Opinion: Science-based climate targets are a must for state companies

One step governments can take to help the planet and avoid being sued by their citizens is requiring state-owned enterprises and the companies that supply them with goods and services to set science-based targets, or SBTs.

In the face of the climate crisis, citizens are urging governments to take action. Earlier this year, the European Court of Human Rights began hearing cases brought by European Union citizens against their governments. State administrations are accused of failing to take decisive action to reduce climate change, which plaintiffs argue is a violation of their fundamental rights. The court in the French city of Strasbourg is due to hear three cases, involving more than 30 countries. This is the first time the European body has been asked to consider whether inadequate climate change policies constitute an infringement of the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to life.

The air we breathe now contains more carbon dioxide than at any time in at least 2 million years, according to the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Human activity has caused atmospheric temperatures to surge over the past two centuries, destabilizing our climate and endangering human lives.