THE world can accelerate climate action and halve carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030, but it will require urgent and sustained action.
That was the message from Schneider Electric Chairman and CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire in his recent keynote address at the launch of the company’s Innovation Summit World Tour 2021.
The tour aims to address global climate challenges and guide customers, partners, regulators, and policymakers on rapidly reducing emissions to decarbonise the world’s economy.
Tricoire’s urged attendees to adopt critical decarbonisation measures and offers Schneider Electric’s own research as a blueprint to stay within a global warming trajectory of 1.5°C degrees.
The report details the need to reduce emissions by 30-50 percent this decade, compared to current levels. Missing this makes it virtually impossible to limit temperature rise to a 1.5°C degree threshold as outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).
The company is calling for a 3-5 times greater effort from governments and corporates. The Institute believes the only realistic roadmap for success is to deploy proven digital technologies alongside increased electrification as the fastest way to decarbonise buildings, transport, and industry.
This approach buys time to address hard-to-abate sectors. Its modelling clearly shows alternative pathways will place too high a burden on consumers.
“Despite increased momentum around sustainability and more companies adopting ambitious targets to tackle climate change, this research reveals how we need to speed up. At Schneider Electric, we are uniquely part of the solution,” Tricoire said.
“To support organizations in their quest to decarbonise at pace and deliver on their climate commitments, we are accelerating the expansion of our global sustainability consulting services business to meet the increasing demand for meaningful progress on energy transition and climate action goals.”
