The Big Pivot

APPENDIX B

Setting Science-Based Goals

I’m aware of the irony here, but setting science-based goals is not always, well, an exact science. Knowing the precise limits we face is not easy when we’re working with enormously complex systems like our climate. And the right goals, especially at the corporate level, will vary depending on the problem.

With water, for example, we have good numbers on the total amount available for human use around the world. But the global picture doesn’t really matter when operational goals are being set; the reality in each watershed will dictate the right goal. And for carbon, it’s almost the exact opposite. All we really care about is the total number of molecules of carbon emitted globally.

So let’s start with ...