WRI - HOT CLIMATE, COOL COMMERCE: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management

To provide the context for service-sector companies' action, this guide begins with: A brief overview of climate change science and expected impacts. This section describes climate change and why it is occurring, and summarizes some of the anticipated consequences, such as more intense weather events, water and food shortages, and possible changes in the geographic distribution of some infectious diseases. An outline of the connection between climate change and the service sector and the reasons that servicesector companies should take action. This section explains how service-sector companies contribute to global GHG emissions and the economic dangers of climate change that they face. Then we discuss the “business case” for service-sector companies to take action. At the outset, the business must develop a case for taking action and determine its goals for a program responding to climate change. Why should the company undertake this activity? What are the risks of undertaking or not undertaking it? What will the return on its investment be? What are the shortand long-term benefits for the company? How will its stakeholders react? These sections are followed by a step-by-step manual for service-sector businesses ready to begin responding to climate change.