This is how your company becomes climate-neutral

Wind turbines in front of the Jänschwalde power plant

The federal government aims to make Germany climate-neutral by 2045.

(Photo: dpa)

Berlin The climate protection organization WWF and the consulting company PwC, together with representatives from the real economy and the financial sector, have developed an instrument intended to show companies the way to climate neutrality. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, is intended to offer those companies an introduction to the topic that have set themselves goals but have not yet developed a reliable transformation plan.

“Large companies have had structured processes for a long time. We want to offer small and medium-sized companies in particular a tool that will help them find their way around,” says Matthias Kopp, Head of Sustainable Finance at WWF. “The threshold is deliberately very low. The companies should be able to get the first results in just a few steps,” he adds. It is about translating abstract climate goals into concrete steps.

You can try the instrument immediately on the project’s website. Various sectors are addressed – from ammonia production to cement production. They represent a significant part of Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, anyone who starts a calculation in the “road freight transport” category first has to answer various questions about the size of the truck fleet, its CO2 intensity and the annual mileage. The effects and costs of various reduction measures, such as switching to alternative drives, can then be calculated. Finally, the program produces a plan that shows the necessary investments over time.

Top jobs of the day

Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.

Investors want to see a resilient transformation path

The initiators of the project are convinced that it is no longer possible without robust concepts for reducing emissions: “Only a serious transformation plan with concrete measures is credible for investors to evaluate and accompany a company on the way to the Paris goals,” says cop.

<< This takes you directly to the WWF and PwC climate calculator

The entire economy is under pressure to transform. The federal government has defined ambitious reduction targets for individual sectors to implement the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Germany even wants to be faster than defined in the Paris climate agreement. As early as 2045, Germany is to become climate-neutral. The Paris Agreement only sets this target for 2050. In order to make progress on the path to climate neutrality, companies need to make significant investments.

“Companies are under massive pressure. They want to embark on the path to climate neutrality, but often do not know the technical and economic potential and limits. Our tool helps to get started,” says Nicole Röttmer, Climate Leader PwC Germany. The tool is an “important tool that companies can use to classify their requirements, plan measures and understand the cost implications”.

The instrument was developed in 30 workshops with around 90 actors from the real economy and the financial sector. The initiators are therefore convinced of the practical relevance of their tool.

More: Government misses climate targets in the building and transport sectors

source site-16