Uniting business and governments to recover better

Uniting business and governments to recover better

A statement from companies in the Science Based Targets initiative and its Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign

With the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are facing a global pandemic that is devastating people and their livelihoods, disrupting supply chains, profoundly deepening inequalities and undoing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, we continue to face a global climate emergency with irreversible impacts for people and all the natural systems that sustain us. In the face of these interconnected crises, we cannot afford to tackle one or the other. Human health depends on planetary health. We can — and must — tackle both.

As countries work on economic aid and recovery packages in response to COVID-19, and as they prepare to submit enhanced national climate plans under the Paris Agreement, we are calling on Governments to reimagine a better future grounded in bold climate action. As we are setting ambitious corporate emission reduction targets through the Science Based Targets initiative and its Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign, we remain committed to do our part to achieve a resilient, zero carbon economy. We are now urging Governments to prioritize a faster and fairer transition from a grey to a green economy by aligning policies and recovery plans with the latest climate science.

We must move beyond business-as-usual and work together in solidarity to deliver the greatest impact for people, prosperity and the planet. To recover better from COVID-19, we will continue to:

1. Demonstrate that the best decisions and actions are grounded in science. By implementing ambitious science-based targets, we aim to set the world on a 1.5°C trajectory leading to healthier and safer people, and a healthier and safer planet.
2. Invest in recovery and resilience for a systemic socio-economic transformation. By divesting from fossil fuels and innovating in low-carbon, resilient solutions, we are prioritizing green jobs and sustainable growth, protecting nature and people, and delivering on the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
3. Work with Governments and scale up the movement. By advocating for enabling policies aligned with a 1.5°C trajectory and zero carbon economy, we look to policymakers to give businesses the confidence and clarity they need to take ambitious climate action.

To ensure we recover better, we are calling on Governments and policy-makers to match our ambitions in their recovery efforts aligned with reaching net-zero emissions well before 2050. If we work together, these efforts will help reduce vulnerability to future shocks and disasters, and build community resilience. A systemic shift to a zero-carbon and resilient economy is within our reach — our only future depends on making this vision a reality. We hope you will join us.

Signed by 150+ companies in the Science Based Targets initiative and its Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign.