Energy Magazine October 2019 | Page 68

WHY SET SCIENCE BASED TARGETS ?
SUSTAINABILITY
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2015 saw 195 governments commit to the Paris Agreement to prevent dangerous climate changes , with targets to limit increased global temperatures to below 2oC by the next century ( 2100 ). Today , Science Based Targets ( SBT ) – a collaborative initiative between CDP , the United Nations Global Compact ( UNGC ), the World Resources Institute ( WRI ), the World Wide Fund for Nature ( WWF ) and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments – aim to provide clear and ambitious objectives , approve and assess company targets , promote best practice , showcase companies involved , and offer guidance and resources to those in the initiative and those wanting to join .

To date , 611 companies have committed to SBT ’ s call to action against climate change . The initiative states that many have “ the skills , expertise and ingenuity to make this a reality – but need ambitious emissions reduction targets that ensure the transformational action they take is aligned with current climate science .”
WHY SET SCIENCE BASED TARGETS ?
Greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions have continued to increase dramatically since the Industrial Revolution , resulting in the world heading towards a global temperature change of + 4-6oC by 2100 . To avoid floods , droughts , rising sea levels and extreme weather , the private and
OCTOBER 2019