Science

Monitoring and reporting of Scope 3 emissions 🌎 Scope 3 emissions represent the largest share of an organization's carbon footprint, encompassing indirect emissions across the value chain. A structured approach to measurement, commitment, transformation, and disclosure ensures comprehensive reporting and alignment with global sustainability standards. Organizations must integrate Scope 3 emissions into their reporting frameworks to enhance transparency and drive meaningful reductions. Accurate measurement is the first step in managing Scope 3 emissions. Methodologies such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and ISO 14064 provide guidance on calculating emissions across relevant categories. Reporting standards, including GRI, CDP, and IFRS S2, establish principles for disclosure, ensuring that organizations quantify emissions in a way that is comparable and actionable. Setting a clear baseline allows companies to identify high-impact areas and prioritize reduction efforts. Commitment to science-based targets supports long-term emissions reductions. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) offers frameworks for setting ambitious yet achievable decarbonization goals. Alignment with standards such as CSRD ESRS E1, ISSB, and SASB ensures that Scope 3 targets are integrated into broader corporate sustainability strategies. Effective emissions reduction requires collaboration across the value chain, emphasizing supplier engagement and business model innovation. Transforming business operations is essential to reducing Scope 3 emissions. Companies must optimize supply chains, shift toward low-carbon materials, and explore alternative logistics solutions. Investments in circular economy strategies, renewable energy adoption, and efficiency improvements contribute to emission reductions. Partnerships with suppliers and industry stakeholders strengthen impact and accelerate progress toward decarbonization. Scope 3 emissions are categorized into upstream and downstream activities, capturing emissions beyond direct control. Upstream activities include purchased goods and services, capital goods, fuel and energy-related activities, transportation, business travel, and employee commuting. Downstream activities involve emissions from transportation and distribution, product processing, end-of-life treatment, leased assets, and investments. Each category requires tailored approaches to measurement and mitigation. Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions interact within a company’s sustainability strategy. Scope 1 emissions originate from direct sources such as company facilities and vehicles. Scope 2 emissions result from purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling. Scope 3 emissions extend beyond organizational boundaries and often require coordinated efforts with external partners to influence change across the value chain. Source: Deloitte #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #scope3 #emissions

Changing the paradigm in Multiple Sclerosis therapeutics: from immuno-therapy to reducing glutamate excitotoxicity. Current MS research focuses on the autoimmune response causing demyelination, but evidence suggests neurodegeneration may come first. Glutamate receptor antagonists offer promise, but they also block essential neuronal functions. In this study, researchers used an AI screening to identify a small molecule that prevents excitotoxicity by targeting an allosteric binding site on the GluA2 subunit of the AMPA receptor. In MS animal models, this molecule restores neurological function and myelination, reduces the immune response, and avoids common off-target effects of glutamate antagonists. These results suggest a new treatment approach for MS with a different mechanism of action, potentially offering an alternative or complementary therapy to existing medications. The original article was published in Science Advances: https://lnkd.in/eePdxfdE. https://lnkd.in/eHQsXW9h #genetics #genomics #precisionmedicine #genomicmedicine #multiplesclerosis #brain #neurology #neurodegeneration #neuroscience #therapeutics #drugdiscovery #pharmacology #ai #machinelearning #immunology #immunity #neuroinflammation #biotechnology #innovation #research #science #sciencecommunication

🌍 Sustainability that we can’t see – Let’s talk digital! When we think about sustainability, we often picture reducing plastic waste, cutting emissions, or using renewable energy. But what about the impact we can’t see? Today, I’m teaming up with our very own Chief Sustainability Officer, Katharina Stenholm to highlight an often-overlooked aspect of sustainability—digital responsibility. Digital waste—like unused data, overflowing inboxes, and inefficient cloud storage—still consumes energy and contributes to CO₂ emissions. In fact, internet usage alone accounts for 3.7% of global emissions—equal to the entire aviation industry! ✈️ That’s why at dsm-firmenich, we’re committed to cutting our carbon footprint, tackling not just physical waste but digital waste too by: ✅ Optimizing our digital infrastructure to reduce energy consumption ✅ Encouraging responsible data management across our teams ✅ Providing tools and education for sustainable digital habits This World Cleanup Day, I encourage all of you to take a moment to clean up our digital footprint: 📂 Delete unnecessary files and emails ☁️ Optimize cloud storage 🔋 Be mindful of your digital energy use Sustainability is more than what meets the eye. Small actions—both physical and digital—add up to a big impact. What are your tips and habits to reduce your personal or professional digital carbon footprint? Share your tips in the comments! 🌱♻️ #Sustainability #DigitalResponsibility #DigitalCleanupDay #WorldCleanupDay #GreenTech

🚀 Exciting Breakthrough in Progressive MS Research! 🚀 My team at the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with Isabel Beerman at the National Institute on Aging (and many other friends), has uncovered a potentially ground-breaking discovery in the fight against #progressivemultiplesclerosis (MS). This work was spearheaded by Alexandra Nicaise, a key member of my team at Cambridge and co-lead author, along with Irina Mohorianu, co-senior author, also based at Cambridge. Using a pioneering ‘disease in a dish’ model, we identified a novel brain cell type—disease-associated radial glia-like cells (DARGs). These cells originate from mature astroglia undergoing adaptive developmental reprogramming and appear to play a central role in driving #chronicinflammation and #neurodegeneration in progressive MS. Notably, DARGs revert to an early developmental stage and exhibit features of premature #aging, actively contributing to the damaging environment within the brain. This discovery opens new avenues for targeted therapies that could transform treatment for this devastating disease, offering hope to thousands. Our findings may also provide insights into other neurodegenerative conditions. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the molecular machinery of #DARGs and explore their potential as therapeutic targets! With Alexandra Nicaise Irina Mohorianu Lukas Valihrach Pranathi Prasad Luca Peruzzotti Jametti Gabriel Balmus #MSResearch #Neuroscience #MedicalInnovation #Breakthrough #Neurodegeneration https://lnkd.in/esqJWjfP

Have you ever wondered how your daily digital habits impact the planet? Let me share a quick story. A few months ago, I started organizing my digital files a task I’d been putting off for years. Thousands of photos, outdated documents, unused apps, and neglected emails were just sitting there. I realised that while they didn’t take up physical space, they still carried a hidden environmental cost. Every email you send, every photo you upload, and every app you use requires energy to store, process, and maintain. This energy comes from data centers, which, according to International Energy Agency (IEA), consume 1% of the world’s electricity annually. To put it into perspective, that’s equivalent to the entire energy consumption of some small countries. And it’s not just the intangible stuff our devices like smartphones, laptops, and even smartwatches contribute to the problem. Manufacturing these gadgets requires raw materials like rare earth metals, while their disposal generates tons of e-waste each year. So, What can we do about it? Start small, but start somewhere. -Declutter your digital world: Delete files, emails, and apps you no longer use. According to Cleanfox, each email emits 4g of CO2, and reducing your email inbox can make a measurable difference. -Extend the life of your devices: Repair instead of replacing, and recycle responsibly when it’s time to upgrade. -Be mindful of streaming habits: Did you know that watching videos in SD instead of HD can reduce emissions by up to 86%? For me, the process of reducing my digital footprint has been eye-opening. I no longer see technology as just a tool it’s part of a system that directly affects the planet we live on. Every click, every upload, and every device matters. If we can make conscious decisions about how we use digital assets both tangible and intangible we can collectively reduce our digital carbon footprint. And the good news? Change doesn’t have to happen overnight. Let’s start today. Which of these steps resonates with you the most? Or Do you have other tips to share? #Sustainability #DigitalCarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalResponsibility #SustainableLiving

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁? 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 - 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻! Carbon Brief just released one of the most powerful climate tools I’ve seen in a while: an interactive map of every major extreme weather event where scientists have formally assessed the role of climate change. This latest iteration of the interactive map includes more than 600 studies, covering almost 750 extreme weather events and trends. Because each point on the map tells a story—and about three-quarters of all events mapped end the same way: they were made worse or more likely by human-induced climate change. There were multiple cases where scientists found that an 'extreme-event' was virtually impossible without human influence. Only around 9% of all events were less severe because of climate change. Here are a few insights that stood out to me: ➤ Heatwaves are the clearest signal. They account for more than one-third of studies, and nearly every single one has been intensified by warming. ➤ Many extreme events—like the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome—were deemed virtually impossible without climate change. ➤ We need more global equity in climate science. Most attribution studies focus on Europe, North America, and China. Countries most vulnerable to climate extremes—especially in the Global South—are underrepresented. That skews both policy and preparedness. ➤ Attribution science is maturing fast. The field barely existed in 2004. Today, we can assess the climate fingerprints of disasters in near-real time. That’s game-changing for insurers, governments, and risk modelers alike. 𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲: As someone modelling systemic climate risk for business, I see this dataset as more than academic. It’s a new layer of evidence for scenario analysis, impact forecasting, and portfolio stress testing. But it’s also a reminder that climate change is not a future problem it’s changing our weather 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀—𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱. 🔗 Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/eyaZES6x #ClimateRisk #ExtremeWeather #AttributionScience #Sustainability #ClimateAction #ScenarioAnalysis #ClimateData #NetZero #Adaptation _____________ For updates on sustainability, climate, and innovation, follow me on LinkedIn: Scott Kelly

🌿 🦋 NEW PAPER ON BIODIVERSITY FOOTPRINTING Key take-aways: ♻️ 🌎 Taking a whole lifecycle approach for assessing business biodiversity impacts is important, as substantial impacts can often be embedded within organisational value chains. 📅 ⛏️ 🪓 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a powerful approach to help organisations understand the impacts of company activities on biodiversity, covering all stages of a product’s life cycle and capturing many pressures that impact biodiversity. ❓ 🌵 🐦 But how do the ‘biodiversity footprint’ estimates from these tools relate to biodiversity impacts on the ground? What are the major assumptions and sources of uncertainty in these approaches? And how do these uncertainties influence the design of strategies to mitigate impacts? 😕 ❓ Modelling complex value chains and impact pathways necessarily means big assumptions are made in assessments. This means LCAs carry substantial uncertainties, which are often poorly understood and communicated in results. These uncertainties arise from the structure of the models (such as which biodiversity threats are included), the quality and completeness of the underlying data, decisions made in assessments and the way results are presented. 🔀 If not fully appreciated, these uncertainties could influence user decision-making, potentially leading to misleading conclusions, and misallocated resources to address impacts when designing biodiversity strategies. 📃 🧭 So given these risks… how should organisations use LCAs to their full potential? In the paper we outline clear opportunities for businesses and researchers to reduce, better understand and navigate these uncertainties wherever possible. 🌳 🦁 We outline opportunities for the effective use of LCAs in biodiversity strategy design: 1) Risk screening & tracking progress: We suggest LCAs can be most effective for high-level risk screening, prioritising action, and tracking biodiversity impact reduction over time. 2) Complemented by other approaches: Once high-impact areas are identified, LCAs can be paired with more specific approaches to provide robust impact estimates and guide effective, location-specific mitigation action. 3) Cautious use & complementary metrics: LCA outputs should be interpreted carefully due to uncertainties and lack of specificity. Targets should use a basket of metrics, focusing on direct biodiversity measurements, pressure reductions, and clear conservation actions. Care should be taken when using absolute estimates of biodiversity impact from LCA’s in strategy design. If you’re interested, there is much more detail in the full paper. This was a great collaborative effort between Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, The Biodiversity Consultancy Ltd & The Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery. https://lnkd.in/eqFebWZk Please do get in touch if you’d like to discuss. We’d love to hear from you.

In a major step toward understanding multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers have pinpointed two specific strains of gut bacteria that may play a key role in triggering the disease. The study, led by a team from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, focused on 81 pairs of identical twins where one sibling had MS and the other did not. This design allowed scientists to control for genetic and many environmental variables, honing in on the differences in gut microbiomes. The culprits? Two strains—Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium—were significantly more common in those with MS and, when transferred to mice, appeared to contribute to MS-like disease. Though previous studies have hinted at a link between gut bacteria and MS, this is the most precise identification to date. While more research is needed, especially in humans, the findings support the growing theory that the gut-brain connection plays a role in autoimmune diseases like MS. Understanding how these bacteria influence immune responses could eventually lead to targeted treatments that prevent or slow disease progression by modifying the microbiome. The research opens new doors to how we might one day tackle MS—starting in the gut. read the paper https://lnkd.in/dh-gy9sz

SAP clients face an environmental double-whammy around unwanted data. Since SAP’s HANA database runs in-memory, every GB of unnecessary data not only sits on disk, but also in very expensive, high-carbon RAM also. With a typical SAP system running not into GBs, but into TBs, the financial and environmental impact of retaining unwanted data can be substantial. The answer is obvious - archive and delete obsolete data, and do so early in your S/4HANA journey - I found 12mths ahead of moving to the Cloud worked for us. Activate DVM in SolMan, or request a DVM service from SAP, is a good starting point, and if necessary, engage with an SAP archiving partner to execute the steps DVM recommended. That project should pay for itself in disk, RAM and CPU cost savings when you hit S/4. You will have greatly reduced your SAP landscape’s carbon footprint too. #sap #s4hana #dataarchiving Thierry JULIEN

♻️ What exactly is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) — and why should your business care? As a sustainability consultant, I often meet companies that want to reduce their impact but aren’t sure where to start.One of the most powerful yet underused tools is LCA (or ACV in French). 🌍 A Life Cycle Assessment measures the environmental footprint of a product, service, or process — from raw materials to end-of-life. It gives a full picture: carbon emissions, water use, resource depletion, toxicity, and more. 🔍 It helps you: - Spot hidden hotspots in your supply chain - Compare design or material options with real data - Structure eco-design strategies with credibility - Align with regulations like RE2020, CSRD, EU Taxonomy, HQE, and more 🧱 And when formalized through tools like: => FDES (for construction products) => PEP ecopassport® (for electrical/electronic equipment) These assessments become valuable assets for tenders, certifications, and client trust. 📘 Some key methodologies: - ISO 14040 / 14044 (global standards) - EN 15804 (Europe, construction sector) - Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) – EU-wide approach 🧠 As a consultant, I see LCA as an essential tool — not just for compliance, but for informed, credible, and future-ready sustainability strategies. 💬 Are LCA, FDES or PEP already part of your sustainability approach? If not yet — what’s holding it back? #Sustainability #LCA #ACV #EcoDesign #CircularEconomy #CSRD #GreenBuilding #FDES #PEP #Consulting #ClimateStrategy