Trinseo | Addressing Climate Change on a Global Scale

May 27, 2021

Addressing Climate Change on a Global Scale

We have long known that climate change is a true global issue — one that doesn’t stop at the borders of our countries — and in order to see real change, we must tackle this problem with a united global front. Given the urgency of addressing climate change, I’ve been encouraged by recent progress to accelerate action on a global scale in the form of commitments to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. As more countries around the world recognize and act on this issue, we can finally envision a future where we eradicate the effects of climate change, together.

Recent announcements out of the U.S., EU, China and Russia show that some of the biggest global entities are formally recognizing the consequences our planet will face if we do not step up to enact change. In fact, at a recent virtual climate summit attended by 40 global leaders, the U.S. pledged to cut GHG pollution in half by 2030 and emphasized how decisive this decade will be in making decisions to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

Remarkably, the U.S. promised this while also announcing a $2 trillion infrastructure plan to reshape the American economy and create jobs — showing the world that the economy and business do not have to suffer when sustainability is a priority. In the same timeframe, China and Russia announced promises to make notable emissions reductions, and the EU announced new plans to cut carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

These joint efforts by some of the world’s most influential countries show promise for the future of our planet. Despite our differences and competition between countries, there is recognition that climate change is an issue that transcends these differences and warrants a global commitment. The more we work together, the more consistent we can make our goals to support our operations and prioritize our commitments to a sustainable future for the world.

At Trinseo, we pay close attention to these global movements to consider their potential impacts for our industry and for our clients. As the rest of the world commits to combating climate change, it validates our sustainability goals at Trinseo and makes our efforts feel especially purposeful and impactful. Our 2030 sustainability goals are in line with the global efforts to commit to sustainability, particularly our science-based climate change goal to reduce GHG emissions by 35% by 2035, which will help advance these efforts.

As more key players join the global response to address climate change, it is uplifting for companies like ours who are committed to combatting climate change and its consequences on our planet. The sustainability goals we have in place and the work we are doing at Trinseo is essential in helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals and helping make these global commitments a reality.