Sustainability is becoming a key focus for business around the world, and rightly so! With COP26 upon us and the impact of climate change visible, more businesses are turning towards sustainable ideas to market their brand.

The conference is held in Glasgow between 31^st October and 12^th November 2021 aiming to unite the world to tackle climate change. We are proud champions of reducing our carbon footprint and developing innovative new sustainability practices within our supply chain, which is why we are proudly working with many businesses ahead of COP26 with sustainable solutions.

What is COP26?

COP26 is the 26^th UN climate change conference. Originally scheduled for November 2020, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COP stands for Conference of Parties (countries) and will be attended by countries that signed the UNFCCC, United Stations Framework Convention on Climate Change, agreed in 1994. COP25 in Madrid was the longest on record, finishing two days later due to negotiations.

Some have dubbed COP26 as the “last chance” to avoid catastrophic consequences of the climate crisis. The official UK COP26 website states that it will “bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.”

And the Paris Agreement?

Just over 6 years ago, world leaders came together and drafted the Paris Agreement – a legally-binding international treaty on climate change with an aim to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably 1.5 Celsius, compared to industrial levels”. Years later, nations are preparing to meet again to discuss progress (or lack thereof!) towards reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement and what we can do going forward. The agreement now has a total of 191 countries formally committed to limiting global warming to a figure lower than 2 degrees.

What will happen at COP26?

This will be the largest summit the UK has ever hosted with heads of state from around the world attending. The UK is taking 4 goals to governments across the world:

1.     Limit global warming to 1.5C

2.     Enable communities & habitats to adapt to climate change

3.     Mobilise climate finance

4.     Collaborate to deliver action

There are many events in the lead up to COP26 including Net Zero Festival, IMPACT, Global Day of Action and more – all aimed to increase discussion ahead of the main event. There are also many UNFCCC side events and exhibits with exact dates to be confirmed.

Overall, the main aim for COP26 is for world leaders to guess progress and a roadmap forward. There will be two weeks of discussions and businesses getting involved and inspired to create change within their industry. COP26 wants to disrupt, and we’re looking forward to the innovative solutions that will be on display.

COP26 events you can get involved with

The following events are available for public attendance online.

Sustainable Innovation Forum - 8 - 10 November 2021 – Online & In-Person

For 11 years, Climate Action has been uniting heads of state and multilaterals, environment ministers, business leaders, investors, and NGOs alongside the UN Climate Change negotiations, convening the largest multi-stakeholder forum: Sustainable Innovation Forum.

Hydrogen Transition Summit – 11^th November 2021 – Online & In-person

This summit aims to become the landmark hydrogen event at COP26, convening key policy, investment, technology, regulator and government stakeholders as a global hybrid event.

Agri-food – 11^th November 2021 – Online & In-Person.

Connecting the global agri value chain from farm to fork for sustainable resilient food systems. The Summit has been designed in response to the growing demand for new models of multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve food security, sustainable development and other global goals outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals while achieving the Paris Agreement objectives

Exciting Fringe (Un-Official) COP26 Events

Learn From Other Green Businesses

Want to become more energy efficient, reduce your bills and cut your carbon emissions? We have helped hundreds of businesses to do just that – and we have handpicked a selection who want to share their stories with you.

On average, there is an average 24% of savings on energy bills and more than £200m in identified in savings. The businesses you will hear from are all enjoying cheaper bills, and playing their part in tackling the climate emergency.

Join the event to be inspired by our guest speakers from a range of sectors and learn how your business could save energy and money while reducing its environmental impact.

IHBC@COP26: Because Conserving our Places Conserves our Planet

The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (the IHBC)  is the UK’s professional body for built and historic environment conservation. Our members know that ‘Conserving our Places Conserves the Planet’ so where better to ask or find out more.

Earthbeat

Event showcasing films from the Earthbeat Challenge, which is collecting short films from global youth about restoring balance with nature.    

Creativity, Culture and Collaboration to Combat Climate Change

The vision of the “Creativity, Culture and Collaboration to Combat Climate Change” project is to support and prepare youth to become true factors of change by learning about sustainability and climate change, and how to mitigate their negative impact on the environment through various actions.

There will be a 2 hour workshop for COP26 participants together with partners Earthbanc, Worldview Impact Foundation, People of 2050 and Norwegian Climate Network.

7 Days: A temporary art installation at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel

Taking as a starting point the ancient Hebrew text of Genesis, Chapter 1 – telling of the seven days of creation – seven panels (1m x 1m) were created from re-purposed fabrics, gold-leaf, emulsion, candle wax and thread. From mid-July to mid-October, the panels were installed in seven different gardens, therefore handing the works over to the various situational and elemental environments of these places.

See more events and how to book

Together For Our Planet – The UK’s Year Of Climate Action

The threat of climate change is already upon us, we must work together to reduce the impact of climate change and ensure a greener future not only for us, but for future generations too. Whether you’re attending or not, you can still get involved.

#OneStepGreener will showcase how people across the UK are already doing their part to fight climate change, the aim is to celebrate and inspire other businesses to join the initiative.

Whether your actions are big or small, it all makes a difference. Changes can be anything from using public transport, energy efficient lighting to reducing waste or opting for greener options in your supply chain.

Here at Service Graphics, we want to leave a lasting impression on our clients, not our planet. We are committed to reducing our footprint and have sustainable options across all our services, giving our clients the power to reduce their carbon footprint.

1.     Local by nationwide reach

2.     Working with our supply chain

3.     Providing sustainable choices

4.   Pathway to Net Zero Carbon - we have commitment to achieve this by 2030

What could you do in your business that will reduce your impact on the climate?

This is the biggest threat we have ever faced collectively, and together we have the power to fight it. We are seeing weather disasters, temperatures rising, ice caps melting, severe pollution in cities causing a range of health problems – the list is endless. Now, more than ever, we are needed to come together and make an impact.

In an upcoming article, we are going to share how different businesses are innovatively reducing their climate impact. Whether you’re a hairdresser recycling hair to help oils spills or a taxi firm adding electric vehicles to their fleet, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us your tweets to @ServiceGraphics for a chance to be featured.