Page 70 - January-February-2021

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The decisive role

of textile in the

success of the Paris

Agreement

The Paris Agreement is the first-ever universal, legally Donald Trump, withdrawn from this Agreement on 4
binding global climate change agreement, adopted November 2020 with 17.89% greenhouse gas
at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in ratification. Apart from the United States, Turkey, Iran,
December 2015. The Paris Agreement sets out a Yemen, Libya, South Sudan, Iraq, and Eritrea have
global framework to avoid dangerous climate change also withdrawn from this Agreement. Now, Fashion
by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and brands including Nike, Levi Strauss (LS&Co), Gap,
pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. The industries, Target, and the VF Corp-owned Timberland, Vans,
especially textiles, are a significant source of and North Face are amongst more than 1,000
pollution, and after this Agreement, the sector shows signatories of a statement incoming Biden
huge sustainability improvements to abide by the administration, reaffirming their commitment to the
Paris Agreement. goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Agreement includes commitments from all major In 2020, an unprecedented peacetime drop in global
emitting countries to cut their climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions due to the economic
pollution and to strengthen those commitments over downturn driven by the COVID-19 pandemic was net-zero goal, President Joe Biden's promise to put forming the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate
time. The Agreement stated that it would enter into observed. But similar annual cuts in emissions are the U.S. on a net-zero footing by 2050, and 63 Action (FICCA). The FICCA exceeded previous
force (and thus become fully effective) only if 55 needed every year this decade, and as economies percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions are industry-wide commitments and nailed a target of 30
countries that produce at least 55% of the world's recover, emissions are expected to bounce back emitted in territories soon to be governed by some percent GHG emission reductions by 2030.
greenhouse gas emissions (according to a list made strongly in the coming years. The Fashion Industry form of net-zero commitment.
in 2015) ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Charter for Climate Action lays out a pathway for all Sustainability has gained a lot of traction in the textile
Agreement. 175 Parties (174 states and the companies within the fashion and apparel value The global fashion sector is currently generating industry over the last few years. Purchase decisions are
European Union) signed the Agreement on the first chain, from raw material production to retail and more emissions each year than the UK, Germany, no longer only made based on fashion and comfort.
date it was open for signature. distribution, goes beyond previous industry-wide and France combined and will fail to align with the Consumers are increasingly demanding more
commitments, and is aligned with the Paris goals Paris Agreement without transformational change eco-friendly textiles. This behavior and awareness have
As of November 2020, 194 states and the European Agreement. It sets the vision to achieve net-zero over the next decade. The solution is if companies significantly reduced the greenhouse gas emission as
Union have signed the Agreement. 188 states and emissions by 2050, including a midway target of 30 across the value chain must join up and accelerate recycled or sustainable materials are being preferred
the EU, representing about 79% of global percent GHG emission reductions by 2030 and a efforts to bring textiles recycling infrastructure and giving Paris Agreement a boost.
greenhouse gas emissions, have ratified or acceded commitment to establish a decarbonization pathway systems to scale. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
to the Agreement, including China and India, the for the fashion industry, drawing on methodologies estimates that less than 1% of clothing produced Therefore, it is hoped that the Paris Pact Signatories
countries with the 1st and 3rd largest CO2 emissions from the Science-Based Targets Initiative. annually is recycled into new garments. 73%, in will make extra efforts to promote sustainability and
among UNFCC members. contrast, is landfilled or burned. reach the desired goals by the set targets. For the
China has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by said purpose, textile companies have to play their
Pakistan also signed the Paris agreement on 22 April 2060, and Japan, South Korea, South Africa, and The fashion industry pitched in with its bit-a group of part regarding selecting sustainable raw materials,
2016 with the ambition of 0.43% of greenhouse gas Canada also have set their sights on net-zero by 86 fashion companies called on political leaders to modifications of processes, and reducing GHG
for ratification. The United States, under the leader of 2050. Other commitments include the EU's landmark help deliver ambitious and effective climate action by emissions.

January/February 2021 January/February 2021