Top 10: International Initiatives
It’s well acknowledged that meeting climate and sustainability goals cannot be achieved alone, with international collaboration essential to success in this area.
This has been the motivation behind the establishment of numerous global initiatives, all centred on enabling and ensuring best practice across industries.
This Top 10 list of international initiatives shows that, by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and fostering collaboration between governments, businesses and communities, a more sustainable future can be secured.
The following 10 global sustainability initiatives showcase the ingenuity and determination driving the fight against climate change and its environmental impact.
10. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Companies adopting the standard include Nestlé, Coca-Cola, P&G and Siemens
The SBTi amplifies how science-based targets demonstrate how much and how quickly businesses need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
It was established in 2015 to help companies to set emission reduction targets in line with climate sciences and Paris Agreement goals.
Funded by IKEA Foundation, Amazon, Bezos Earth Fund, We Mean Business coalition, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and UPS Foundation, more than 4,000 businesses and financial institutions have signed up to the initiative. By assisting companies — some of whom are the world's largest emitters — to align their strategies with worldwide sustainability pledges, the SBTi has played a major part in accelerating the transition to a low carbon economy.
9. RE100
Members include Accenture, Carlsberg Group, Samsung and Microsoft
Led by Climate Group, RE100 is a global corporate renewable energy initiative bringing together more than 400 businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. All energy uses are included in the RE100 commitment, including electricity, heating, cooling and transport.
Launched at Climate Week NYC in 2014, RE100 has spent the last decade working on its main mission — to accelerate change towards zero carbon grids at scale.
“Now 10 years later we have over 400 members around the world and we're helping to change policies to bring more renewables onto the grid in some of the most challenging markets,” RE100 says.
As the initiative continues to grow in membership size, RE100 is focused on widening its geographical scope. Notably, it is now launching partnerships in Indonesia and Argentina.
8. The Global Methane Pledge
Supporters include the IEA, IKEA Foundation, bp and Breakthrough Energy
Led by the United States and the European Union, the Global Methane Pledge now has more than 150 country participants. These countries are collectively responsible for 45% of global human-caused methane emissions.
The pledge was launched at COP26 to catalyse action to reduce methane emissions.
The Global Methane Pledge highlights what it calls ‘the imperative for methane action’, stating that drastic methane emissions reductions need to happen alongside decarbonisation of economies before 2030 “to keep the 1.5°C warming limit within reach”.
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, says: “Reducing methane emissions is crucial for meeting our 1.5°C commitment under the Paris Agreement. Every fraction can immediately shave down global temperature rises.”
7. Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Notable supporters included AXA Investment Managers, Diageo, Singapore Exchange and the Dow Chemical Company
TCFD was a group established by the Financial Stability Board to develop recommendations for more effective climate-related disclosures. Although it ceased operations in 2023 after “fulfilled its remit”, its legacy still continues.
The TCFD framework laid out a path to help companies provide better information to support market transparency and make more informed capital allocation when it comes to climate-related risks and opportunities.
In its eight-year span of operation, TCFD gained significant traction globally, gaining the support of more than 4,000 organisations across more than 100 countries — representing a combined market cap of US$27tn.
“We are grateful to task force members, members of the secretariat and observers past and present for their invaluable contributions to the success of the TCFD’s recommendations,” the task force says in a statement.
6. Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
Funded by Bank of America, Walmart Foundation, World Health Organisation and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst
CDP is a non-profit that operates a global disclosure system for investors, businesses, cities, states and regions to assess and manage their environmental impacts.
Recognised as the benchmark for environmental reporting, CDP boasts some of the most extensive and detailed datasets on corporate and municipal actions when it comes to sustainability.
Its influence has grown from the initial focus it was established on in 2000, however. It has extended from carbon disclosure to cover three main environmental areas: climate change, water security and forests.
Summarising CDP’s more than 20 years of action, Co-Founder Paul Dickinson says: “I think we can justifiably claim to have created an enormous wave of corporate and city greenhouse gas accounting and reporting, normalised the measurement and management of corporate impacts on water security and have implemented a vast global program tracking the purchase of commodities that drive deforestation.”
5. World Green Building Council's Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment
Signatories include Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, JLL and Lloyds
Doing what it says on the tin, the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment is a global initiative aimed at decarbonising the built environment. It targets businesses, organisations, cities, and subnational governments, recognising their climate leadership and inspiring broader action.
The commitment addresses the significant environmental impact of the building sector, which accounts for 35% of global energy consumption and 38% of energy-related carbon emissions.
Signatories commit to decarbonising their building portfolios, with goals of achieving net zero carbon for new buildings by 2030 and all buildings by 2050.
The programme involves five key steps: commit, disclose, act, verify and advocate.
More than 176 signatories have committed to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, accounting for around 20,000 assets and 7.2m tonnes of CO₂ emissions, totalling approximately US$400bn in annual turnover.
4. The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
Participants include Siemens, Nestlé, bp, Walmart, Schneider Electric all participants
A voluntary initiative that encourages CEOs to implement universal sustainability principles and collaborate with others to support UN goals, UNGC was established in 2000 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It calls for companies to align strategies and operations with 10 universal principles across areas such as human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
The UNGC aims to mobilise a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create a more inclusive and sustainable world. It has more than 20,000 participants across more than 160 countries.
“The United Nations as a whole promotes peace and development, which are prerequisites for successfully meeting social and environmental goals alike,” Kofi said on the announcement of UNGC’s establishment.
3. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Among those taking action are Too Good To Go, Unilever, Iberdrola and Hitachi
Another UN scheme making this Top 10 list, the SDGs are a set of 17 interconnected global objectives adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
These goals aim to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Among these, SDG 13 — ‘Climate Action’ — is a top priority and highlights the urgent need to address climate change. Climate technology plays a crucial role in achieving this, as well as other SDGs.
“UN Secretary-General António Guterres says: “We must not let up on our 2030 promise to end poverty, protect the planet and leave no one behind.”
2. World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Members include 3M, Bain & Co, ABB and Eaton
WBCSD is made up of more than 230 leading companies committed to accelerating the transition to a sustainable world. Founded in 1995, its mission is to create a world where more than nine billion people can live well within planetary boundaries by mid-century.
The initiative plays a crucial role in promoting and advancing climate technologies across various sectors.
Through initiatives like SOS 1.5, WBCSD provides sector-specific roadmaps and frameworks to help companies align with the 1.5°C climate target. These roadmaps often involve the implementation and scaling of climate technologies, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency solutions and carbon capture and storage.
WBCSD also focuses on the built environment, which accounts for nearly 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions. The organisation promotes innovative climate technologies in construction, including whole life-cycle carbon assessments and circular building practices.
As well as this, WBCSD collaborates with partners to develop market transformation levers for a net-zero built environment, emphasising the role of climate tech in achieving these goals.
1. EV100
Members include Wipro, Statkraft, OVO and Grundfos
Climate Group’s EV100 is a global initiative — one of many — bringing together forward looking companies committed to accelerating the transition to EVs. It is working to ensure electric transport is the new normal by the end of the decade.
Launched in 2017, EV100 members must commit to:
- Transitioning their fleets to EVs by 2030
- Installing EV charging for staff and customers by 2030
- Reporting their progress annually
In total, 128 members have made a commitment to the above.
In 2022, Climate Group launched EV100+ to tackle world’s most polluting road vehicles, with IKEA, Unilever, JSW Steel Limited, A.P. Moller-Maersk and GeoPost/DPDgroup the founding five members.
EV100+ means companies have committed to transition their fleet of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, known as medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), to zero emission by 2040 in OECD markets, China and India.
“It’s a great demonstration of leadership from the founding members,” says Sandra Roling, Director of Transport at Climate Group. “MHDVs represent the final frontier of zero emission road transportation and EV100+ will tackle the heaviest, most polluting vehicles across the world.”
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