When it comes to climate change, it’s no secret that humanity is at a juncture. The science has been established, but the clock is ticking. It’s almost ten years since the United Nations (UN) adopted the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels yet we’re still far off from achieving this goal.
The trouble is, we need action in order to achieve the targets set and unless plans are documented, it’s hard to expect significant change. For communities, organizations and corporations, a climate action plan is a foundational way to ensure action happens.
To help you get started, let’s take a look at what makes an effective climate action plan and run through 7 key steps you’ll need to consider when creating one for your organization.
What Is Climate Action?
Before you start making your plan, it’s important to take a step back to consider what climate action means. According to the UN, it involves taking “urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”, but there are several ways to achieve this.
When we speak about climate action, typically the expected outcome is a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulphur dioxide (SO2), hydrofluorocarbons and more. Because it’s impossible to eliminate GHG emissions altogether, the goal is to effect an overall – or net – reduction.
Different terms (and methods of calculation) can help to quantify this, however, it’s important to understand the differences between the various definitions.
The goals of climate action can include:
Achieving “Net Zero”
Net Zero is one of the most widely used terms when it comes to climate action goals. Put simply, it means that the amount of GHGs being removed from the atmosphere are equal to the amount being contributed through human activities. Net Zero is at the heart of the SBTi’s Corporate Net Zero Standard, which is a global framework that provides advice and tools to help companies set and reach science-based net zero targets aligned with a commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
Achieving Carbon Neutrality
Carbon neutrality is similar to Net Zero, but there are some differences. First of all, while Net Zero includes all GHGs, carbon neutral only relates to carbon dioxide. Secondly, unlike Net Zero, carbon neutrality isn’t aligned with a specific temperature reduction trajectory. As a result, its calculations often include actions like emissions avoidance or offsetting emissions by investing in “carbon sinks” such as forests. It’s also less strict around reporting scope 3 emissions.
Being Carbon Positive
Carbon positive is a less common goal that aims to go beyond carbon neutrality to make additional positive impacts to atmospheric levels. In other words, carbon positive means reducing and offsetting carbon emissions at a level higher than what’s being released. Again, carbon positive takes into account only carbon dioxide, and it has less strict reporting standards than Net Zero.
What Is a Climate Action Plan?
Now that we’re reviewed these important definitions, let’s discuss the nuts and bolts of a climate action plan. Beyond climate accounting that can help to quantify scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions, a climate action plan details how organizations will take action to mitigate their climate risks and leverage climate opportunities.
Put simply, it is a roadmap that takes organizations from commitment to results. It might focus on achieving emissions reductions, but also on bolstering climate resiliency and implementing climate adaptation strategies, outlining specific actions your organization will take to get there.
What Makes for a Strong Climate Action Plan?
- Utilize science-based guidance
It’s easy for companies to greenwash their actions, but unfortunately this places more value on PR than real change. That’s why a strong climate action plan must be rooted in science. Luckily, organizations like the SBTi provide science-based guidance on how to set and achieve net-zero climate targets, making it easier for organizations to do so.
- Set clearly defined targets
Having well defined, science-based targets puts organizations on the right track for effective action, especially when deep cuts are needed to reduce emissions. The SBTi reports that most companies must reduce emissions by 90%+ in order to reach net zero by 2050. It argues that setting near-term and long-term targets based on Net Zero, rather than carbon neutrality or positivity is the best solution.
- Identify who is accountable
When it comes to deep and rapid change, having climate champions at the helm is a must. A strong and effective climate action plan will outline exactly who is responsible for ensuring each action occurs. If this can be linked to the leader’s remuneration plan, even better.
- Get specific about implementation
Every step should be laid out with specific actions along the way. Consideration for data collection and reporting is also important. This can get complicated, but there are software solutions like the AMCS Sustainability Platform that can help manage the data and details of your climate action plan.
- Incorporate equity at every level
When it comes to the impact of climate change, those that face the greatest threat are also those who are least responsible for it or who are vulnerable to socio-economic challenges. A climate action plan should be developed using an equity lens to identify how risks, opportunities, and change will impact people differently.
7 Key Steps: How To Create a Climate Action Plan
Now that we’ve looked at the elements of an effective climate action plan, let’s turn our attention to the process of creating one.
Although there is no standard path to creating a climate action plan, which is often formed by the nature of your organization or the legislation impacting your industry or geography, there are some general steps that everyone can take to develop a strong plan.
1. Start with a leadership-backed commitment
The first step to developing a climate action plan is to secure a commitment from senior leadership. Unless your organization is truly committed to change, the planning process will be an uphill battle. Find a champion and have them make a public commitment. Ideally, this will come from the highest ranking person in the organization, and will be backed by a remuneration strategy or other accountability metrics.
2. Create a planning team
After you’ve secured commitment, the next step is to enlist the right people. This could look like a steering committee and might include directors, middle managers and technical experts from different parts of the organization. This team should ideally be supported by program specialists, project managers, and support staff so that committee decisions get executed.
3. Understand where you’re at and where you’re going
Typically, the next step would be to conduct a review of your existing policies, operational procedures, and targets to see which ones already support climate action, and which need to be adjusted. It’s important to review data to understand your current emissions footprint, including scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions. You may wish to conduct a climate scenario analysis at this stage as well, to understand your climate risks, opportunities, and your options to navigate both. Armed with this knowledge, you can set targets that define where you need to get to.
4. Create specific goals and targets
It’s important that goals and targets be science-based. This ensures rigor and helps avoid greenwashing. The SBTi can be helpful here, providing extensive information and resources to assist with target setting using a step-by-step approach. Some documents to look at include the SBTi Criteria and Recommendations for Near-Term Targets and Net-Zero Standard Criteria. Sector-specific guidance is also available for various industries. Well-defined goals and metrics can make or break your plan, so take your time on this step.
5. Determine the steps needed to reach your goals and targets
Next is the task of creating your plan, detailing exactly how your organization will meet your established goals and targets. It will often include near-term and long-term targets, and should confirm financial resources to ensure the activities are achievable. A communications plan is also advisable. The more detailed you get during this stage, while still building in some flexibility for unexpected events, the more likely your plan is to be successful.
6. Choose the right tools to help
Keeping track of your climate-related activities can be a job in itself. Employing the help of a climate action software solution, such as the AMCS Sustainability Platform, can make a world of difference. It can help you reach your climate action targets with the assistance of machine learning, effectively simplifying and streamlining climate data collection, forecasting scenarios, and visualizing outcomes, so you can better manage both actions and results. Rather than relying on a slew of different documents and spreadsheets, a software solution brings everything together in one place.
7. Implement the plan
Once your plan has been approved (and submitted, if you’re legally required to do so), it’s time to begin implementing it. This is where the rubber meets the road. During the implementation phase, it’s important to communicate often and with all stakeholders. It’s also important to track progress using a climate action tracker, and evolve the plan as you go. A climate action plan is an evergreen document, rather than a one-and-done plan.
Start planning today
Getting to Net Zero by 2030 is a goal worth pursuing. Actions that help limit our global average temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels are needed urgently. Creating a robust and science-based climate action plan is a foundational step every organization should take to support this collective goal.
If you need help to develop your climate action plan or to collect and manage the data required to implement change, AMCS can help.
The clock is ticking, and the time to act is now.