What happened and how did we get here?

An excellent piece in The Times today summarises the factors behind the recent 40+ degree temperatures we’ve seen here in the UK. You can read the full article here but here’s the briefest of snippets…

What is different from last summer is the concentration of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. These trap heat that would otherwise escape into space. Professor Richard Allen of Reading University added: “Moderate hot spells are tipping over the threshold into heatwave conditions”. In turn, what would once have been a strong heatwave now becomes a record-breaking event.

Heatwaves that perhaps occurred once every decade, could now be seen three times every decade.. and potentially every other year by mid-century. There are plenty of statistics that signpost what alarming impacts global warming may have – but the clear question is what can we do about it?

Carbon Emissions – down in the UK, but rising globally

UK carbon emissions peaked in the 1970s and, while this has reduced by over 50% per capita, the decline here in the UK is offset by other countries. Ultimately, overall global carbon emissions are now 5x that of the 1950s – and set to grow.

Net Zero Commitments and Challenges

Bringing emissions under control is a global effort. 135 countries have pledged carbon neutrality. But, according to data by Net Zero Tracker, only 66 have put a target year on their policies, laws or propositions. In the UK, we are committed to 2050, the Net Zero challenge sees growing awareness. This is due in part to the recent heatwave, but also through the recent Conservative Leadership Race where some candidates were reluctant to commit to the 2050 target. The cost of living crisis has also brought the issue to the fore. In a recent article, Ed Atkins, writing for the Economic Observatory commented: As a cost of living crisis bites, some politicians and commentators are turning against the agenda to pursue ‘net-zero’ emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Recent months have seen decarbonisation labelled as anti-democratic and too expensive in an era of rising energy bills.” He goes on to debunk many of these claims concluding that: “While some would have us believe that net zero is the cause of our problems and has no place in a cost of living crisis, the opposite is true. Far from abandoning net zero, it should be expanded and accelerated to allow for warmer homes and new jobs, and to end our dependence on fossil fuels”.

Small Changes, Big Impacts

While change is urgently needed on a global scale, we must do more here in the UK. Companies can start to measure and commit to reducing their carbon emissions. In almost all cases it is viable to reach Net Zero far quicker than the deadline of 2050. We can demand better performance from our global supply chain network, invest in green technologies and encourage our teams to play an active role in reducing the business carbon footprint.

These are challenging times for all of us – both as consumers, and as business professionals. But reducing carbon emissions is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for business. It is a race to mitigate the catastrophic potential impacts of global warming – and something in which we must all play a role.