We in Veolia are proud to have signed up to the new Business in the Community Ireland Low Carbon Pledge along with 60 other businesses. The #LowCarbonPledge calls on all Irish businesses to set science-based emission reduction targets by 2024.
We recognise the barriers and complexities in delivering the changes needed. It is with initiatives such as the Low Carbon Pledge that we are going to overcome these barriers, by working collectively to build business capacity and foster innovation.
Setting science-based emission reduction targets by 2024 at the latest, as required by the Low Carbon Pledge, is a fundamental action if we want to build resilient and robust businesses.
BITC Ireland Low Carbon Pledge Launch
What are science based targets?
Science-based targets are greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that are informed by the latest climate science.
In 2015, the world came together under the Paris Climate Agreement and agreed to address climate change and limit global warming to below two degrees from pre-industrial levels. Fast forward a few years, and the goal posts have moved. Our new target is now 1.5 degrees if we want to live in a world as we know it today.
More than ever, business needs to set robust climate reduction targets that are based on these global requirements. Setting ambitious science-based targets is a critical first step towards playing our part against climate change.
How can this be achieved?
Achieving these targets will not be easy. Companies will have to change the way they produce their products and deliver their services and focus on their entire value chain.
By signing up to the Low Carbon Pledge we commit to setting a series of ambitious goals that will provide us with a clear path to reduce our carbon emissions across our entire business and supply chain (scope 1,2,3 emissions).
We will also continue to work with our customers to develop solutions that help them to reduce their emissions and reduce their carbon footprint.
Reporting
We are committed to mapping our performance against the UN Sustainable Development Goals to show our commitment to sustainable development and to publishing our overall sustainability performance in our annual Sustainability Report.
