[Adobe Stock]
On March 6, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved a rule to require some companies to report some of their carbon emissions (Scope 1 and 2, but not Scope 3). While some feel this rule doesn’t go far enough, it certainly demonstrates the need to better understand our respective carbon footprints and develop solutions to reduce our environmental impact. Many major biopharmaceutical companies have science-based, net-zero targets set for no later than 2050. As this is decades away, one might think action today is not urgent. This is not the case. Consider a thought experiment for Fictitious Pharmaceutical Company (FPC) and its carbon footprint. Draw a straight line (real glide paths are not a simple linear expression) from where FPC is in 2024 to net zero by 2050 (see Figure 1). This will allow FPC to align with the Paris Agreement and science-based targets generally (see Figure 1). Or mo…Why a smart approach to AI-driven drug discovery prioritizes sustainability
[sdecoret/Adobe Stock]
The fact that the biopharmaceutical industry has a large carbon footprint is well established. A 2022 study from My Green Lab confirmed that biotech and pharma are still among the globe’s top polluters. The research highlights that a mere 4% of the largest publicly-traded biotech and pharmaceutical firms have climate commitments in line with the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to cap warming at 1.5°C by 2030.Yet climate change remains the most pressing threat to human health, potentially causing 250,000 additional deaths per year, as the World Economic Forum has noted.
AI as a doubled-edged sword in sustainabilityFor biopharma, AI-driven drug discovery could serve as a double-edged sword when it comes to sustainability. On the one hand, these technologies promise to enable new discoveries and optimized processes that could slash emissions.
…
CRB installs new senior director of sustainability
The life sciences and food and beverage consulting firm CRB has named Mike Dieterich as its senior director of sustainability. Dieterich has more than 17 years of experience working in energy and sustainability. He’s led sustainability initiatives at companies such as AstraZeneca where he served as director, U.S. sustainability from January 2018 to April 2023.
With his appointment as the sustainability lead at CRB, Dieterich’s primary responsibility is to build the company’s energy and sustainability consulting services group, focusing on front-end energy and sustainability needs for biopharma and food and beverage manufacturing clients.
Pharma getting serious about sustainabilityPharma’s environmental impact is under the microscope, and companies ranging from AbbVie to Amgen have set ambitious goals to slash carbon emissions, waste and water consumption in the coming years.
A recent Cornell University study suggests the industry…