Twitter Bans Misleading Climate Change Ads, Tracking Twitter’s Sustainability, What is European Climate Pact? Science Based Targets

TWITTER BANS MISLEADING CLIMATE CHANGE ADS 

Elon Musk has dominated Twitter talk lately, what with his intentions to buy the social media platform and take it private. Better news to report about Twitter is its new campaign to ban misleading climate change ads that go against scientific evidence of climate change. 

According to an official Twitter blog post announcing the ban, Twitter wrote, “We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter, and that misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis.”

Twitter’s statement went on to say the company recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet. That’s why in addition to this first ban, Twitter plans to share more on its work to add reliable, authoritative context to the climate conversations happening on Twitter. Let’s hope should Musk’s purchase does not derail that process. 

Climate change deniers have targeted social media, enabling them to reach hundreds of thousands of people and spread misinformation. The company is doing it by implementing climate misinformation policies similar to the ones Twitter put in place for Covid-19, directing users to online hubs with credible information on its platform. 

Why does Twitter’s move to ban misleading climate change ads matter to us? It follows other tech giants doing the same thing like Google and Pinterest. 

Also, Twitter is openly asking us to help them. Again, referring to its blog post, Twitter reminds us we all “have a part we can play in tackling this urgent, global crisis. From volunteering with an environmental organization in your community, to joining a Twitter Space with environmental experts, to learning more about protecting our planet, there are lots of ways to get involved.” 

DEEPER DIVE: CNN, Twitter Blog, Science Based Targets, EU Climate Pact, CDP

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS AT TWITTER

Speaking of Twitter, love it or hate it, Twitter is touting its sustainability efforts. Their sustainability blog post comes two years after the social media platform released its first Global Impact Report. Let’s see what they say they’ve done. In 2019, Twitter shared plans to achieve 100% carbon-neutral power sourcing in its current data centers by the end of 2022. With the help of partners at Watershed, it claims to have utilized zero-carbon electricity for all of its data centers, and for surrounding offices in the US and Canada. 

Watershed is a company whose mission –according to its website– is to accelerate decarbonization by building the tools organizations need to cut carbon. They advertise themselves as a team of technologists and climate experts who previously built products and climate programs at companies like Airbnb, Airtable, Apple, McKinsey, Stripe, and Meta. 

Back to Twitter. It says its Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are sourced from solar and wind power projects in the same geographic region in which energy was used, and cover 100% of Scope 2 emissions from these sites. We were not yet able to independently verify that claim.

Since 2020, Twitter claims to have measurably advanced its CDP score, achieving a B grade for comprehensive reporting on Twitter’s sustainability efforts. CDP stands for carbon disclosure projects. It’s a 360 degree assessment of an organization made by a company called CDP. It starts with a lengthy self-disclosure questionnaire.  Like any form of self-disclosure, what comes out is based upon what’s put into it.

In 2021, Twitter joined the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi). The Science Based Target Initiative “drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling organizations to set science-based emissions reduction targets.” It’s a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature. 

In 2022, Twitter  joined the EU climate pact, committing to ambitious North Star and Pathway pledges, in line with Paris Agreement goals. The European Climate Pact is an EU-wide initiative inviting people, communities and organizations to participate in climate action and build a greener Europe.  

DEEPER DIVE: Twitter Global Impact Report, Twitter Blog, Science Based Targets, EU Climate Pact, CDP

THE EUROPEAN CLIMATE PACT

The European Climate Pact is a movement of people united around a common cause, each taking steps to build a more sustainable Europe for us all. Launched by the European Commission, the Climate Pact is part of the European Green Deal and is helping the EU to meet its goal to be the first climate-neutral continent in the world by 2050.

The Climate Pact provides a space for people across all walks of life to connect and collectively develop and implement climate solutions, big and small. By sharing ideas and best practices, we can multiply their impact. The Pact will focus on spreading awareness and supporting action. It does that through programs like the Climate Ambassador program, a pledge to take climate friendly actions, and to host a “satellite” Climate Pact event. 

The ultimate goal of the pact is to 

•       Connect and share knowledge
•       Learn about climate change
•       Develop, implement and scale up solutions

Why does the European Climate Pact matter to us? Well according to them, The climate crisis is real and affects all of us but everyone can contribute to find solutions.

The EU is taking action to fight climate change. But laws and policies won’t be enough alone. Our everyday choices matter. Climate action is an opportunity for everyone to improve our lives, our economy and our society.

While many people and organizations are already taking steps for the climate, others are eager to learn more so they can start making climate-conscious choices. The European Climate Pact intends to bring everyone together.

DEEPER DIVE: Climate Pact, Pact Pledges Site, Climate Ambassador Site

CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, SCIENCE BASED TARGETS

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling organizations to set science-based emissions reduction targets. The SBTi is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi call to action is one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.

Science-based targets show companies and financial institutions how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to prevent the worst effects of climate change. 

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi):

• Defines and promotes best practice in emissions reductions and net-zero targets in line with climate science.

• Provides technical assistance and expert resources to companies who set science-based targets in line with the latest climate science.

• Brings together a team of experts to provide companies with independent assessment and validation of targets.

• Is the lead partner of the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign – an urgent call to action from a global coalition of UN agencies, business and industry leaders, mobilizing companies to set net-zero science-based targets in line with a 1.5°C future.

 DEEPER DIVE: SBTI