In Touch With Business Issue 5

Page 20

A MOONSHOT FOR THE WORLD

Brad Smith is pulling no punches when it comes to climate change. “We have problems to solve and technologies that need to be invented,” he declares. “It’s time to get to work.” The president of Microsoft Corp spells out the situation: “The scientific consensus is clear. The world confronts an urgent carbon problem. “The carbon in our atmosphere has created a blanket of gas that traps heat and is changing the world’s climate. “Already, the planet’s temperature has risen by one degree centigrade. If we

in January to unveil an ambitious new plan to reduce and ultimately remove its carbon footprint. It has pledged that by 2030 it will be carbon negative – and it will go even further than that. By 2050 Microsoft will remove from the environment ALL the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was

“The company will use “its voice and advocacy” to support public policy that will accelerate carbon reduction and removal opportunities.” don’t curb emissions, and temperatures continue to climb, science tells us that the results will be catastrophic.” Smith is speaking after the global tech giant brought the media to its headquarters in Redmond, Washington,

founded in 1975. Smith says: “While the world will need to reach net zero, those of us who can afford to move faster and go further should do so.” He describes it as “a bold bet - a moonshot - for Microsoft”.

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And adds: “It will need to become a moonshot for the world.” The business has a detailed and aggressive plan to reach its targets, one that also includes its entire supply chain. It has also pledged to use its technology to help suppliers and customers around the world cut their own carbon footprints and announced a new $1billion climate innovation fund to accelerate the global development of carbon reduction, capture and removal technologies. The Fortune 500 company will also make carbon reduction “an explicit aspect” of its procurement processes. And a new annual “Environmental Sustainability Report” will detail Microsoft’s carbon impact and reduction journey.


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