The united nations-backed Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) Launched a Campaign with 1,045 Companies Participating in June 2019 to Help Limit The Long-Term, Global Average Insrease In the Earth's Surfaces Temperature to 1.5 ° C.
According to a report published by the Sbti Last Year, Charting The Progress Made Towards Achieving The 1.5 ° C Goal, 239 of the Original Participants Warticipants WEREMCH 2024 For Forfling to Meet Deadlines ConduCive to Hitting their net-zero goals,
Accenture's Destination Net Zero ReportPublished in November 2024, Says Companies All Industries Are Making “Meaningful Progress” Towards their net-zero goals, but progress is not fast fast.
“As Once distant climate targets become Near-Term Business Priorities, only a small percenant of the world's largest companies are on track to realise net zero by [the] Mid-century, “The report states.
And there are several reasons why companies are founding it dies
“Economic Uncertainty in 2024 Posed a Serious Challenge for Sustainability Efforts Accounts Industries,” He Says. “Initiatives aimed at reduction environmental impact was founded or scled back, viewed as cost centers rather than investments.”
And, when you tough, company stakeholders and sharehlders will be looking to prioritise spends Sustainability-focused investments.
Carmen ene, CEO of Sustainable Technology Lifecycle Management Service Provider BNP Paribas 3 Step ITP it, Says Companies Across across the World ALSO DEPRITION TOSO DEPRITION because of political pressure.
Sustainability and Profitability are at odds – they are powerful partners
Carmen Ene, BNP Paribas 3 Step It
“In some parts of the world, Politicians have weaponised action on the environmentPedalling the misconception that sustainability is expensive, burdensome, and a threat to affordability and prosperity, ”She says.
“Amidst a cost-off-living crisis and rising global energy prisles, this has resonated, weaqening support for a swift end to fossil fuels.”
As a result, she says it is not surprising that some businesses have become more Hesitant to Embrace it sustainability and have even even rowed back on their environmental, social and government.
,[They are] Wary of the complexities of sustainability reporting, the perceived cost of implementing green solutions, and the impact on competitiveness, ”She says.
However, research shows that companies that embrace sustainability significant outperform their less environmentally friendly friendly competitors, and are more efficient!
“It's time to shift the focus from the personalized costs and complexities of sustainability to the immense options and tangible advantages it presents, not just for the planet for for the planet but also the planet but also the planets and the Economy, “She says.
“Let's reframe the Climate Discussion and Tell a More Persuasive Story About The Measurable Wins We Can Achieve, LIKE Jobs, New Partnerships, Business Growth, Resilience Growth, Resilience and Innovation.”
She adds: “Sustainability and profitability are at odds – they are powerful partners.”
On this point, Herath Agrees, and Says Senior Leaders Need to Realise That Investing In It Sustainability Initiatives have long-term benefits for companies, particularly with comes to create Cultivating a favorite reputation, and generating more business later on.
“Companies that integrated sustainability into their business models demonstrated the financial and openfits of going green,” he says.
And there myriad ways that companies can achieve this from a technology percent, he adds.
“Investing in Energy-Efficient Hardware, Cloud Services Powered By Renewables and Smarter Data Management Systems are Actionable Steps that Can Deliverable Results,” Sugges
“Collaborating Across departments to align sustainability goals will also be critical, especially in area like Procurement and Product Lifecycle MANAGEMENT.”
Investing in Energy-Efficient Hardware, Cloud Services Powered by Renewables and Smarter Data Management Systems are Actionable Steps that Can Deliver Measurable Results
For instance, they recommend that enterprises regularly do a stock-track of the technology provides Sustainability.
In a similar vein, the pair also advise enterprises to carry out regular assessments of the software and hardware assets Resources, in the form of unused cloud institutes, for example.
“The way Organizations Acquire, Use and Dispens of All Technologies – Including Software and Hardware – Contributes to Good Sustainability Practices,” Say Gibons and Old.
“On-love datacentres are full of servers, storage and networking equipment, while users account an organisation account for Hindreds and Thousands of Laptops, Desktops, Mobile PHONES, Tablets and Mobile PHONES, Mobile PHONES, Mobiles and Mobile All of these have a carbon footprint through the lifecycle of creation, use and disposal.
“With this in mind, companies should also look also look to implement a circular economy model in it operations by focusing on reasing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling it assets to expert their life and recycling it Reduce waste, “The Pair Add.
Big tech hit with sustainability challenges
Technology giants Google and Microsoft are examples of companies that have fai fai -facted differenties in balance their Climate Commitments with Business Growth, Both Posting Sustainability Reports in 2024 That showed their carbon emissions going up, rather than down.
As Reported by Computer Weekly at the time, Keeping Up with the Growing Enterprise Demand for Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Services was cited as a Factor in Both Cases.
Microsoft's May 2024 Environmental Sustainability Report Revealed that, Despite Pledging to Become a Carbon-Negative Entity by 2030, The Company's Greeenhouse Gas (GHG) Emisions For 2023 WOR 2023 WERERE Higher Than Its 2020 Baseline.
The report attributed this Rise to a 30.9% Increase in the company's indirect scope 3 emissions, generated in part by microsoft's efforts to expand its global datacre footprint.
Google's Sustainability Report, Published in July 2024, CIched an increase in datacentre energy consumption as a factor in your its 2023 ghg emissions was up 13% on the previous yera.
Gartner Vice-Prescent Analyst Bob Johnson Highlights Various Pressures The exponitive demand for ai services from enterprises is putting on the hyperscalers' datacentres and wider sustainability strategies.
Gartner's data shows, for example, that by 2027, 40% of AI DATCENTRES Will FACE Operational Constraints Due to Power Shortages, Becuse the Amount of Electricity Consumed by these facilities is set to SOR By 160% within the next three years.
“Such a surge threatens to overwhelm utility provider, disrupt energy availability and undermine sustainability goals as fossil Fuel Fuel Plant Remain in Operation to Keep Up With Demand,” Johnson.
“The Insatiable Energy Appetite of Hyperscale Datacentres is outstriping the ability of power grids to copy [because] AI Models Require Immense Computational Power For Training and Operations, Making 24/7 Energy Availability Essential, “He Says.
“The strain on energy grids [this situation is creating] is having a knock-on effect on sustainability goals. In the short term, many datacentres will need to relay on fossil fuels, increase their carbon footprints and delaying forward progress towed net-zero targets. “
That said, there are actions the hyperscals and other enterprises can take now that count could mitigate some of these impacts, until the availability of renewable energy to power Example.
“Balancing the deployment of energy-intented genai [generative artificial intelligence] Applications with environmental responsibilities requires innovative Approaches, such as adopting smaller language models, Leverapping edge computing and collaborating with datacent with datacentre provides to optimie era Use, “Says johnson.
“Organizations must prioritise efficiency in ai workloads, re-evaluate sustainability goals, and actively support the development of great alternatives like Clean HydroGen and Smallal Nucleralar Reactors, “He Adds.
“As the Demands of Genai Reshape the Global Energy Landscape, Success will require more than just technological proposest. It will demand forest, collaboration and a willingness to innovate sustainally. “
And where the wider technology communication is concerned, bnp paribas 3 step it's ene says the responsibilities is now on them to ensure that the roadblocks to Sustainability that Emerged in 2024 Do NOT BECEME Obstructive, and cause more enterprises to turn their backs on Sustainability and Circular it,
“It will be up to Savvy Tech Providers to keep championing the cause and clearly highlighting the full spectrum of business benefits due to busits sustainable business models models can deliverance Beyond, “She says.
“For me, [2025] Is About Making Sure Eoverone is Onboard – Our People, Partners and Customers – to Undrstand Just How Powerful A Circular Economy for Technology Can Be in Helping Organizations Remain Competives Latest Technology While Managing Legacy Tech in a Way That Recoups Its Value and Minimies Its Environmental Impact, “She Continues.
“We can only foster a shared undersrstanding of its transformative potential by engaging in open and transparent dialogue about the challenges and opoporties sustainability can create. If Organizations are armed with the information, evidence and tools to make the case for sustainable investment, positive change will certain be on the horizon. “
