Hurricanes are becoming increasingly violent, but industrial companies can calm the trend

It's time to rebuild in Florida. Last week, Hurricane Milton struck with winds of over 165 km/h, unleashing tornadoes, torrential rains and severe flooding. The American state had barely begun recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier.

Scientists warn that hurricanes are becoming increasingly violent, a trend worsened by climate change. Rising temperatures are warming the oceans, which fuels these storms, making winds stronger and rainfall more intense.

Other factors, such as atmospheric warming and higher humidity, further amplify hurricane activity. This reaffirms the urgent need to significantly reduce global CO₂ emissions.

“Reaching this objective requires real collective efforts, especially from industrial companies because of their high emissions,” explains Hugo Careau, Principal Decarbonization Engineer at BBA. The transition to carbon neutrality is a major challenge, but it also presents a unique opportunity to build a sustainable economy and avoid the future costs of adapting to climate change.” 

While each decarbonization process is unique, it generally involves these major steps:

1 – Decarbonization planning and monitoring
The first step in any decarbonization effort is to create clear strategies and establish actionable roadmaps. By doing so, companies can meet stringent environmental regulations, reduce GHG emissions and secure long-term viability.

2 – Energy efficiency
Achieving decarbonization targets requires more sensible and efficient use of energy. Energy efficiency is one of the fastest ways to address shortages, lower costs, boost competitiveness and increase production—all in a relatively short time frame.

3 – Optimizing renewable energy
As wind and solar power grow in popularity, alongside hydroelectricity, and as fossil fuels are gradually phased out, a new, lower-carbon energy ecosystem is emerging and presents abundant market opportunities.

4 – Electrification and alternative fuels
Industrial companies need to explore equipment electrification and alternative fuels as effective solutions. These two strategies help companies reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and offer solutions tailored to their own reality.

5 – Advanced carbon management solutions
Using advanced technologies to capture CO₂, sequestering it safely or repurposing it for innovative industrial and commercial applications help develop a high-performing and sustainable circular economy.

The energy transition has its challenges, but the recent season of violent Atlantic hurricanes highlights, once again, the cost of inaction in terms of infrastructure, economic stability and, most importantly, human lives. It’s essential to adopt sustainable practices and invest in decarbonization solutions to mitigate our impact on the climate.