A new shareholder proposal has surfaced from an investment bank, claiming that Apple must hit a net-zero deadline of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and suggesting both a feasibility study and policy recommendations by June 30 to measure the company's ability to meet the deadline, which the investment firm claims is "crucial for both the safety of the environment and for shareholder value." Apple has recommended against the proposal, saying it is "duplicative" of its own current efforts.
The shareholder proposal is born out of the recently-signed Paris Agreement on climate change, which aims to reduce greenhouse emissions to zero worldwide as part of an effort to halt the accelerating warming trend. Scientists believe that a change of two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Earth's core temperature (compared to the average temperature before the Industrial Age) will be disastrous to human life on the planet, raising ocean levels to a stage where land mass would shrink significantly, wiping out vital species, and other effects detrimental to mankind. Researchers believe industrial and anthropogenic emissions must be reduced to net-zero by 2050 at the latest to avert the worst effects of the rising temperature.
Apple is already at work reducing its "carbon footprint" and emissions, as seen in its global responsibility report, and rejected the proposal as being repetitive to Apple's existing programs. The company that made the proposal, Jantz Management, says that the feasibility report and policy changes are necessary to support Apple's pro-environment image, which it says is tied to the company's stock value. Jantz notes that at least one other major corporation -- Siemens -- has announced that it will work to gain net-zero status by 2030.
Apple's shareholder meeting is scheduled for February 26. The iPhone maker also recently recommended voting "no" on a proposal to force the board of directors to quickly become more racially diverse.
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