This week Economia offered some thoughts on the IPCC’S scientific assessment with a call for the business community to do more to tackle climate change. The piece, written by the Carbon Neutral Company’s Jonathan Shopley, finds that the risk to society and the economy caused by climate change should encourage industry and businesses to take responsibility to reduce emissions. The article points out that businesses have clearly taken notice to soaring energy prices and increased risks across sectors, which in turn has led businesses to take a much closer look at their environmental impact. At Microsoft we certainly recognize the importance of planning for a low-carbon future, which is why we put in place an internal carbon fee to encourage the use of renewable energy sources.
Elsewhere, a new initiative from Ford is more proof of how Big Data is changing business—and making an environmental impact. Environmental Leader reported that through big data and analytics Ford has increased fuel economy, reduced vehicle emissions and implemented other sustainability advances. Case in point: The vehicle manufacturer is enabling these sustainability measures through a science-based model which projects CO2 emissions generated by its vehicles over the next 50 years, allowing Ford to set much loftier fuel economy goals. This is just one of many environmentally-friendly initiatives Ford is putting in to practice, but it gives an encouraging look into how businesses from all sectors are taking responsibility for and making an effort to tackle climate change.