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A 66% chance that our world will be warmer by another 1.5°C by 2027 was the alarming warning issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) last March. This does not even include the natural crises we witness through media, such as record-breaking heatwaves in North America, Europe, Asia, and Thailand, severe wildfires across the globe, or the tragic sight of marine animals washed ashore. At SCGC, we all know the root cause is the same: “climate change,” encompassing both global warming and global boiling.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported that the El Niño phenomenon, which began in the summer of 2023, has ended1. However, this phenomenon has contributed to record-high global temperatures in recent months, exacerbating the long-term global warming caused by human activities. El Niño is a part of natural climate variability and can be identified by measuring the sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific, which are higher than usual, as well as higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure in Darwin, Australia (western Pacific), and lower-than-normal atmospheric pressure in Tahiti, French Polynesia (central Pacific).
Scientists have also observed an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels during El Niño events, possibly due to the dry and hotter conditions in tropical regions. If plants grow more slowly because of drought, they absorb less carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, increased wildfires in areas such as South Asia result in higher carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The consequence is an intensification of global warming and global boiling.
In the past week, a series of Thai and foreign media outlets have reported on "coral bleaching." The most recent occurrence marks the fourth global coral bleaching event2, affecting over 54% of coral reefs across 53 countries and territories worldwide. The previous three major bleaching events occurred in 1998, 2010, and from 2014 to 2017. Each major bleaching event was significantly influenced by El Niño, highlighting the ongoing negative impact of human activities on the environment.
Another disheartening event resulting from global warming and global boiling is the widespread stranding and death of marine animals on beaches around the world, followed by subsequent earthquakes. A notable event was the death of tens of thousands of sardines and mackerel in Hakodate, Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan. Just a month later, a severe 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Ishikawa Prefecture on the Noto Peninsula in central Japan, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and extensive property damage3. This does not include the “red tide” events caused by algal bloom, which led to massive fish deaths along the southeastern coast of Florida. San Francisco also faced a similar event, causing thousands of fish to die during the summer of 2023. In the same year, in June, hundreds of little blue penguins were found washed up dead along the coastline of New Zealand.
In addition to the clear impacts of global warming and global boiling on ecosystems, this crisis significantly affects agricultural production worldwide. It increases production costs, raises global food prices, and disrupts outdoor economic activities, especially in areas with dangerously high temperatures. This does not even consider the humanitarian disputes that arise, often concealed, from exploiting the severity of these events, such as altering maritime claims stemming from changing coastlines of many countries.
COP28, the 28th global conference on addressing climate change, concluded late last year with a resolution that the world must urgently reduce greenhouse gases by transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, with the goal of tripling the share of renewable energy by 2030. Additionally, a significant outcome from COP28 was the establishment of a loss-and-damage fund this year to assist vulnerable countries, along with outlining frameworks for adapting to climate change.
Although all parties are making every effort to mitigate the impacts of global warming and global boiling, earlier this year we all experienced the “heat” of higher-than-normal temperatures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the latest measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in early April. They found that by the end of last year, the concentration had reached the fourth highest level on record.
Carbon dioxide acts like a thermostat, an automatic temperature control device for the Earth. The more carbon dioxide there is in the air, the warmer the Earth becomes.
Before the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were stable at 280 ppm (parts per million) for millions of years. However, last year, global greenhouse gas levels rose to 419 ppm, which is nearly 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. This means that there are about 50% more carbon dioxide molecules in the air compared to the year 1750. As carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere, it traps heat, causing global temperatures to rise.
Additionally, over the past years, the world has been dealing with the natural phenomenon of "El Niño," which has been ongoing for some time. This phenomenon warms ocean temperatures, triggering numerous disasters such as floods and droughts. Countries around the Pacific Ocean, which rely heavily on agriculture, are the most affected, especially during April and May, the hottest months of the year.
The current high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, make the climate goal of limiting global warming and global boiling to 1.5 degrees Celsius increasingly challenging for many sectors. To meet this critical environmental threshold, experts suggest that countries need to halt global greenhouse gas emissions and reduce them to near zero within about a decade. This effort should be accompanied by innovations that align with new trends in technology, innovation, and sustainability in 2024 to effectively mitigate the impacts of global warming and global boiling with tangible results.
As the world faces increasing challenges from climate change, new innovation trends, 2024 technology trends, and environmental sustainability have become focal points for current and future innovative solutions. Therefore, SCGC has compiled four interesting 2024 technology trends and sustainability trends that will help mitigate the impacts of global warming and global boiling.
SCGC has partnered with Denka, a Japanese company, to establish a plant for the production and distribution of Acetylene Black, a conductive component in the battery manufacturing supply chain for electric vehicles. This project is set up in Rayong, Thailand, with a production capacity of approximately 11,000 tons per year and is expected to begin operations in early 2025. Read more about Acetylene Black here.
SCGC has partnered with Avantium N.V., an expert in renewable chemistry technology from the Netherlands, to advance innovations aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. They are testing the upcycling of carbon dioxide gas into precursors for producing PLGA polymers, or carbon-negative plastics, without emitting carbon dioxide during the production process. They are also accelerating the development of a pilot plant with a production capacity of over 10 tons per year. Read more about the project here.
From the Bang Sue Model, which encourages employees to efficiently recycle resources, SCGC has expanded its efforts to the surrounding communities through the "Waste-free Community" project. This initiative is complemented by the "KoomKah" application developed by SCGC to help communities manage waste banks. Currently, there are 13 waste banks with a total of 3,785 member accounts, accumulating over 240 tons of recyclable waste in the system. This effort reduces landfill waste and is equivalent to reducing over 480,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions.
SCGC has extended the "Waste-free Community" project to students through the "Upcycling Milk Pouches" project, aiming to instill resourcefulness in the younger generation. The project promotes the collection of school milk pouches for recycling into new plastic products such as chairs and plant pots. Currently, more than 1,850 schools are participating, collecting 1,600,000 milk pouches with a total weight of 6.2 tons for recycling (as of November 10, 2023).
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SCGC recognizes the impacts of climate change and prioritizes reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the value chain while committing to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) to achieve sustainable growth. Our business plans are aligned with ESG principles and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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