As many will know in 2016 when the Paris Agreement was reached, the consensus was to set long term goals to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement was to hold global temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.
In his new year message, UN Secretary General António Guterres advised us “we have just endured a decade of deadly heat. The top ten hottest years on record have happened in the last ten years, including 2024,” he further noted “this is climate breakdown — in real time. We must exit this road to ruin — and we have no time to lose.”
The fact is, there has been a collective failure to act decisively and effectively to slow climate change and to protect the natural world. Regrettably, all the indicators are pointing to the fact that 2024 will be the first calendar year when the global temperature has exceeded the 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
In November, Climate Action Tracker updated their warming projections, reflecting the various changes by governments to their national pledges and actions being implemented.
Due to the lack of positive action the “real world action” is currently heading us to somewhere towards 2.7°C above pre-industrial levels which places us in a natural environment unlike anything the human race has ever endured.
November 2024 was 1.62°C above the pre-industrial level and was the 16th month in a 17-month period for which the global-average surface air temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (Copernicus November 2024).
We have reached a critical tipping point and are already seeing signs that we are accelerating warming towards 2.0°C above pre-industrial levels and therefore, the risk to our environment, to business and to our everyday lives are growing by the day.
It is not all doom and gloom; there are many positives happening in the UK and internationally, but not at a fast enough pace. For example, the UKs transition to a renewable energy generation is moving forward steadily with wind, solar and hydro all providing an increased share of generation. The last coal fired power station has now closed. However, opportunities have been missed to enable us to be at a more advanced position.
Frustratingly, there has been a lack of leadership from politicians and as many have observed, too much talk and not enough sufficient action. Therefore, it will fall upon our society and businesses, large and small to drive the change to ensure we have an environment in which we can live comfortably and be in a position to manage risks.
Managing our natural environment and resource use is a key pillar within ESG. All organisations have a duty to consider the risks they face, identify the opportunities to change and actively reduce their impact on the environment.
It’s a misconception to think that due to its size, your business cannot influence matters. When you review your supply chain and the products or services being purchased, the extent and reach into our globally connected world is often surprising and therefore, we all can influence to advocate for better practices on the environment and the ability to promote change.
Impact reviews often highlight the need for collaboration with both suppliers and distributors to achieve sustainable change and this can be in everyone’s interest to ensure the future viability of a market segment or opportunity. Collaboration has the potential to contribute to global efforts to slow the warming impact of climate change.
If 2024 is to be a milestone for the wrong reasons, the time for positive steps is now.
The next 5 years are critical and whilst businesses often immediately focus on the sales or promotional plan at the start of a new year, in 2025, the focus needs to be an impact review on environmental factors, looking for changes which support sustainability. Enabling businesses to shape the strategy ensuring they have a sustainable business and market which will still be flourishing in 2030.