Corporate Social Responsibility And Beyond: Mitigating Climate Change
- IJLLR Journal
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Manya Sinha, Amity Law School, Noida
ABSTRACT
A cry for survival comes from the planet itself. A cry that can't be any more desperate or any more clear.
—President Joseph R. Biden
United Nations defines climate change as long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels which produces heat- trapping gases. The Paris Agreement, 2015 is a legally binding agreement to keep global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, 2024 was recorded as the hottest year; the first to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures. Business organisations are one of the key elements contributing to climate change as they require the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy for manufacturing desired products. The wrongful disposal of waste products into the environment also factors into the heating up of the planet. As humans have considered development superior to the environment, they have ruthlessly degraded it, blissfully ignoring its consequences that have started to show. Practices like greenwashing are injuring the environment as well as its consumers.
As a result, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged, grounded in the fundamental principle that as humans extract resources from the environment for development, they are responsible for using those resources wisely and giving back to the environment. Along with CSR, ESG framework (environmental, society, governance) ensures accountability and the implementation of systems and processes to manage a company's impact, such as its carbon footprint and how it treats employees, suppliers and other stakeholders. Some corporations address climate change while pursuing their organizational goals, whereas many startups focus solely on combating climate change by reducing carbon footprints, using renewable energy, measuring air pollution, recycling waste, etc. India has outlined major plans including NAPCC (National Action Plan on Climate Change) to fight climate change. The polluter pays principle, carbon pricing, and the precautionary principle should be strictly enforced and sustainable development goals should be diligently followed. Our environment umbrellas everything, from the flora, fauna, and humans to the air and water quality, sanitation, social and economic welfare, etc.
Our planet is indeed crying for help; better late than never, it is time for everyone to buckle up and save the planet, as all this development will be rendered futile if we don’t have a healthy home.
Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Climate Change, ESG, Greenwashing, Carbon Pricing, SDGs
