Post - Blog
New year, same goals: maintaining the momentum in the fight against climate change
- 2 years ago (2022-02-13)
- Junior Isles
Simon Daniel , Founder of Moixa
EM-Power 2024
This year, businesses and governments alike need to ensure that ‘going green’ remains at the top of their resolutions list. Already, the government has admitted that they need to go ‘much further’ to curb the effects of climate change according to an official review by the Climate Change Committee. It’s vital that the pledges made at COP26 aren’t forgotten ahead of this year’s conference in Egypt.
Heading towards COP27, there needs to be evidence of tangible change in the next few months. Already in the weeks following COP26, questions were raised around the UK government’s plans to meet the 1.5°C global warming target and how effective the measures laid out would be. Six weeks into the year and this isn’t any clearer. While the government has already set ambitious targets such as cutting emissions by 78% with all electricity to come from clean sources by 2035, without tougher policies in place the UK will fall behind on its commitments.
Businesses and the government need to bring other factors into play if the UK hopes to meet its climate targets. For example, both need to look toward the way technology can be utilised, especially Artificial intelligence (AI), in helping to stabilise the national grid and bring in more renewable energy. The importance of having a robust climate impact reporting system and allowing everyone a seat at the table should also not be overlooked in light of the pledges made at COP26.
Technology’s role in the climate fight
Climate change is a race against the clock. A recent report noted that 2020 was the second warmest year since records began in 1880. Unless action is taken now to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, we risk continuing to add around 11 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.
AI is just one example of how technology can aid in combating climate change. According to a recent study , by 2030, AI could help cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 4%. AI is already being leveraged in the design of more energy-efficient buildings, improving power storage and optimising renewable energy deployment into the National Grid as needed.
At times when the grid is under pressure, it's important for there to be flexibility. Across the National Grid, smart technology can mitigate against the unpredictable nature of renewable energy. This can be done through more intelligent distributed energy storage when there is both low and high demand for energy. Currently a dip or a surge in renewable energy could disrupt energy supplies across the grid.
With the help of AI technology, grid operators can better forecast inputs and outputs of the grid. When there is low demand for energy and a surplus of renewable energy on the grid, AI can be utilised to predict this surplus and ensure the energy is consumed or stored. Allowing this level of flexibility will help to balance supply and demand. This will help to reduce customer energy bills and help decarbonise the UK’s electricity supply, while ensuring that the network remains resilient, reliable and meets consumer needs.
How climate impact reporting can keep us accountable
Larger businesses need to be held accountable for their carbon footprint, especially in the wake of the pledges made at COP26. Unless the UK government implements an accessible and robust reporting system, there is a risk of increased corporate greenwashing.
Currently in the UK, larger businesses are required to provide an overview of the risks and uncertainties from climate change and the transition to net-zero. However, in a recent report , it was noted that only 37% of FTSE 350 companies disclose science-based targets linked to climate risks and opportunities while less than half (45%) have actually identified climate as a current/emerging risk.
With only half of companies identifying climate as a risk, it's evident that the government needs to do more. A robust reporting system can help businesses look closely at their carbon emissions and strategically put plans in place to transition to net-zero. Ensuring companies are acting on climate promises and penalising those who don’t is important in the fight against climate change.
Offering everyone a seat at the table
Everyone has a role to play in the move to greener energy – even large oil and gas companies. While they have played a significant role in accelerating the climate crisis, not involving them only makes the transition to net-zero harder. These companies can share their vast knowledge of designing and implementing long-term engineering projects with governments and businesses to make the net-zero transition smoother. We can’t do this without their input.
It's also important that we have a diverse range of voices speaking up to shed light on new issues and offer fresh, creative approaches to meeting the global 1.5°C target. Hearing from the same executives and not opening up the conversation across the whole business only closes companies off from innovation.
More needs to be done by the government and businesses to ensure the UK meets its climate goals. This fight belongs to us all and it’s not down to a single body or sector to reverse the damage that’s already been done to the planet. Technology can help make the grid and our energy supply cleaner and more efficient, while reporting will hold businesses more accountable. We can’t undo the damage that has already been done but we can stop any further damage if we act now.