Planet under Pressure
The 2020s are the make-or-break decade for Sustainability. But Covid-19 questions almost everything. How can we handle increasingly frequent shocks? What can a resilient society and economy that is in line with planetary boundaries look like? These and many other questions are discussed in the new 2020 edition of the Global Goals Yearbook titled “Planet under Pressure”. The Yearbook supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is one of the publications in strong international demand.
The 2020s are the make-or-break decade for Sustainability. But Covid-19 questions almost everything. How can we handle increasingly frequent shocks? What can a resilient society and economy that is in line with planetary boundaries look like? These and many other questions are discussed in the new 2020 edition of the Global Goals Yearbook titled “Planet under Pressure”. The Yearbook supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is one of the publications in strong international demand.
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CARBON NEUTRALITY,<br />
NATURAL RESOURCE<br />
PROTECTION, WELL-BEING,<br />
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT<br />
On May 7, 2020, during its Annual General Assembly, EDF passed its raison d'être or purpose<br />
through its by-laws. This purpose sums up the Group’s determination to take up the dual<br />
challenge of economic recovery especially in light of Covid-19 and France and Europe’s goal of<br />
achieving carbon neutrality.<br />
By EDF Group<br />
The CEO of EDF, Jean-Bernard Lévy, was<br />
invited to address the UN Global Compact<br />
on EDF’s actions during the Covid-19<br />
health crisis. He expressed two firm<br />
personal beliefs about what “the world<br />
after Covid-19” might look like: a world<br />
which shows more solidarity that – in<br />
France at least – will put public services<br />
back at the center of the model of society;<br />
and a world that will see a greater outcry<br />
from society to fight climate change with<br />
determination.<br />
The fight against climate change is<br />
quite rightly central to EDF’s recently<br />
announced purpose. This position is<br />
reinforced by EDF’s decision to join<br />
the 10 percent of companies that have<br />
written their purpose into their articles<br />
of association.<br />
“We believe that reducing<br />
our impact on<br />
biodiversity and fighting<br />
climate change go hand<br />
in hand. That’s the idea<br />
behind our purpose, to<br />
build a net zero energy<br />
future with electricity<br />
and innovative solutions<br />
and services, to help<br />
save the planet and drive<br />
well-being and economic<br />
development.”<br />
Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO and Chairman,<br />
EDF Group<br />
This stance is backed up by concrete<br />
measures. EDF Group has upped its 2030<br />
(on the basis of its 2017 direct emissions)<br />
target for direct CO 2<br />
emission reductions<br />
from 40 percent to 50 percent, and it has<br />
committed to achieving carbon neutrality<br />
by 2050. It has also committed to<br />
reducing emissions relating to the energy<br />
use of its customers and suppliers by<br />
obtaining independent certification from<br />
the Science Based Targets initiative. On<br />
average, over the past decade, EDF has<br />
invested between €12 billion and €15<br />
billion a year in renewable and nuclear<br />
power generation, energy services, smart<br />
grids, and mobility (investments excluding<br />
Group acquisitions and disposals). In<br />
2019, 97 percent of these investments<br />
went towards helping decarbonize the<br />
electricity system, and 95 percent of<br />
96<br />
Global Goals Yearbook 2020
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