There probably wasn’t much doubt about what the next four years of US federal climate policy is going to look like – but if there was, this article from The Hill should put it to bed:
“Energy Secretary Chris Wright denounced efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by midcentury as a ‘sinister goal’ in remarks at a conservative policy conference Monday.
‘Net zero 2050 is a sinister goal, it’s a terrible goal,’ Wright said to applause at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship forum in London…”
Message received. Pretty clear, right?
Yet while that may be the official US policy stance, that isn’t the whole story for businesses. Many companies are still pursuing their climate initiatives because they have found ways to create business value from them – regardless of regulatory or policy changes. But examples may be much harder to suss out today than they have been in the past. As yesterday’s Trellis Briefing highlights:
“…there’s no question that companies are clamping down on public statements about their sustainability initiatives, to say nothing of broader ESG commitments. In our own reporting we hear “No comment” far more often these days than before Trump’s election.
‘Businesses that used to tout carbon-cutting are switching their message’…”
Further complicating matters are the myriad of conflicting analyses, surveys and reports about corporate actions on sustainability – cutting back or continuing to invest.
When it comes down to it, business value beats policy uncertainty.
Members can read more about climate matters here. In addition, keep an eye out for our upcoming series of guidebooks on the top real examples of sustainability business value for revenue generation, new market development, cost reductions and profit margin improvements.
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