Do Sustainability Rating Schemes Capture Climate Goals?

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saphira A. C. Rekker ◽  
Jacquelyn E. Humphrey ◽  
Katherine R. O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Climate Targets ◽  
Climate Indicators

The 2015 Paris Agreement set a global warming limit of 2°C above preindustrial levels. Corporations play an important role in achieving this objective, and methods have recently been developed to map global climate targets to specific industries, and individual corporations within those industries. In this article, we assess whether Sustainability ratings capture corporate performance in meeting the 2°C target. We analyze nine rating schemes used by investors and three commonly used in academic studies. Most rating schemes do consider corporate greenhouse gas emissions in their analysis, whereas only a minority scale emissions by factors that have the potential to allow benchmarking against science-based targets. None take the final step of mapping climate indicators against the 2°C target. Furthermore, we find a lack of consistency in the climate change ratings of the databases used in academic studies. These results are concerning in the context of being able to meet global climate change goals.

Introduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Eelco J. Rohling
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Is Implementation

This chapter outlines the challenge facing us. The Paris Agreement sets a target maximum of 2°C global warming and a preferred limit of 1.5°C. Yet, the subsequent combined national pledges for emission reduction suffice only for limiting warming to roughly 3°C. And because most nations are falling considerably short of meeting their pledges, even greater warming may become locked in. Something more drastic and wide-ranging is needed: a multi-pronged strategy. These different prongs to the climate-change solution are introduced in this chapter and explored one by one in the following chapters. First is rapid, massive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Second is implementation of ways to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Third may be increasing the reflectivity of Earth to incoming sunlight, to cool certain places down more rapidly. In addition, we need to protect ourselves from climate-change impacts that have already become inevitable.

scholarly journals Global climate change and the role of anesthesiologist

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 794-799
Author(s):  
Jae Hwan Kim
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Medical Waste ◽  
Anesthetic Drug ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Inhalation Anesthetics

Background: Environmental issues and health problems related to global climate change are becoming increasingly serious. An effective eco-friendly strategy is required to reduce medical waste and greenhouse gas emissions caused by anesthesia in hospitals.Current Concepts: Inhalation anesthetics are very strong greenhouse gases in the order of desflurane, isoflurane, nitrous oxide, and sevoflurane. Anesthetics with high global warming potential and long atmospheric lifetimes should be used with caution. Only the minimum required dose of an anesthetic drug with a low persistence bioaccumulation toxicity index is recommended for use. Disposable anesthesia products are known to have a low purchase price and low risk of cross-contamination; however, this may not be the case. By using eco-friendly anesthetic supplies, recycling and reuse, we can avoid wasting money and resources.Discussion and Conclusion: Greenhouse gas emissions from the use of anesthetics are excluded from United Nations regulations due to their necessity. However, while guaranteeing patient safety, anesthesiologists must fulfill their professional ethical obligations by striving to reduce medical waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

scholarly journals The Economics of Global Climate Change: A Historical Literature Review

2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Dobes ◽  
Frank Jotzo ◽  
David I. Stern
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Emissions Mitigation ◽  
Classic Papers

AbstractWe review the literature on the economics of climate change with a focus on the evolution of the literature from some of the early classic papers to the latest contributions. We divide the paper into three main sections: trends in greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation, and adaptation.

Trying to Find the Right Approach to Greenhouse Economics

1994 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive L. Spash
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Neoclassical Economic ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Global Problem ◽  
The Right

AbstractThe approach to controlling greenhouse gas emissions suggested by simple neoclassical economic models has appeared in prominent mainstream journals. This entails weighing up the costs of control compared to the benefits of avoiding damages due to global climate change. This paper presents a critique of extending the microeconomic project based methodology to a complex global problem; raising issues of uncertainty and ignorance. An alternative to simple utilitarianism is seen to be necessary and the potential of a deontological approach is argued to be greater with regard to policy decisions concerning future generations.

scholarly journals Climate Change-Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis and Forecast in Romania

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12186
Author(s):  
Georgiana Moiceanu ◽  
Mirela Nicoleta Dinca
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Exponential Function ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other gases, are considered to be the main cause of global climate change, and this problem has received significant global attention. Carbon dioxide has been considered the most significant gas contributing to global climate change. Our paper presents an analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions in Romania along with a forecast for the years to come. For the study, data from the National Institute of Statistics and Eurostat were gathered and used for the analysis in order to present the results. To obtain the results, the data gathered were analyzed using forecasting methods that can be of help in solving some uncertainties that surround the future. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trends in Romania were analyzed both for linear and exponential function methods. The obtained results showed that the linear function analysis of total GHG emissions in Romania had a forecast accuracy higher than the exponential function method. From the analytical methods used we can draw the conclusion that the emissions are on a descending scale and choosing a proper method is important in analyzing data.

scholarly journals Changing International Law for a Changing Climate

AJIL Unbound ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 112 ◽  
pp. 279-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel C. Esty ◽  
Dena P. Adler
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
National Governments

After more than two decades of inadequate international efforts to address climate change resulting from rising greenhouse gas emissions, the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement shifted gears. That agreement advances a “bottom-up” model of global cooperation that requires action commitments from all national governments and acknowledges the important role that cities, states, provinces, and businesses must play in delivering deep decarbonization. Given the limited control that presidents and prime ministers have over many of the policies and choices that determine their countries’ carbon footprints, the Paris Agreement missed an opportunity to formally recognize the climate change action commitments of mayors, governors, and premiers. These subnational officials often have authorities complementary to national governments, particularly in federal systems (including the United States, China, Canada, and Australia). They therefore possess significant independent capacities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through their economic development strategies, building codes, zoning rules and practices, public transportation investments, and other policies. Likewise, the world community missed an opportunity to formally recognize the commitments of companies to successful implementation of the Paris Agreement and thereby to highlight the wide range of decisions that business leaders make that significantly affect greenhouse gas emissions.

'Green-gional' anesthesia: the non-polluting benefits of regional anesthesia to decrease greenhouse gases and attenuate climate change

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 744-745
Author(s):  
Mausam Kuvadia ◽  
Cynthia Eden Cummis ◽  
Gregory Liguori ◽  
Christopher L Wu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Regional Anesthesia ◽  
Real Life ◽  
General Anesthetic ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Inhalational Agent ◽  
Potential Benefits

Volatile halogenated gases and nitrous oxide used as part of a balanced general anesthetic may contribute to global warming. By avoiding volatile inhalational agent use, regional anesthesia may reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help prevent global warming. We present a theoretical calculation of the potential benefits and a real-life example of how much regional anesthesia may reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Vulnerable Regions in a Changing Climate

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Leichenko
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Planetary Systems ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Changing Climate

Economic geographers have made important contributions to the understanding of many facets of climate change, yet the field has had relatively limited engagement with the study of climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation. Instead, most work on the economic consequences of climate disruption is being done by researchers in other disciplines or in other subfields of geography. This chapter argues that broad recognition of humanity’s role in shaping Earth’s planetary systems, combined with new hope and opportunity engendered by the 2015 Paris Agreement on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, present a pivotal moment for economic geographers to take a more central role in the study of climate change and in broader, interdisciplinary conversations about the meaning and implications of the Anthropocene.

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