World leaders are coming to COP26 with the common goal of tackling climate change, and we’re inspired to show up and do the same. We’re all on this journey together, and we recognize that we have a significant part to play in climate action as a fashion brand. Here’s what we’re doing and the initiatives tentree’s involved in at COP26.
Urging Climate Action
How? Supporting the We Mean Business Coalition for Net-Zero Targets
The We Mean Business Coalition is a global nonprofit organization working with the world’s most influential businesses to take action on climate change. Heading into COP26, alongside 778 other businesses, tentree has signed a letter urging G20 Leaders to take action to limit the average global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Read the full letter and see the companies that signed alongside us.
Committing to Science-Based Targets
How? Signing the UN Climate Change Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action
The climate goals set in the Paris Agreement (which countries will be revisiting at COP26) translate to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As part of the fashion industry, we’re working to help achieve these goals, specifically by reducing our manufacturing emissions.
We’ve signed on to the UN Climate Change Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action to show our commitment and are setting science-based emissions reduction targets. Targets are considered ‘science-based’ if they are in line with what the latest climate science deems necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Science-based targets help create a clear pathway towards reducing emissions and enable us to measure our progress.
Demanding Transparency
How? Working with SustainChain™ to advocate for increased transparency and accountability in apparel supply chains
In order for the fashion industry to become more sustainable and achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, supply chains need to become more transparent. To demand real accountability, we’re collaborating with SustainChain™, a nonprofit organization that brings together impact investors, innovators, purpose-driven brands, and NGOs with the shared mission of building a more sustainable supply chain.
SustainChain™ is creating a compelling video reel that’ll play on a twenty-four-hour loop for the audience at COP26. Within this loop, our CEO Derrick Emsley will speak about tentree’s commitment to sustainability. This video will reach dignitaries, investors, and like-minded changemakers in the global sustainability community and demonstrate the impact that can be made when the fashion industry shows up, together.
Advocating for Environmental Policy
How? Supporting the Textile Exchange’s efforts on the Preferential Tariff Project
You may have heard us use the term ‘preferred materials’ before. These are materials, like organic cotton, that we always prioritize using in our clothing and accessories. They come from certified, verified sources that can be traced from raw materials to the finished products and typically have a lower carbon footprint than their conventional counterparts.
In an effort to make these preferred materials more favourable for companies to use, we’re supporting a global nonprofit organization called the Textile Exchange and their Preferential Tariff Project. This project requests that the governments present at COP26 explore ways to reduce tariffs (a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country) on lower impact fibers and materials.
We believe that reduced tariffs, tax incentives, and other mindful trade policies can be used to drive the increased use of environmentally preferred materials and in turn, reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Supporting Sustainable Solutions
How? Co-sponsoring the SPORT@COP26 Global Sustainable Sport Hackathon and Sport x SGD Challenge
Sport@COP26 is a one-day event that will shadow the deliberations of global decision-makers at COP26 and provide a forum for the sports community to gather and engage in interactive sessions to drive climate action. Intending to harness the power of sport to inspire climate action globally, we’re excited to huddle up and show our support for these virtual and in-person events.
tentree will be co-sponsoring The Sustainable Sports Hackathon, a competition held for undergraduate and master’s level university students to ideate and pitch their best ideas for sustainable sports solutions to global industry leaders.
After the Hackathon, things keep rolling with the Sport x SGD Challenge, a high-energy event facilitated by world-leading sustainable sports pros and athlete climate activists. In this interactive session, leaders from sports properties, global brands, and NGOs will roll up their sleeves and co-create an impact-driven fan engagement campaign — on the spot.
This year will be the first time athletes and the broader sports community will have a presence at the global climate conference. As we gear up for these events, we’re excited to be a part of the team that’s pushing for more climate forward plays at COP26.
Get Involved
If you’re interested in getting involved in COP26 and showing your commitment to climate action, we recommend checking out the Global Landscapes Forum. Take part in panels and conversations in this three-day event that will focus on the areas most crucial to bringing climate change under control: forests, food, and finance.
