In his second inaugural address, President Obama gave prominent attention to the threat of climate change. Washington Post’s Wonkblog offered a detailed look on how climate factored in the President’s speech, which explains how the nation should confront global warming. Despite promising rhetoric following his first inauguration in 2009, many climate advocates were underwhelmed by climate policy during the past four years. That’s one reason why GreenBiz called out the need for leadership from the executive branch on climate policy in its analysis of the inaugural speech. In his analysis, author David Bartlett explains that while the challenge of limiting climate change is clear, IT and communication technology can have very impressive results on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This week, Sustainable Brands looked at a report published by the Carbon Disclosure Project and Accenture that found that companies are aware of the risks of climate change. The report, Reducing risk and driving business value, includes data from 2,415 companies who represent spending power of approximately $1 trillion. The report found that climate change and extreme weather are likely driving forces for companies to take action to mitigate risks to their business, with 678 companies in the survey currently investing in emissions-reduction initiatives. A full 73 percent said they feel climate change presents a physical risk to their operations. The report also highlights the benefits companies are getting from proactively improving their supply chain and reducing energy costs. Of suppliers, 29 percent have reduced their emissions and have saved a combined $13.7 billion—a great example that businesses have a key role to play in fighting climate change.