Imagine your house is on fire. The kitchen and living room are entirely gone. And the people responsible for starting the fire tell you not to worry, that by 2050, the firefighters will arrive.
This is precisely how I read these meaningless pledges validated by the SBTi.
We have known for years that the window to stay below 1.5C was most likely gone. All IPCC scenarios in the AR6, under which we stayed below that cap, show we needed a peak in CO2e emissions before 2020. I wrote about it here:
https://lnkd.in/dZ6UKPiP
Then, almost a year ago, an update on the remaining carbon budget to stay under 1.5C came to light, informing us half of the budget from 2019 was gone. Meaning less likelihood to reach the climate target. I also shared the scientific study here:
https://lnkd.in/dUBqwewg
With 2023 being 1.48C above preindustrial levels according to the latest data from Copernicus ECMWF and with a likelihood of 32% that the five-year global mean temperature will surpass the 1.5°C threshold, as per the World Meteorological Organisation, it is more evident than ever that we are at a tipping moment in history, already transgressing the most ambitious of the #parisagreement goals.
That means we need to move the global goal net zero date for CO2 from around 2050 to about 2035, as already explained last year by climate scientists:
https://lnkd.in/dvbazP2U
But no one wants to talk about this. Organizations are in denial, and the SBTi actively supports a meaningless narrative of reaching #netzero2050 to stay under 1.5C. It is as if the “Science Based Target initiative” was not following the science…
Moreover, if you or I dare to point at these facts, many will call us climate doomers. Since when pointing at the scientific evidence, calling for recognizing our failures and reshaping our climate goals to fit the new reality is being pessimistic?
For how much longer are we going to allow organizations to sell us the idea everything will be fine in 25 years when our common home is already on fire, and the lives of millions are at stake? We need more ambitious goals and commitments that reflect the urgency created by the #planetarycrisis we face, and the sooner, the better.
#climatechange #parisagreement #climatechangemitigation #netzero #ghgemissions
🎯Our target dashboard has been updated!
There are now more than 4,265 organizations with validated science-based targets, and more than 7,215 companies taking action.
🙌 Congratulations to all of these for their commitment to robust, credible action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions!
Head to our website for more information about the targets and commitments of all organizations setting science-based targets. 👇
https://brnw.ch/21wEJfn
#SBTiScaleup
Product Transformation Strategy | Ecodesign, LCA, Footprinting | Fashion & Sporting Goods at Quantis (a BCG Company)
5moYour sustainability report is one of the best I’ve seen in industry and should be studied by other brands. So is that massive scope 3 emissions reduction. Way to go Katina Boutis and team!