Monthly Sustainability News (November)

Hello!

As 2023 draws to a close, I’m so excited to share this month’s Sustainability in Action newsletter with you.

This month, I’d like to bring attention to the importance of the global COP28 climate meetings taking place in Dubai right now, and what many hope will result from the negotiations.

And, as always, I’ve also created a roundup of positive eco news from around the world. This includes an open letter from world business leaders ahead of COP 28, the EU’s Declaration on Cycling, solutions to scale the use of EVs across cities, scope 4 emissions, and how transitioning to a circular economy can be a climate strategy.

I value your feedback: let me know your thoughts and suggestions at [email protected] (or simply reply to this newsletter).

COP 28 and the Role of Nature in the Global Climate Agenda ??

The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) kicked off this week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

All eyes will be on COP28, as it marks a significant milestone in worldwide efforts to address climate change.

One of the hot topics on the agenda will be the first-ever Global Stocktake, as well as the potential for countries to agree on phasing out fossil fuels.

Let’s explore why COP28 is important, what will be on the agenda for these critical global meetings, what role nature can play in climate solutions, and what the likely outcomes of COP28 will be.

Why is COP28 so important? ??

Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing humanity. Science has shown that we have a small window of opportunity to limit warming to 1.5°C. The impacts of climate change are already being felt around the world: from floods, wildfires, and heat waves, to droughts and changes in rainfall patterns.

COP28 therefore presents a chance for the world to come together, take stock of where we’re at with climate action, and course-correct. It’s also a chance to raise awareness about the important role of nature in addressing climate change and helping achieve progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

What will be on the agenda at COP28? ??

Last year, when over 80 countries supported the phasing out of fossil fuels at COP27, the proposal didn’t garner sufficient support to be included in the final agreement.

So the big question for this year’s agenda is whether governments will now commit to phase out fossil fuels and to adopt more renewable energy sources.

Another critical agenda point will be discussions around the first Global Stocktake since the Paris Agreement in 2015. This stocktake is an assessment of how much countries have achieved towards limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared with pre-industrial levels.

Many expect that this Global Stocktake, which shows that the world is off-track to meeting the Paris Agreement targets, will help galvanise support, inspire ambition, and accelerate action for scaling climate solutions.

It’s expected that nature and nature-based solutions to climate change will also feature prominently at the COP28.

The role of nature as a climate solution ??

Nature’s significant role in addressing climate change is gaining recognition. Andrew Deutz of The Nature Conservancy describes nature as “the stealth issue for this COP”.

Nature and climate change are inextricably linked, and nature-based solutions can help tackle both the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis. COP28 therefore provides an opportunity for countries to commit to implementing more nature-based solutions as part of their climate strategies.

The private sector will also be at COP28, showing their support for a nature-positive future.? A range of tools, guides, and recommendations have been developed to help the business sector (and others) transition towards being nature-positive.

The Nature Strategy Handbook, for example, is a useful guide for businesses to develop their own nature strategies. It builds on the ACT-D High-Level Business Actions on Nature, providing a set of guiding questions, recommendations, and resources to help businesses develop a strategy for nature or a sustainability strategy that incorporates nature.

Care has been taken to ensure alignment between different guidelines, recommendations, and handbooks - such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations, guidance provided by the Science-based Targets Network (SBTN) - and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Roadmaps to Nature Positive.

What are the hopeful outcomes of COP28? ??

There are high hopes that the global stocktake will inspire ambitious commitments, policies and action to scale the change needed to meet the 1.5°C warming limit target. For many, that includes the hope that the meeting will agree to a global phasing out of fossil fuels.

Reaching consensus among hundreds of countries with different priorities, challenges and resources is likely to take considerable effort in negotiation and diplomacy.

Ultimately, finance for implementing emission reductions and climate adaptation is required to unlock climate action and it’s hoped that both the public and private sectors will contribute sufficient financing commitments to enable transformative change and a just transition.

And, putting nature at the heart of the climate agenda is another hope for the conference. Prioritising nature as a climate solution, through public and private sector collaboration, can also deliver tangible benefits for achieving the interlinked UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Positive eco-news from November

There is a lot to be positive about this month! Below are some exciting happenings from around the world related to COP28, sustainable mobility in Europe, the rollout of EV charging stations, the potential of scope 4 emissions, and how the circular economy can be a solution for climate change.

Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders share open letter to world leaders for COP28

Over 100 CEOs and senior executives from companies around the globe have shared an open letter to world leaders before the start of COP28.

These leaders are calling for transformative policies and actions to meet net zero targets. Specifically, the letter calls for the public and private sectors to halve CO2 emissions by 2030.

Representing $4 trillion in revenue and 12 million staff, these companies’ signatories include Julie Sweet of 埃森哲 , Dr Alan Belfield of 奥雅纳 , Bob Sternfels 麦肯锡 , Lars Fruergaard J?rgensen of 诺和诺德 , Marc Benioff of Salesforce , Henrik Andersen of 维斯塔斯 , and Svein Tore Holsether of Yara International .

The EU just released a new declaration on cycling: Here's what it means for net-zero

The EU has adopted a 'European Declaration on Cycling', which recognises and promotes the important role of the cycle in decarbonising the transport sector.

The Declaration aims to help get more people cycling and makes biking a strategic priority. It also commits cities to developing cycling networks and to building bicycle highways between cities, while also connecting rural areas.

Some of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities are in Europe and include Utrecht, Münster, Antwerp, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Malm?.

This innovative idea could help scale urban EV charging infrastructure

To scale the use of electric vehicles in cities around the world, the number of car chargers needs to be scaled significantly. In the US alone, it’s expected that at least 1 million charging plugs will be required to support 48 million EVs by 2030.

An innovative, scalable and equitable solution to this problem, is the deployment of a profit-sharing model where EV plugs are provided by building owners across cities.

This could allow for the rapid expansion of EV charging infrastructure in the streets where many cars already park overnight. It’s likely this business model would attract support from communities keen to share in the revenue as a passive income.

You've probably heard of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, but what are Scope 4 emissions?

Companies are setting targets to cut their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. But, have you heard of Scope 4 emissions?

Scope 4 emissions are often called “avoided emissions” and are a voluntary metric that was developed by the WRI, which several companies have since adopted. Scope 4 avoided emissions resulting from products that have been designed to be more energy-efficient or environmentally friendly.

An example of scope 4 emissions, which typically occur outside a company’s value chain, is a phone’s energy-saving battery which reduces electricity consumption and therefore reduces overall emissions related to using the product.

While there’s currently no mandatory reporting of scope 4 emissions, they can be a useful metric to report on for companies as they can help reduce carbon footprints and become seen as climate action leaders.

Nine ways a circular economy can help avert the climate crisis

Transitioning to a circular economy is not only good for sustainability, but it can also be a climate strategy.

New research from the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) shows 9 ways in which we can take action on climate change through circularity. These actions can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support a sustainable clean energy transition, and enhance adaptation to climate change.

This will require a shift in consumption patterns, a focus on product circularity in the design phase, the incorporation of circularity across clean energy value chains, and the integration of circular strategies into national climate policies and plans. Furthermore, it will be important to investigate the role of the circular economy in climate change adaptation in more detail.

Thank you for reading this month's edition of Sustainability in Action!

If you’re going to be attending sessions at COP28, I hope you have productive meetings and I’m keen to hear about your events and outcomes. Feel free to drop in a link to open, online, sustainability-related sessions (in the comments below).

I hope you enjoyed reading this month's edition of Sustainability in Action. Stay tuned for more updates and insights in future newsletters. Together, we can make a difference and create a more sustainable world.

— JB

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