Wednesday 16 September 2020
Fashion Industry Charter Signatories launch climate action guide
Signatories of the Fashion Industry Charter have launched a new guide aimed at supporting collaborative climate action across the sector.
The Playbook for Climate Action enables those in the fashion industry to identify what climate actions need to be taken and which initiatives and programmes could support them in their journey towards decarbonisation.
It is primarily intended for less experienced fashion companies that have not yet taken action on climate change but want to join the sector to deliver net zero emissions by 2050.
The playbook is also valuable for larger and more experienced companies, including those with approved science-based targets, to bring their supply chain along on the decarbonisation journey.
Stefan Seidel, Chair of the Fashion Charter Steering Committee and Head of Corporate Sustainability at PUMA said: "We developed this playbook for small and medium companies in our industry. It will also be helpful for larger companies when reaching out to their supply chain partners. Together and only together, we have a unique opportunity through the Charter to make this the decade of ambition and collaboration for climate action.
“We hope that this playbook will be a useful tool to rally everyone in our industry behind the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
The fashion industry is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and faces growing risks from increasing emissions and the resulting changes in climate, such as water scarcity, facilities and infrastructure threatened by more frequent and severe climate events as well as price volatility of raw materials.
To address these risks and to support the Paris Agreement goals, the UN Climate Change secretariat convened the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action initiative, gathering those from across the fashion value chain – including raw material and textile producers, apparel manufacturers and brands – to align and decide on a set of commitments on climate action, including reducing emissions to net zero by 2050.
Niclas Svenningsen, Head of Global Climate Action at the UN Climate Change secretariat added: “Fashion can play a valuable role in inspiring other sectors and society at large to lead the way towards a healthy and prosperous planet for all.
“The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action is a collective and collaborative effort to drive the fashion industry to net zero emissions by no later than 2050. While the Charter is focused on climate change, it is important to note that its signatories see the imperative for addressing the broader set of UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
