Climate pledges vs. climate action

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last week addressed the importance of doing more to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Included in Guterres’ report was news of the launch of the High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities.

The group will be tasked with “current standards and definitions for setting net-zero targets; credibility criteria used to assess the objectives, measurement and reporting of net-zero pledges; processes for verifying progress towards net-zero commitments and decarbonization plans; and a road map to translate standards and criteria into international and national regulations.”

Guterres said that “despite growing pledges of climate action, global emissions are still at an all-time high” and that recent data has shown that climate disruption is already causing havoc in every region of the world.

There previously has been a lot of pressure on individual companies to make these changes. Now Guterres is calling on governments to lead the change — “especially the G20 industrialized nations.”

Tyler Cole, director of carbon intelligence at FreightWaves, said, “We need to see urgent action coming out of all sectors. It’s important that everybody understands that if you’re going to say that you’re going to do something, you must follow through.”

According to Cole, as one of the most polluting industries regarding greenhouse gas emissions, the freight industry has the opportunity to lead the movement of turning pledges into action, and any action taken would help tremendously. 

Incorporating sustainability metrics into your carrier selection and RFP process is an easy first step into reducing carbon emissions in your supply chain. We are starting to see more and more capacity providers and digital freight networks increase transparency around sustainability, making this process easier for shippers.

“The whole logistics and freight sector needs to view this as an opportunity to provide value at a higher rate with better service while doing good for the planet,” Cole said.