In 2018, the world’s leading climate scientists warned us that to avert climate change catastrophe we must cut global carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 and become climate neutral by 2050. In order to do this, government and businesses must make unprecedented changes to implement climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Becoming a business on a journey to climate neutrality is no longer a matter of simply “doing the right thing”. It has become a necessary way of future-proofing against environmental risks and threats that will negatively affect business and all people around the world.
Many places around the world are starting to declare a climate emergency whilst many large companies around the world are now addressing these threats by investing in short and long term strategies to mitigate environmental and social risk factors.
How to become a climate neutral business
1: Measure
Like a doctor measuring a patient’s pulse, establishing a baseline carbon footprint provides a valuable indicator of possible areas of where your business needs to improve. By identifying the internal carbon cost and the emission “hotspots” across your business, a clear climate strategy can be defined in order to reduce emissions and ultimately save money too.
At Climate Neutral Group, we use the footprinting software solution CO2management which allows you to set up and be in control of a standardised monitoring system to continuously measure and adjust your targets and strategy.
2: Reduce
Setting science-based targets provides companies with a clearly defined pathway to future-proof growth by specifying how much and how quickly greenhouse gas emissions will need to be reduced while ensuring transformational action is aligned with current climate science.
What is a science-based target?
A science-based target is a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target that is in line with the level of decarbonisation required to keep global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial temperatures, as described in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR5).
Once science-based targets have been set, potential emissions reductions can be identified and a low-carbon transition plan can be developed.
3: Offset
Not all carbon emissions can be eliminated. The remaining unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions can be offset by financing cost-effective low-carbon energy projects which reduce emissions elsewhere.
By offsetting the impact of your business and purchasing the equivalent amount of carbon credits from certified offset projects, you are taking full responsibility for emissions that can’t be eliminated.
Carbon offsetting should not be the only step in a low-carbon strategy and should only be for the emissions that cannot be eliminated.
At climate Neutral Group, we have a number of offsetting projects worth supporting.
How Climate Neutral Group can Help
We are a leading carbon specialists providing carbon management and offsetting services, as well as being an established carbon tax consultant in South Africa.
Contact us to find out how we can assist to become a low carbon and climate neutral business.
