AMS also joins this Belgian alliance with ambitious climate targets

12 October 2020 - The Shift and WWF-Belgium today announced the launch of a unique Belgian climate alliance. They invite all Belgian organizations that want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their climate ambitions to join this initiative in Belgium. Antwerp Management School, along with 52 other organizations, has already joined the alliance and committed itself to aligning its activities with the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement: keeping global warming below 2°C and making efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

It is high time for Belgian organizations to join forces, show leadership and take the lead in the transition to a CO2-neutral economy and society. A number of organizations, such as the World Economic Forum, are calling on business leaders to put the climate at the heart of the recovery from the corona crisis. This alliance offers an answer to this call today.

Clear and ambitious goals

The Belgian Alliance for Climate Action is a platform for Belgian organizations that want to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, show more climate ambition and use Science Based Targets to achieve their environmental goals. As a co-founder of the Science Based Targets, WWF will share its expertise in defining targets with the members of the alliance. As one of the world's leading independent environmental organizations, WWF will also strengthen ties with other climate alliances around the world.

An alliance for everyone

The Belgian Alliance for Climate Action welcomes all organizations, regardless of their size or sector. It brings together organizations that have already defined Science Based Targets and are willing to share their experiences, but also organizations that are willing to set such ambitious climate targets and are looking for advice and inspiration.

A long-term commitment

The members of the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action undertake to launch the SBT process within one year of their accession. Once this step has been taken, they have two years to have their objectives validated.

Organizations that have already set their Science Based Targets will support the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action and its members with one or more activities in which cooperation and knowledge exchange between the organizations is the key to success in achieving these climate targets.

Finally, the alliance will help its members to encourage their partners to join and coach them throughout the process.

Antwerp Management School is since its launch a member of the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action

Dean Steven De Haes on the accession of Antwerp Management School to the alliance: "In line with our ambition, we want to integrate sustainability not only in our educational programs but also on our campus and in our strategy. Like other organizations within the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action, we want to make our environmental objectives part of our long-term strategy, in line with the Paris Climate Conference.

As a school, we already foresee some actions in line with the Science Based Targets. For example, we work with circular contracts for our furniture, take into account biodiversity in our garden, and collect rainwater. In addition, 10% to 20% of our energy supply comes from the solar panels on our roof. Nevertheless, we want to increase our ambitions in the field of climate action.

By committing ourselves to the Belgian Alliance for Climate Action, we want to refine and strengthen our objectives in line with the established scientific frameworks necessary for the transition to a low-carbon economy. After all, what could be more tangible than objectives based on the latest science? By engaging further in dialogue with other organizations within the Alliance, we can only learn from each other. This shared knowledge will be of great value for our school to achieve our ambition to be fully climate neutral by 2030.

With this type of collaboration, we also unmistakably increase the impact on a large scale. The greater the number of organizations that coordinate their emission reduction efforts in line with science, the faster we will reach the critical mass needed to limit the impact of climate change. I therefore call on all organizations, from small to large, to join this alliance and make a difference together".

More information available here.