Is mobility getting more serious about sustainability?

As the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, comes to a close, some suggest it is not even coming close! After what some have said has been a chaotic two weeks in Glasgow, there is a chance that the conference is more remembered for Greta Thurnberg saying "Blah, blah, blah" than for real substantive agreements.

The focus has been on near-term targets — cutting emissions this decade, phasing out coal, setting methane targets and weighing a global carbon tax. There are definitely some good things that will come out of this. Over 100 leaders have pledged to stop deforestation, while 80 attendees promised to cut methane. Another outcome shared by CNN was that, "Costa Rica and Denmark officially launched the 'Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance' ... The group includes France, Sweden, Ireland, Wales, Greenland and Quebec, while California, Portugal and New Zealand have joined as associate members, and Italy expressed its support for the group."

The conference has a track-record of not ending on time, so it could extend, but the world is watching like never before. In fact, in the Nov. 12 edition of CEO Daily from Fortune, it was noted that the expectations are that people start to put up or shut up. It's time to get into the details of not just what to do, but how to pay for it. They feel that coming out of it, there is a good chance that we start to see things move much more quickly. 

One of their observations was that there was a sizable presence of private industry across the entire two weeks, to a degree attendees hadn't seen before. Obviously this made me consider more about our industry and what companies and mobility programs can and are doing. It harkened me back to this Mobility magazine article, which kicked off with, "Companies are scrambling to take action on sustainable practices in response to investor pressure, customer demands, and regulation, but — many executives admit — they are also carefully considering the impact that their company has upon the planet." It's not a fad and it is getting critical attention in 2022 business planning activities.

If you manage a mobility program, you might consider registering for a EuRA-sponsored webinar on Nov. 16:  "The Circular Economy & Global Mobility - A Positive Disrupter,"  which will share an expert panel to dive into what the "circular economy" is and how it impacts mobility. It is one of the most important sustainability concepts and a must-have tool to use in your company and everyday life. 

Looking for another resource? Try AIRINC's "Sustainability in Global Mobility."

Again, what is obvious here is that global mobility programs must get more serious and start moving toward making an impact. In fact, you can jump into a recent Mobility article that focuses on how mobility is "Getting More Serious About Going Green" (pg. 38).