-longcurtailment of economic activity in China led to a 25% reduction in the country’s carbon emissions.
Air quality also improved. Residents of cities such as Beijing marvelled at how blue their skies had become. Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) showed that China’s average PM2.5 levels fell by 33%, while nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels dropped by 40% from the same period last year.
However, after lockdowns were lifted, China’s CO2 emissions shot back up, rising 4-5% year-on-year in May, together with NO2, PM2.5 and sulphur dioxide (SO2) read ings. The result was a surge of air pollution past pre-coronavirus levels. It was driven by industrial emissions after coal-fired power generation, cement manufacturing and oil consumption got back on track.
MEASURE AND MANAGE
Business sits at the heart of the solutions required to reverse the climate emergency. But first, they need to know exactly how their activities are affecting the climate — as the old saying goes, something cannot be managed if it cannot be measured. In this case, measurement tools are required so that science-based targets can be set.
“Being able to address climate change as a business, first you need to understand how to measure the impact your business has on the environment,” says Rainbow Cheung, senior manager for sustainability at Salesforce Asia Pacific, a cloud-based company specialising in customer relationship management (CRM) services.
Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with the level of decarbonisation required to limit the rise in global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius, and with the ambition of getting to 1.5C or lower.
The targets are championed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a collaborative effort involving the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a UK-based monitoring group; the UN Global Compact; the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It helps businesses set ambitious but achievable targets by independently assessing and offering resources, workshops and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption.
Worldwide, a total of 924 companies — including some global household names like Tesco and Coca-Cola — are currently participating, with 427 having set their targets. Three Thai companies have signed on: PTT Global Chemical and NR Instant Produce Co Ltd have expressed their commitments, while Fortune Parts Industry Plc has moved to the next stage by setting its targets.
“Science-based targets are a way to alleviate some of the negative impacts by focusing on deep decarbonisation,”said Paola Delgado, corporate engagement manager of the SBTi, at a recent online forum organised by various UN organisations.
For example, sheexplained, to measure greenhouse gas emissions, most companies across the world use the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which has become a global standard for measuring, managing and reporting emissions.
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol categorises emissions into three scopes. Scopes 1 and 2 cover all the direct and indirect emissions from internal operations including fuel combustion on-site such as company facilities and vehicles, as well as electricity purchased and used by the company.
Scope 3 emissions represent all other indirect emissions from the entire value chain of which the company is a part. Such activities — from sources not owned by the company but linked with it through the supply chain and other ways — typically are the greatest share of the carbon footprint. Forexample, they can include emissions associated with business travel, employee commuting, waste and water, and investment.
Committed companies must meet the cr - teria for setting a science-based target. The target boundary must be company-wide, covering all emissions included in the GHG Protocol, and must cover Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The commitment timeframe must cover a minimum of five years. Companies are als required to disclose their greenhousegas emissions on an annual basis.
The commitment might seem daunting t some companies, especially at a time when keeping costs under control has become a priority. However, technology is making meas urement easier and cheaper.
Our supply hain is very herefore we ave started to support suppliers’ decarbonisation activities HI MITS ATAN
Head f sustainability management Rico