Learning from failure: the net zero gap
You have more arrows. If you miss your mark then try again.
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg – Three Spartan boys practicing archery (1812)
What happens when you realise you aren’t going to reach your climate goals? This uncomfortable question is becoming more urgent for companies and countries. Falling short on net zero promises is an embarrassment, but it is also a chance to improve.
In June 2019, Finland was praised when the then-new Government announced an ambitious plan to be net zero by 2035. Six years later the annual review has admitted the country is far from meeting their goals. The Climate Change Performance Index estimates Finnish emissions are about 47% higher than they should be, based on the country’s own commitments.
It is not only countries who are falling behind their goals: only 16% of large corporations are on track to be net zero by 2050. More companies are setting goals, with the number of companies applying to the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) up 30% year-to-date. This is good news, but setting a goal and reaching it are two entirely different things.
So what happens when a country or company falls behind their goals? Here is a suggested process to follow so you can learn from your mistakes and improve your performance.
1) Analyse the original goal-setting process
Why did the organisation choose these goals?
How were the goals decided?
Who were the decision-makers, and did they have all the necessary information at the time?
Were the goals realistic?
2) Identify the problems
Collect and analyse data to quantify what went wrong, and why.
What was in your control?
What wasn’t in your control?
Did you identify potential risks and develop contingency plans? If so, how did that process work?
3) Determine corrective actions
Broadly, you can change your goals, change your behaviour or change both.
There is nothing wrong with failing to meet a goal, it happens to every organisation which sets goals. In fact, if you meet every goal you aren’t being ambitious enough. The important thing is to use the lessons learned from your failure analysis for your path forward. In the race against climate change, transparency and course correction are just as important as ambition. Missing the mark doesn’t mean giving up; it means moving forward smarter.
Want to talk green? Contact me at info at davidjcord.com.