Let’s use the energy of the new year to reflect, prepare and take action to decarbonise your business.
2023 was sadly another milestone year for climate change, with the world’s hottest July in 120,000 years, daily global average temperatures more than 1.5C above the preindustrial average for 86 days, COP 28 announcing the ‘transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems’, whilst also demonstrating that our actions to date have not be sufficient enough to limit global warming to 1.5C, and the IPCC Climate change report indicating the world is likely to pass a dangerous temperature threshold within the next 10 years.
To try and limit further warming may seem like an insurmountable task but NASA explains that “every little bit of avoided future temperature increases results in less warming that would otherwise persist for essentially forever”
Fuelled by this critical need to act now, and the renewed opportunity the New Year brings, this is a notable time to think about the role you want your business to play, if you haven’t already, and to understand and address the decarbonisation goals for your business. Do you know what steps you want your business to be taking this year?
For some this may seem like an arduous task, but once faced with a plan it is encouraging to see how we can all start or continue our journey to Net Zero, by making achievable changes and all contributing in our own ways to the collective goal. Every business holds the power to impact the outcome of climate change, and it’s a great opportunity too to showcase these actions and encourage and support others on their journey too.
We’ve listed some ideas to help you get started, or think about your next steps:
- Calculate your carbon footprint – ensure you know which area of your business are having the biggest impact (See below how the Net Zero advice service can help you with this for free)
- Get your staff onboard– Consider the Net Zero training and communications that you want to be sending out, and use it as an opportunity to receive ideas on how to reduce your impact too
- Write a Sustainability or Energy Management Policy
- Write an action plan to outline what you will achieve and when (See below how the Net Zero advice service can help you with this for free)
- Find Grant funds or 0% finance loans to help you with the costs of implementing low carbon technologies (See below how the Net Zero advice service can help you with this for free)
- Take action:
- Make your buildings more efficient
- Switch to low carbon and renewable energy technologies such as Solar, Wind power, Heat Pumps
- Switch to Electric Vehicles
- Switch to biofuels as a transition fuel for diesel powered plant and vehicles
- Switch to a renewable energy tariff
- Reduce commuting, and business travel by car
- Support working from home
- Minimise waste through re-use and recycling
- Take a closer look at your supply chain- where do you spend the most money or have the biggest footprint in bought in services/ goods? Can you ask questions of your suppliers on what they are doing and choose those who lower your impact?
If this blog has resonated with the direction you want your business to take then get in touch with us! We are currently offering Suffolk-based businesses a FREE Net Zero advice service. For more information email netszerosuffolk@groundwork.org.uk or head to our webpage.
