The 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) is in full swing. While parties are still debating how to set carbon pricing, more than 500 B-type companies have voluntarily pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, hoping to cool down the overheated planet. The 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25), currently being held in Madrid, Spain, will conclude today (December 13, 2019). The two-week conference focused on blue oceans and carbon pricing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated: "This is not a climate dialogue summit, we have had enough dialogue; this is not a climate 'negotiation' summit, we cannot negotiate with nature, this is a climate 'action' summit." [Image source: United Nations Climate Change] Even before COP25, global B-type companies had appealed to and urged CEOs of the Business Roundtable to "not just talk the talk, but walk the walk," and invited them to participate in "Let's Get to Work!" Corporate Voluntary Emission Reduction Commitments: Currently, over 500 B-type companies globally have publicly pledged at COP25 to achieve Net Zero Emissions 2030, accelerating efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius—20 years ahead of the 2050 target set by the Paris Agreement. Notable brands include Patagonia (US outdoor sports brand), Allbirds (US natural materials leisure sports brand), and The Guardian (UK). This not only significantly reduces carbon emissions but is also one of the world's largest corporate climate action initiatives. Among them are eight Taiwanese B-type companies: Green Vine Organics: Green Vine will research and procure carbon-negative raw materials, adopt new materials for repackaging, advocate for reducing unnecessary consumption, and collaborate on developing organic Moringa fields in Africa to actively reduce carbon emissions. (Further Reading: MIT Graduates Switch from 'Golden Rice Bowls' to 'Green Rice Bowls'—Lower Salaries, Greater Happiness)
* Green Energy: Mobilizing 50,000 businesses to join the "Nationwide Good Forest Movement," using energy management to guide stores to become energy-efficient businesses, encouraging consumers to reduce carbon emissions and waste, and accelerating the reversal of climate change! (Further Reading: Protecting the Earth is in Your Home—DOMI Green Energy's "Simple Green Energy Learning" Even Children Can Understand)
* Cocoon & Seed: Actions: Joined the internationally certified Climate Neutral in 2020, using carbon transfer to neutralize the carbon emissions of its products and investing 1% of its revenue in environmental use. (Further Reading: Rejecting Sweatshops—Taiwan's "Eco-Friendly Slow Fashion"—Cocoon & Seed's Unexpected Journey in Fair Trade)
* Tea Seed Hall: Continuously promoting the restoration of Taiwan's local bitter tea oil culture, maximizing the application of bitter tea seeds, making the most of resources, and turning them into an economically beneficial circular crop. (Further Reading: Cha Zi Tang - Seeing the Value of Tea Trees, Picking Up the Gift of the Land)
Taiwan Diving: Training ocean conservationists, holding ocean bus lectures, and beach and sea cleanup activities to create a plastic-free environment, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. (Further Reading: Paying 1% of Revenue as an Earth Tax, Teaching Environmental Protection in Diving Courses - He Just Wants Children to See the Beauty of Taiwan's Oceans)
Bo Chung Law Firm: Reducing carbon emissions and energy conservation in the office and installing solar panels to supply some green electricity, purchasing carbon offsets for business flights, and obtaining renewable energy certificates to use 100% renewable energy. (Further Reading: From Green Roofs to Planting Trees on the Mountain - Bo Chung Law Firm's "Carbon Offset" Green Management)
Chia Wei United Accounting Firm: Conducting energy inventory, comprehensively reducing energy use and establishing a corporate culture of net-zero carbon emissions, and further encouraging Chia Wei clients to pay attention to energy issues through accounting services, websites, and publications. Impact Hub Taipei: The company is fully implementing LED lighting and blinds, using inverter air conditioning systems with environmentally friendly refrigerants, and recycling pulp toilet paper. It also avoids disposable tableware and will extend this policy to all stakeholders. Furthermore, in response to Trump's November announcement of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the group "We Are Still In," comprised of US states and cities supporting the agreement, stated in a report released on December 10th that their corporate members can still expect to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37% below 2005 levels by 2030. (Further Reading: Bush Withdraws from Kyoto Protocol, Trump Calls for Withdrawal from Paris Agreement: How Can the US Develop a Climate Plan B Without It?) https://storage.googleapis.com/csr-cms-cwg-tw/ckeditor/201912/ckeditor-5df2ff84c4be0.jpg Image source: Shutterstock At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2019, Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg said, "I hope everyone acts as if our house is on fire." The CEO of a Type B company responded that when he evaluated his company's climate actions, he wondered, "Do we meet Greta's expectations?" The Earth and we are running out of time. Let's act together to put out the fire!
