As another blistering summer draws to a close, wildfires continue to burn across vast landscapes and hurricane season is well underway. For supply chain professionals across the globe, these climate crises present a unique challenge and an urgent opportunity.
In fact, 2025 has already seen a particularly high number of major storms. For example, Hong Kong typically experiences about six typhoons annually, but this week’s deadly Typhoon Ragasa marks the ninth so far this year. Johnny Chan, an atmospheric scientist at the Asia-Pacific Typhoon Collaborative Research Centre, tells CNN that climate change is making storms of this scale more common and more powerful: “Because of global warming, you will have more moisture in the atmosphere, and the water temperature is also high. Therefore ... once the storm develops, it has more energy.”
These extreme-weather events and countless others make the case for prioritizing climate action more vital than ever. This week, speakers at Climate Week NYC urged world leaders to translate promises into tangible steps forward. Many noted that the clean energy boom is rapidly accelerating, but its benefits are not equally shared, per Reuters. Plus, the current political landscape has shifted, with a renewed focus on fossil fuels and a less supportive stance toward global climate initiatives.
Without unified global action — in particular, the United States’s divergence from a leadership position — climate goals will become much more difficult to reach. President Heine of the Marshall Islands tells The New York Times, “If the world doesn't rapidly act to reduce emissions,” her country will disappear by 2050. Former Vice President Al Gore says that Earth is “fast approaching a series of potentially catastrophic tipping points.”
Thankfully, there's some good news, too: The ratification of the High Seas Treaty is a significant milestone for ocean conservation. The treaty establishes legally binding rules to “conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, share benefits from marine genetic resources more fairly, create protected areas, and strengthen scientific cooperation and capacity building,” explains UN News. Marine pollution is an existential problem: In 2021, more than 17 million metric tons of trash ravaged our oceans; and levels are expected to double or even triple by 2040.
Engaging supply chain professionals at every level
Collaborative research from ASCM and Gartner has shown involving employees in sustainability initiatives enhances both business results and supply chain resilience. With this in mind, ASCM offers a comprehensive suite of industry-leading education to help you make an impact.
For individuals and teams, start with the Building a Sustainable Supply Chain Course. This instructor-led program provides the tools and knowledge needed to operate effectively under the triple bottom line of people, profit and the planet. Explore circular supply chains and how to significantly reduce your carbon footprint, identify key projects to address supply chain sustainability gaps, and understand UN Global Compact guidelines and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, ASCM supports and advocates for the 17 SDGs adopted by businesses and nations worldwide. To help your organization reach these sustainability goals at a holistic business level, look to the open-access ASCM Enterprise Standards for Sustainability. The standards are mapped directly to the SDGs, providing a clear roadmap for a lasting culture of social responsibility and supply chain excellence.
Get started today, and join the essential movement toward a better world through supply chain.
