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Is there a difference between net zero and carbon neutral? What is the energy transition, exactly? What about ESG versus SDG? Let’s face it, climate change language can be confusing. But with a grasp of basic definitions and a few key facts at your fingertips, you can have informed discussions about a defining issue of our time.
Do you know your climate change lingo?
Infectious diseases
A
Debt crises
B
The survey’s respondents signaled that “environmental risks have the potential to severely damage societies, economies, and the planet.”
Next Question
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Risks Report, what is perceived as the most severe global risk over the next 10 years?
Correct!
Sorry, the correct answer is climate action failure.
In the context of the assessment of climate impacts, the term risk is often used to refer to the potential for adverse consequences of a climate-related hazard, or of adaptation or mitigation responses to such a hazard, on lives, livelihoods, health and well-being, ecosystems and species, economic, social and cultural assets, services (including ecosystem services), and infrastructure.
1
RISK
Extreme weather
D
Climate action failure
C
2
3
4
5
6
7
Source: IPCC
True
False
Take a concrete sea wall, which makes a community more resilient by protecting it from coastal storms. If that wall is designed poorly, it may disrupt marine life which is not sustainable. Ideally, infrastructure design should address both resilience and sustainability.
A resilient system is inherently sustainable.
Sorry, the correct answer is false.
Sustainability: A dynamic process that guarantees the persistence of natural and human systems in an equitable manner. Resilience: The capacity of social, economic, and environmental systems to cope with a hazardous event, such that they maintain their essential function and capacity for adaptation.
Sustainability vs. Resilience
Resilience: The capacity of social, economic, and environmental systems to cope with a hazardous event, such that they maintain their essential function and capacity for adaptation.
Yes
No
If your organization’s infrastructure project reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, does the project also help your organization adapt to climate change?
Mitigation and adaptation are distinct. However, depending on the circumstances, they can—and ideally, should—coexist. For example, a building powered by solar panels and battery storage instead of natural gas cuts GHG emissions (mitigation). And if a climate event like a major storm knocks out the grid, this same building’s lights may stay on if the system is designed to operate independently (adaptation).
Sorry, the correct answer is maybe.
In human systems, climate adaptation is the process of adjusting to actual or expected climate and its effects, in order to moderate harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. Climate mitigation is a human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance sinks of greenhouse gases.
Adaptation vs. Mitigation
Maybe
Supply chains
Electrification
The energy transition isn’t just about how we power individual types of infrastructure. Buildings, water, transportation, mining, communities, the environment—they’re all affected by energy infrastructure.
Which of these topics is likely to come up when talking about the energy transition?
Sorry, the correct answer is all of the above.
The energy transition involves moving away from fossil-based energy and towards renewable, zero-carbon sources.
energy transition
Technology
Policy and regulations
All of the above
E
Climate justice recognizes that the impacts of climate change are not equitably distributed among people, and those who are most vulnerable to climate change may have been the least responsible for creating it. Climate justice aims to support vulnerable communities and address climate change mitigation and adaptation in a way that is equitable.
Whether you’re designing an energy system, transportation network, park, building, or any kind of infrastructure, you have a role to play in tackling climate injustice.
Sorry, the correct answer is true.
Climate Justice is justice that links development and human rights to achieve a human-centered approach to addressing climate change, safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable people and sharing the burdens and benefits of climate change and its impacts equitably and fairly.
climate justice
No, they are not the same. In fact, carbon neutral only includes CO emission, whereas net zero encompasses all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The IPCC notes that the term carbon neutrality in practice is often ambiguous, with users applying it to the neutrality of all GHGs.
Are carbon neutral and net zero the same thing?
Sorry, the correct answer is no.
Carbon Neutral: Net zero carbon dioxide (CO ) emissions are achieved when anthropogenic CO emissions are balanced globally by anthropogenic CO removals over a specified period. Net zero CO emissions are also referred to as carbon neutrality. Net Zero: Net zero emissions are achieved when anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period.
Carbon neutral vs. net zero
Companies are building ESG programs and taking action to support UN’s SDGs. Companies that operationalize sustainability throughout their organization are more successful at achieving their ESG goals and taking action in alignment with the SDGs.
Can ESG programming support SDGs?
Sorry, the correct answer is yes.
ESG refers to Environmental, Social, and Governance―three pillars of sustainability that are common across industries and geographies. These pillars are further defined by a range of criteria and various standards that provide transparency and consistency for reporting. The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030.
ESG vs. SDG
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Only by addressing climate change today can we create the resilient and sustainable communities of tomorrow. Stantec’s Climate Solutions empower our diverse range of design and consulting professionals with the expertise they need to help clients see projects through a climate lens—and then act on what they find.
That’s ok. Climate change is a big topic.
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sustainability vs. resilience
Brush up on your climate change lingo. Learn more about each of these topics.
10 steps to improving your resilience and creating a sustainable future.
Why should you consider climate change risk in your project?
risk
Learn how adapting to climate change can help you meet your net zero goals.
Here are six things we talk about—and one we don’t—when we talk about the energy transition.
How can businesses and policy makers achieve climate justice?
Why should you transition to a low carbon economy?
See our environmental, social, and governance goals and how we track UN Sustainable Development Goals in our projects.
esg vs. sdg
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