COP26 (Conference of the Parties, 26th event) will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from 31st October -12th November 2021. It is a global United Nations summit about climate change and will be attended by representatives of the 154 countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This year it will be attended by 190 world leaders, with the UK as president.
COP26 has been described by climate change experts as the most significant climate event since the 2015 Paris Agreement as we still have a long way to go to ensure global temperatures are less than 1.5⁰ C above pre-industrial levels. At COP26, it will be the first time countries must report back on their progress since they signed the Paris Agreement and set out more ambitious goals for reducing their contribution to climate change.
“These talks are vital as they will shape the world’s response to our biggest challenge: the Climate Crisis, and provide an arena for all countries, large and small, to share ideas, agree on goals and targets moving forward. It is time for world leaders to lead, show ambition and set an example for us all.”
John King, Environmental, Social & Governance Director, Bidvest Noonan
In 2021, Bidvest Noonan signed up to the Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) Low Carbon Pledge and we are proud to be one of c.60 companies that vowed to support this initiative. The Pledge commits us to a 50% reduction in our carbon footprint by 2030 through carbon emission baselining and setting Science-Based Targets (SBTs) by 2024. We are looking to implement initiatives to reach our goal well in advance of the 2030 target. Initiatives include reducing our buildings’ energy usage, reducing our fleet’s fuel usage, removing the use of single use plastics, moving to more sustainable fabrics in our uniform, and looking at eco-friendlier commuting options for our colleagues.
We would love to hear your ideas around reducing your impact on the environment by sending your stories and pictures to [email protected].