Four years on from the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s easy to look back in hindsight and see the effectiveness of urgent action taken to help save lives. Protecting the immediate health of citizens to the point of quickly executing ecological decisions aided in ensuring public health and safety. But as we distance ourselves from the height of the pandemic, it has become clear that the same firm stance towards protecting human health is nowhere near close when it comes to combatting the climate crisis with environmental policy.
A short-term but imminent environmental threat would be needed to create the same level of urgency that a public health crisis would. However, when it comes to climate crisis consequences, by the time they become visible it will already be too late. Moreover, it is only when consequences become local and unavoidable that action is made with any level of immediacy – otherwise, on a global scale, it can be pushed to the side as someone else’s responsibility. Policymakers must incentivise and enact meaningful green change before the climate crisis creates global damage beyond repair.
Reward companies that embrace sustainability, penalise those that don't
EU SMBs have the chance to receive up to 10,000 euros, courtesy of the European Enterprise Network issuing energy efficiency grants for projects supporting energy optimisation. These initiatives must reduce the company’s overall energy consumption by more than five per cent, providing a needed reward for businesses that adopt sustainability agendas and create a greener footprint for their operations.
Financial incentives are a great way to encourage greener agendas and meaningful change to operations. But this is only a small step in the right direction. More can be done on a governmental level to support changes before it is too late. A firm hand to sanction businesses that refuse to embrace sustainability is more effective in getting them in line, as green initiatives need to be adopted by the majority to have the best effect. The responsibility lies with governments to ensure others are taking steps on the road to net zero, as an unchecked climate crisis threatens everyone – not just the biggest offenders.
Are your current plans crisis-ready?
The UK government has no credible plan when it comes to combatting and standing resilient against the increasing effect of extreme weather and the climate crisis, as highlighted by the UK Committee for Climate Change (CCC). Government policy is currently failing us. Unless there is a financial motive or a benefit to the national economy, there is no interest in investing in meaningful change for the environment’s sake. This will only be to the detriment of future generations that will be forced to suffer its consequences.
Summits like COP28 spark the discussion for meaningful climate reform. Most recently, it was the source of an agreement signalling the “beginning of the end” for the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, equitable transition underpinned by deep emissions cuts. Global demonstrations of the power of unity in government are great wins, but action to ensure legitimate follow-through across both governments and businesses is also key. It cannot be all talk – substantial action is needed.
Pressuring the largest industry competitors – particularly the food industry
Scrutinising the biggest offenders and industry contributors is key to minimise overall environmental impacts. The food industry – particularly the food processing sector – is a key target for criticism. Despite massive technological advancements over the past few decades, many food processing businesses still cling to outdated, traditional processes. Embracing these advancements is no longer just an option, but a necessity when it comes to optimising processes for sustainability.
Sustainable reform is needed across dairy supply and processing lines. Businesses must be concerned about their climate impact and carbon footprint when making decisions about upgrades to operations, making the effort needed to cut back on their emissions now more than ever. Cutting back is key on a business-by-business basis, but governments can support dairy lines to aid their sustainability initiatives and future-proof operations on the road to net zero in the long run.
Business leaders are more conscious than ever about making their agendas greener and upgrading to more sustainable technologies. But if governments give businesses support, we can see steady global change as a combination of everyone doing their part. Whilst urgent action would be the best-case scenario, ultimately it is more realistic to accept that net zero will be a long road. A firm hand on the wheel will surely get everyone to their destination.
Rasmus Mortensen, chief vision officer at Lyras
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