COP27: why brands should get behind net zero

This weekend marked the start of 2022’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, most commonly referred to as OP27. During the event, 198 countries will discuss infrastructural innovations that will enable a switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy and make humanity more resilient to the threats of climate change.

World leaders aren’t the only attendees tasked with tackling the climate crisis. Businesses across the planet have been asked to put forward proposals and policy ideas to inform the adoption of greener industrial practices.

The Prime Minister’s pledge

At COP27, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated the country’s commitment to the green revolution by promising to turn the nation into a clean energy superpower. The Prime Minister’s strategy outlined a new target of up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050, and up to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030. It additionally highlighted that solar could grow five-fold by 2035.

This follows on the recent action that has enabled Britain to cut carbon emissions faster than any G7 country. Renewables like wind and solar already make up more than 40% of the country’s energy supply – a four-fold increase since 2010.

Public opinion

COP27 matters to businesses because the agreements made in Egypt will cascade down into national targets, laws, regulations and policies, of which they will need to be compliant. It is also important that marketers consider the moment to consider the public opinion surrounding the event.

This year, the U.N. climate talks are gathering more awareness: globally, 2 out of 3 have heard of COP 27. That said, real familiarity with the event is limited to a third of populations with disparities across countries. 51% of Britons say they have a good understanding of what the conference is about – however, this figure reduces to as low as 13% in Australia.

Crafting a way forward

The need for action is clear, but the action agenda for brands to make a real impact fast remains challenging. From vegan food alternatives, to sustainability sourced materials in various products; it has become beneficial to a brand’s image for businesses to present themselves as being respectful to the environment, with double ethical and aesthetic awareness.

When promoting your own product, it is important to make your eco-friendly ethos clear to consumers. Using a green insignia on marketing material is a good place to start; or clearly outlining the sustainable ideology of the company on your website.

Cordis

For brands, adopting a green ethos in response to COP27 isn’t just a way to be more environmentally responsible – it’s also an opportunity for important storytelling. At Cordis, we pride ourselves on retaining relevance within the industry – understanding trends and ethical/environmental shifts are intrinsic in appealing to the customer. With a skill set that spans social media, content creation, web design, graphic design, event planning and videography – we are a full service marketing agency that can reinvigorate your business for the customer of 2022!