The Society for the Environment (SocEnv) is proud to be among the leaders of a new initiative ‘Pledge to Net Zero’. The pledge gives industry organisations and private businesses the platform to lead the way and commit to achieving science-based targets to meet UK’s 2050 net zero greenhouse gas emissions target.
‘Pledge to Net Zero’ is the first industry commitment in the UK requiring science-based targets from its signatories to tackle carbon emissions within their organisations.
The pledge aims to support the UK’s net zero greenhouse gas targets in line with the Paris Climate Agreement 2015, which set a global goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The commitment, aimed at organisations working within the environmental services sector, comes at a time where more than four-fifths of the world’s largest companies are unlikely to meet the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement to limit rising temperatures to 1.5⁰C of pre-industrialised levels by the middle of the century.
The initiative is led by SocEnv alongside the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), together with leading environmental consultancies WSP and AECOM, seeks to make the sector a leader for taking action on climate change.
All signatories are committing to the pledge below, which is separated into three different elements:
1. Set and commit to deliver a greenhouse gas target in line with either a 1.5°C or well below 2°C climate change scenario – covering buildings and travel as a minimum.
2. Publicly report greenhouse gas emissions and progress against this target each year
3. Publish one piece of research or thought-leadership piece each year on practical steps to deliver a net zero greenhouse gas economy. Alternatively, signatories may choose to provide mentoring and support for smaller signatory companies in setting targets, reporting and meeting the requirements of the pledge.
To find out more and/or to make a pledge, please visit www.pledgetonetzero.org.
The full news release can be viewed via the Society for the Environment (SocEnv) website