EVs in drive towards bigger emissions reductions

Electrified transport is touted among measures to combat climate change with a UN Climate Action Summit of world leaders in New York on September 23 proposing more ambitious targets.

Some 87 major companies are taking action to align their businesses with what scientists say is needed to limit the worst impacts of climate change, say the UN Global Compact, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) and We Mean Business coalition.

The companies – with a combined market capitalisation of more than US$2.3 trillion and annual direct emissions equivalent to 73 coal-fired power plants – collectively represent at least 4.2 million employees from 28 sectors and are headquartered in 27 countries.

They have committed to set climate targets across their operations and value chains aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and reaching net-zero emissions by no later than 2050.

The latest cohort of companies include Electrolux, Ericsson Group, L’Oréal, Nestlé, Nokia, NRG Energy, Ørsted, Scania, Schneider Electric and others.

Sixteen New Zealand companies such as Contact Energy, Genesis Energy, Ports of Auckland, Christchurch Airport, NZ Post and the Warehouse Group are also committed to reducing emissions, many well on the road to increasing their EV fleets.

World leaders at the Climate Action Summit

hosted by UN secretary-general António Guterres include New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and United Kingdom prime minister Boris Johnson.

The summit allows governments, businesses and other stakeholders to present action plans aligned with the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warned of catastrophic consequences should global warming exceed 1.5°C.

A group of 28 companies announced in July include Mahindra Group; Unilever; Vodafone Group and Zurich Insurance – Zurich hosting the NZ Motor Forum in Auckland on October 17 which includes EVs.

Audi NZ general manager and Drive Electric board member Dean Sheed will provide an EV update at the forum.

On September 25, the IPCC is due to release the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.