Monday 3 August 2020

‘Net zero ambitions must be delivered by 2040 – 2050 is too late’

Net zero ambitions must be delivered by 2040 - 2050 is too late.

That’s the suggestion from Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder of Forum for the Future, who told future Net Zero that humankind has only got ten years left to take action on tackling climate change and save the planet.

He said: "It isn't that we need to get everything sorted by 2030, but we do have to have put in place those reforms which will allow us then progressively to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from 2030 onwards, and that's to get to a net zero position, in my opinion, not by 2050 because 2050 is far too late to avoid increases in temperature which will be even more threatening to humankind, for me it's 2040 at the latest that we have to get to a net zero position."

He added that progress was happening, noting a "remarkable shift" in climate engagement and action among many of the world's businesses, a significant number of which he suggested now contribute a great deal towards safeguarding the environment, whether that is through business-led initiatives to decarbonise or by lobbying governments.

Mr Porritt suggested although companies don't always do the right thing and in some cases even oppose better environmental regulations, it is now "a totally different world" in terms of progress on sustainability compared to only a decade ago.

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