Three years of progress on the pathway to web zero

Local weather change is each an pressing concern needing quick motion and a subject that requires long-term planning for constructive transformation. Balancing these two horizons could be a problem and key to creating progress is defining a north star. Three years in the past, Cisco introduced its north star: a aim to achieve web zero greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions throughout our worth chain by 2040, and in 2022 that aim was accredited by the Science-Primarily based Targets initiative (SBTi). In 2023, we revealed The Plan for Doable, Cisco’s subsequent technology environmental sustainability technique. Aligned with the work we’ll do to achieve web zero, one of many key pillars in our technique is accelerating the transition to scrub vitality.

As we have a good time our three-year anniversary, we wish to spotlight among the progress we’ve made up to now and stay up for what options may be accessible to assist us, and the planet, on our journey to web zero.

Our journey up to now

In alignment with local weather science, our web zero aim encompasses our worth chain, which incorporates each our suppliers’ and our prospects’ use of vitality. Listed here are just a few methods Cisco has been addressing this and actions it’s possible you’ll think about to cut back your group’s footprint:

• Direct operational emissions: We’re growing the vitality effectivity of our buildings, with a deal with electrification, to cut back emissions from our operations. Now we have additionally been working to transition our car fleet to electrical autos (EVs).
• Oblique operational emissions: Cisco joined the RE100 initiative, which brings collectively companies dedicated to sourcing one hundred pc renewable electrical energy. Past serving to us deal with our personal targets, becoming a member of RE100 helps our ambition to extend clear vitality entry and contributes to non-public sector demand for renewables.
• Worth chain emissions: We additionally set a aim that 80 p.c of Cisco element, manufacturing, and logistics suppliers by spend may have a public, absolute GHG emissions discount goal by fiscal yr (FY) 2025. As of FY23, 92 p.c of those suppliers have a public, absolute GHG discount aim.

Observe: Direct operational emissions are Cisco’s Scope 1 emissions; oblique operational emissions are Cisco’s Scope 2 emissions; worth chain emissions are Cisco’s Scope 3 emissions, as outlined by the Greenhouse Gasoline (GHG) Protocol. Be taught extra about how company GHG emissions are calculated on this weblog.

What the longer term could deliver

In our work to advance Cisco’s web zero aim, we’re encountering many new alternatives that might probably assist different corporations, international locations, and even particular person cities attain their web zero targets as nicely. Listed here are just a few notable examples:

• Synthetic Intelligence (AI) and sustainability: As AI adoption spreads throughout totally different sectors, it opens quite a few alternatives for local weather change mitigation and adaptation via predictive analytics, information evaluation, and machine studying. For instance, AI can assist cut back vitality and water use via real-time monitoring and management.
• Local weather know-how investments: Local weather know-how goals to seek out modern options to local weather change, like good grids that monitor and handle the distribution of electrical energy extra effectively, and units that seize CO2 emissions. Local weather investing has grown over the previous few years, with greater than 330 new sustainability, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), and affect funds launched from 2019 via 2022. Globally, annual clear vitality know-how investments are anticipated to exceed $900 billion by 2030, serving to to spur innovation.
• Accelerating the transition to scrub vitality: Clear vitality adoption is on the rise. Wind and photo voltaic vitality overtook fossil gasoline energy within the EU for the primary time for the primary six months of 2024, and the Worldwide Power Company (IEA) now tasks that demand for sure fossil fuels will peak this decade even with none new local weather insurance policies. Growing the usage of renewables, bettering vitality effectivity, lowering methane emissions, and enhancing electrification can obtain over 80% of emissions reductions wanted by 2030.

Working collectively towards web zero

Progressing towards web zero is a job that requires the collective effort of people, companies, and governments. We’re proud to be main this essential work for Cisco, and to be collaborating with companions, prospects, suppliers and different stakeholders to show the imaginative and prescient of a web zero future into actuality.

Go to Cisco’s ESG Reporting Hub to study extra about our environmental targets.

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