Earth Day is important. We acknowledge it annually because it launched a moment that birthed the U.S. EPA, the Clean Air and Water Acts, and the modern-day environmental and sustainability movement. Most years, the message is strong, we celebrate progress, but the actions often lag.
2021 is proving to be the exception:
- Countries, cities and organizations all over the world are getting behind the United Nations Compact to reduce GHG emission, most notably carbon dioxide (CO2), to a level that will hold temperature increases to no more than 3-dgrees F by 2100: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/.
- In response to the Global Warming Crisis, more than 300 prominent American companies recently urged President Biden to create a plan to cut U.S. GHG emissions by at least 50% over 2005 levels by 2050: https://apnews.com/article/business-leaders-urge-biden-climate-goal-870b2d70a787693465eedd20f85aaf3e.
- In addition, The American Petroleum Institute (API), the lobbying group for the North American oil & gas industry, just this month endorsed the creation of a carbon price as an economic incentive for organizations to reduce their emissions: https://www.api.org/news-policy-and-issues/news/2021/03/24/climate-action-framework.
- Leading up to Earth Day, a group of 13 power companies wrote a letter to President Biden supporting an 80% cut in industry emissions by 2030 through legislation, regulation and the creation of a new Clean Energy Standard: Power companies back regulations that cut electric emissions 80 percent | TheHill.
- Several automotive manufactures, including General Motors, Volvo and Jaguar, have declared their intention of moving to all electric fleets by 2035: https://www.greenmatters.com/p/car-companies-electric-energy-pledge.
All of these astounding climate-related developments outlined above have occurred in the first quarter of 2021 and would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, so there is hope for saving our planet for our children and grandchildren. If we’re successful in achieving our goals to slow down Global Warming and Climate Change, we can look back to April 22, 1970, as the day it all got started.
ECT’s team of experts are here to help business in all industries realize positive change in their business practices, carbon footprint, climate change readiness, and advocacy. Contact Sanjiv Sinha to further the discussion.
