Today is the International Day of Climate Action. The intentions of the day are to help educate the public about how human activity is negatively contributing to climate change. This day helps to highlight the urgent need for action.
What is Anthropogenic Climate Change?
Anthropogenic climate change is defined as the impacts human activity is having on the Earth’s climate. Climate change is defined as long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Although climate change can be natural due to large volcanic eruptions or the suns activity, it has been found that human activity has been the main driver of climate change since the 1800s mainly due to burning fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels generate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) which trap the suns heat consequently leading to rising temperatures. The main two GHG emissions are carbon dioxide and methane which are produced from agricultural practices such as deforestation and livestock. Other activities such as driving petrol or diesel cars, and heating buildings also contribute significantly to the release of GHG emissions into the atmosphere.
Scientists have found that the temperature of the Earth’s surface is approximately 1.2°C warmer than the late 1800s(1). The consequences of climate change could be catastrophic for many people, species and ecosystems across the globe. Consequences include increased risks of drought, flooding, water scarcity, increased frequency of catastrophic storms, fires, rising sea levels and declining biodiversity.
Climate change could affect our ability to grow food and our overall health and safety. People are already beginning to feel the effects of climate change in relation to natural disasters with people already having to relocate due to sea level rise.
Global and National Commitments
The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement sets out to tackle the negative impacts of climate change. The agreement is an internationally binding treaty, currently, 195 parties have joined the Paris Agreement. The agreement commits all countries to reduce their emissions to ensure we limit global temperatures to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels with efforts being made to limit global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
UK Commitments
The UK is committed to net zero by 2050 and has pledged at the UN climate negotiation to cut emissions by 68% by 2030. Scotland have set their own target to try and become a net zero economy by 2045. The UK have set strategies for reducing these emissions including accelerating decarbonisation, making electricity cheaper and strengthening adaptation. They have also introduced a number of new policies including the Great British Energy Bill which looks at setting up a publicly owned clean power company to encourage investments in renewable energy and the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill which looks to support the production of sustainable fuels.
The Transition Plan Taskforce
The Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) has been introduced by the UK and was established to help develop and promote best practice for transition plans to help aid the shift towards a net-zero economy. TPT will help the UK achieve its target of net zero by 2050.
The TPT aims to ensure that companies, financial institutions, and organisations in the UK have climate transition plans in place. These plans detail how these organisations will adapt their business models, operations, and investments to align with the country’s net-zero goals and the global Paris Agreement. The TPT framework is also designed to be consistent with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
Science Based Targets Initiative
The Science Based Targets Initiatives (SBTi) helps to define best practice for setting science-based targets and offers tools and guidance to ensure companies and financial institutions can set targets in line with the most current climate science. The SBTi sets out targets to halve emissions by 2030 and become net zero by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement. Businesses need to commit to Science Based Targets to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement to ensure a sustainable future for all.
How Achieve Goal 12 can help
Achieve Goal 12 can help you take meaningful action in response to the challenges outlined in this blog about climate change. We simplify complex climate-related commitments, such as those in the Paris Agreement and the UK’s net-zero goals, by providing tailored support to businesses and organisations. Our services include double materiality assessments, gap analysis of your current sustainability strategies, and detailed action plans to help reduce emissions and align with climate targets. By working with us, you’ll receive expert guidance to ensure your efforts are focused on the areas that need the most attention, and your reporting is fully compliant. Contact us today to see how we can support your journey to a more sustainable future.
1. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change