As the world shifts toward sustainability, business owners must reevaluate their practices. Corporations have larger carbon footprints than any other commercial or residential sector. Customer values are changing, and businesses must adopt sustainable practices to remain competitive in their field.
The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement established the track for companies to follow, developing sustainable solutions. Limiting global temperature increases below two degrees Celsius is its goal. Society must significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve the purpose of the agreement.
China and India are two of the three highest greenhouse gas emitting countries on the planet. Annually, China emits 10.06 metric gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere, and India emits 2.65 metric gigatons. Asia will meet the carbon-neutral goal by forging new paths for green infrastructure.
Green Transportation
Singapore developed a plan to incorporate electric city buses and taxi fleets in the coming decades. The government will phase out internal combustion engines, which run on fossil fuels, by 2040. They will deploy nearly 60,000 electric vehicle charging ports by 2030 to support green transportation development.
Japan is also incorporating sustainability into its transportation sector. The country holds the best urban railway system, and almost all their trains are electric. Their emission rates are less than half of America’s, partly due to this advanced transportation structure.
If Asian companies invested in expanding this technology, they would experience an immediate return on investment. Advancements in electric transportation could increase businesses’ accessibility to talented potential employees outside of the city. Suburban residing individuals would have easy access to urban regions with this expansion.
Sustainable Water Waste Management
Wastewater poses adverse effects on the environment. When inadequately disposed of, contaminated water may run into rivers and the ocean, affecting marine life and drinking water. Asian countries can reuse this water to avoid runoff and preserve natural resources.
Japan is developing a wastewater filtration plant that sustains itself. The system removes organic matter from water, transforming it into biogas to power the facility. An energy-neutral wastewater plant could help Japan reach its target of utilizing 30% biomass energy.
Renewable Energy Grid
The most significant environmental issue in Asia is the air pollution generated from dirty energy sources. Eastern countries are developing a clean energy grid with little to no greenhouse gas emissions. They will source this energy from floating solar farms.
Singapore began utilizing this technology on the Johor Strait. It anchored 13,000 solar panels to the seabed, absorbing enough energy to power 1,500 flats every year. Southeast Asia is employing similar technology in the Tengeh Reservoir.
Later in the year, scientists plan to place 122,000 floating solar panels on the reservoir. This will be the largest solar farm in Southeast Asia. Companies can source their power from these sources to increase the sustainability of their practices and shrink their carbon footprint.
Lead by Example
As green infrastructure advances in Asia, we can expect to see an increase in global conservation efforts. American universities have already begun developing floating solar panels to cover the California canals, generate energy and protect significant water sources. Eco-friendly advancements can help society meet our global greenhouse gas reduction goals.
