22 April 2020 marks 50 years of Earth Day, a movement which began in the USA as a unified response to an environment hurtling towards irreparable damage.
The past year has seen Climate Change arguably entering the media mainstream for the first time. Activists like Greta Thunberg have provided a focal point behind which people can show support with masses turning out in support of climate strikes all over the world. In February 2020, the Pew Research Center found that, for the first time, environmental protection rivals the economy among the US public’s top policy priorities.
This of course was before the Coronavirus pandemic took hold across the world but there is hope that the message of climate action is reaching more members of society than ever before. With increased exposure, it is hoped that public and private sectors respond accordingly around the world.
Consumers are already responding to the climate crisis with incremental changes to the daily norm occurring[1]. Businesses will have to keep up with the times or fear being left behind. Demand for high-quality carbon credits, as created by CO2balance, is increasing. In addition, initiatives such as the Science Based Targets are providing opportunity for the private sector to take effective climate action.
CO2balance’s role in climate action
The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action relating to the monumental challenge, but also the huge opportunities, of action on the climate crisis. It is tied to Sustainable Development Goal 13 – Climate Action.
All CO2balance carbon projects create high-impact emissions reductions contributing towards SDG 13 as well as other SDGs shown below.
CO2balance carbon projects go above and beyond climate action, achieving reductions in emissions in tandem with tangible benefits to communities. A sustainable approach to climate action which benefits communities whose risk to climate change is high.
The benefits of CO2balance projects can be extended to many other issues. Take the Coronavirus pandemic. CO2balance water projects are rehabilitating broken water points in rural communities across Africa where there would have been no access to safe water. The need for safe water is heightened further by the virus as following of WASH procedures and regular handwashing are essential, along with social distancing measures, for slowing its spread.
For more information on our water projects, click here.
[1] https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/environment-climate-change-crisis-china-high-street-job-market-a9147266.html