Paris agreement: ten years later, where are the companies?

Ten years later, a contrasting balance sheet

On December 12, 2015, the Paris Agreement set a historic course: keeping warming well below 2°C.

Ten years later, the world is still not aligned with this goal, nor are companies.

According to Iceberg Data Lab's analysis of 3,700 companies in the most emitting sectors, only 28% of them now follow a 2°C-compatible trajectory.

In other words: the majority is not yet on the right track... but all sectors have pioneers, proof that transformation is possible.

Sectors very early... and others very late

Some sectors are moving faster than others:

• Electricity and rail transport: among the most aligned, thanks to the deployment of renewable energy and low carbon technologies.
• Agri-food and real estate: increasingly structured, driven by regulations and strong sectoral dynamics.

On the other hand, there are other sectors which are clearly:

• Fossil energy, banking, logistics, automobile, pharmacy: 2 to 7% alignment rate.
• The main reason? The weight of Scope 3, i.e. all indirect emissions related to the value chain : purchases, transport, use of products, end of life, investments, etc.

These issues sometimes represent more than 90% of a company's total footprint, but they remain largely outsourced: only 24% report them and 8% set reduction targets.

A key message: keep the course, even in an unstable context

While the political and regulatory signals seem less legible than a few years ago, the conclusions of the ten years of the Paris Agreement recall a structuring reality: the companies that advance are those that started by measuring and then by structuring a trajectory.

Decarboner is not a regulatory sprint. It is a gradual transformation, which requires:

• a clear understanding of its footprint,
• identification of priority levers,
• a credible action plan,
• and regular monitoring to reorient the trajectory.

The pioneers show that ambition is effective only when it is pragmatic and driven.

Why measuring your footprint remains indispensable

The measure is not an administrative exercise: it is a strategic tool for navigating a more volatile world, subject to tensions on raw materials, climatic hazards and customer pressures.

As one expert quoted by Novethic points out, climate alignment today avoids major financial risks, particularly on Scope 3.

And on the ground, a message comes back: it is impossible to define a credible trajectory if one does not know its starting point.

Towards the next ten years: realistic ambition and solid paths

The Paris Agreement reduced the global warming projection from 3.5/4°C to about 2.7°C. This is not enough, but it is proof that even partial efforts change the trajectory.

The next ten years will be decisive. For businesses, this means:

• from a clear diagnosis,
• setting objectives adapted to their reality,
• progress step by step,
• and gradually integrate decarbonation into their operational decisions.

Sustainability is not a distant horizon: This is a question of risk management and robustness of models.

odeles.

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