A NEW campaign called 'Business Action on Climate' has been launched to challenge organisations in the north to address the climate crisis by working to achieve ambitious reduction targets for their greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.
A cornerstone of the campaign, the Climate Action Pledge, invites signatories to commit to cut their GHG emissions by 50 per cent or 30 per cent by 2030, ahead of the UK government trajectory to achieving net zero by 2050.
The campaign, led by responsible business network Business in the Community (BITC in collaboration with the CBI, FSB, IoD and NI Chamber, puts Northern Ireland businesses at the forefront of action on the climate crisis.
A steering group of climate champions made up of leading business representatives from ABP Food Group, Danske Bank, Encirc, NI Water, Power NI, SONI and Translink, support the campaign and have been instrumental in setting and agreeing the terms of the Pledge.
To support signatories to achieve their targets, BITC will provide a range of guidance and support including climate literacy training; workshops and advisory support on climate related risks and opportunities; and GHG footprinting and guidance on measuring emissions.
Through the campaign, BITC will share best practice examples from organisations in Northern Ireland and beyond and provide opportunities to network and collaborate with organisations in similar and different sectors, as well develop links to local carbon offsetting initiatives.
Kieran Harding, managing director at Business in the Community, said: “We’ve had warnings about the very real threat of the climate breakdown for decades, but the Covid-19 crisis has shown that even in a world stopped in its tracks our GHG emissions have not decreased enough to meet the Paris Agreement and limit global temperature rise under 1.5°C.
“As we invent a new business norm, bolder, collaborative, and practical action is not only necessary, it’s urgent.
“Through the Business Action on Climate and the Climate Action Pledge, we are giving organisations here the opportunity to come together and prove to their communities, stakeholders, customers and employees that they are taking ambitious action on the climate crisis - but there’s no time to waste.”
For more information on the campaign visit bitcni.org.uk/climate or email environment@bitcni.org.uk.
