The title of this column might suggest that I am going to give tips on how to tick the age of 55 in optima forma. But no, that is not what I am talking about this time. I am referring to the Fit for 55 package through which the European Commission aims to provide a fair, competitive and green transition to a climate-neutral Europe. A package I am particularly curious about. Because the Climate Accord Day on 1 November may be dedicated to Accelerate to Paris, but in practice it seems we talk a lot, but take little action.
Ambitious reforms
Greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels. Hence the 'Fit for 55 package'. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls it one of the most ambitious reforms of EU policy ever. A dozen legislative proposals should ensure realisation of the Green Deal targets. Ultimately, Europe will then be climate neutral by 2050.
Business association for the technology industry FME welcomes the Fit For 55 package. It no longer focuses on national CO2 reductions, but on a joint CO2 reduction task for all EU member states. "In this way, Fit For 55 protects the competitive position of our industry on the one hand and increases the chances of Dutch energy innovations on the European market on the other," FME said.
The technology industry wants to achieve the renewed European ambition, among other things, with Plan 6-25. The focus is on innovations that improve process efficiency and reduce costs. This should achieve a reduction of 6 Mtonnes of CO2 per year up to and including 2025.
Sustainable success stories
Great plans, but aren’t we a bit late in the day? Fortunately, there are companies that changed course some time ago. For instance, on 13 October, during a masterclass organised by STEM (a community for professionals in the technical B2B sector), I learnt about the business aspects and opportunities of sustainability and circularity in practice. STEM was a guest at Interface (a manufacturer of carpet tiles), where sustainability and circularity now form the guiding principles of their business model. It was fascinating to see how they successfully put this into practice together with their supply chain partners, and to learn about the vision and drivers behind it. Also that same afternoon, Erick Wuestman (a pioneer in the circular economy) presented on how, as part of a supply chain, you can influence the sustainable and circular performance of yourself, your suppliers and your customers.
Start now!
With practical examples like this, we can do something! And if the IPCC's alarming report on climate change is to be believed, there is no time to lose. Calls for sustainable production and consumption and a circular economy are growing. We can brainstorm endlessly about this, but I particularly admire companies that roll up their sleeves together with their supply chain partners and just start.
