Bottom Line Thanks to humankind’s dependence on fossil fuels, climate change is ravaging the world. Habitats are disappearing, the oceans are heating up and becoming more acidic, and species are going extinct while vulnerable populations are driven from their homes. But there’s a bright side to all of this, according to tech company Apple. As the climate worsens, the company says the iPhone’s utility at keeping people connected will instill a greater sense of brand loyalty among its customers. People Are Dying CDP, a U.K. organization formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project, ranks corporations based on their impacts on the environment. The group released its letter grades on Tuesday, and Apple earned an “A,” according to Bloomberg. Soon thereafter, CDP released Apple’s filing to Motherboard. The filing included some tone-deaf gems, like the following: Advertisement Advertisement “As severe weather events become more frequent, consumers may come to value more highly the immediate and ubiquitous availability of reliable mobile computing devices for use in situations where transportation, power, and other services may be temporarily interrupted,” Apple wrote. Capitalism Kills Apple also expects to benefit as customers seek energy-efficient products as policies shaped by the changing climate increase electricity costs, Motherboard reports. “If customers value our work to help increase their sense of connectedness, personal safety, and peace of mind, during extreme weather events, we may expect some increase in customer loyalty or brand value,” reads part of Apple’s filing. READ MORE: Apple Thinks Climate Change Disasters Will Increase Its Brand Value [Motherboard] Advertisement Advertisement More on climate change: More Americans Believe in Global Warming Than Ever Before As a Futurism reader, we invite you join the Singularity Global Community, our parent company’s forum to discuss futuristic science & technology with like-minded people from all over the world. It’s free to join, sign up now!<doc-sep>A U.K.-based non-profit organization, CDP, recently asked major companies to provide reports on their environmental impact with details on the risks and opportunities that climate change might present. Apple was one of the respondents, and as outlined by Bloomberg, the company believes future climate-related disasters could increase peoples' dependence on the iPhone. According to Apple's report, of which only a portion of a statement was shared, the ‌iPhone‌ can work as a flashlight or a siren, provide first aid instructions, or serve as a radio. The device can be charged via hand cranks or car batteries, allowing it to work even when power is out. "As people begin to experience severe weather events with greater frequency, we expect an increasing need for confidence and preparedness in the arena of personal safety and the well-being of loved ones,'' the company wrote. Its mobile devices "can serve as a flashlight or a siren; they can provide first aid instructions; they can act as a radio; and they can be charged for many days via car batteries or even hand cranks.'' Apple declined to comment on the information provided in the report, and we only have a small glimpse at the data that was included. Apple undoubtedly had additional thoughts to share on climate change, much like the other companies that participated. Disney, for example, said it's worried about rising temperatures affecting park attendance, while Coke said potential water shortages could limit water availability for the bottling of Coke. Intel said that droughts in areas of its operation could increase operational costs, while AT&T said that frequent hurricanes and wildfires could lead to more spending on damage repair for its network. Based on the reports submitted by each company, CDP (which used to be called the Carbon Disclosure Project) provided letter grades measuring metrics like "how aware they are about [climate change]," "how they're progressing towards targets," and "how they're managing it." Thirty total companies in the United States received overall "A" grades when it came to environmental performance, including Apple. Apple was scored on metrics like the infrastructure in place to address climate change issues within the company, risks and opportunities related to climate change, financial planning for these risks and opportunities, emissions targets and progress made towards those targets, and more. Apple works hard to limit its carbon footprint, and all of its facilities worldwide operate using 100 percent renewable energy. Apple is now focusing on recycling, with the aim of a closed-loop supply chain that puts an end to its need to mine the earth for rare minerals.<doc-sep>The big picture: As the effects of human-caused climate change continue to impact the planet in more profound ways, Apple believes this will help iPhone sales. They anticipate customers will be looking for increased confidence in a mobile device that can alert them of danger and potentially save them in a disaster situation. A non-profit environmental disclosure organization called CDP commissioned many top companies to provide a report on their company's environmental impact as well as how climate change might affect them. They received responses from more than 7,000 companies around the world, including 1,800 in the US. Since the Trump administration continues to roll back policies meant to protect the environment, industry has slowly been preparing for what is to come. Many responses to CDP were to be expected, such as insurance companies planning for higher payouts and telecommunications companies worrying about their infrastructure getting knocked out. Disney for example is worried that rising temperatures may deter guests from staying at their parks. Intel and Coca-Cola both worry that droughts could increase costs. Apple was one of the companies that saw climate change as a potential room for growth though. Features like the flashlight, weather predictions, and emergency contacts can all be very helpful in times of danger and Apple believes a growing number of customers will want these. Their response included the following statement: “As people begin to experience severe weather events with greater frequency, we expect an increasing need for confidence and preparedness in the arena of personal safety and the well-being of loved ones [... Apple's devices] can serve as a flashlight or a siren; they can provide first aid instructions; they can act as a radio; and they can be charged for many days via car batteries or even hand cranks.’’ Most of the report was not made public and Apple declined to comment further. They did however receive an "A" rating from CDP on their current environmental performance along with 29 other US firms. Other companies that anticipate a benefit from climate change include those in the healthcare and building materials industries. Given the current administration's lack of concern for the environment, we can all expect to see the effects of climate change in the products we buy unless drastic changes are made in the near future.<doc-sep>
To a degree, Apple could actually benefit from the impacts of climate change with the iPhone a crucial part of a customer's readiness for a crisis, the company said in an unusual statement made public on Tuesday. "As people begin to experience severe weather events with greater frequency, we expect an increasing need for confidence and preparedness in the arena of personal safety and the well-being of loved ones," the company wrote in a submission to the non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project, seen by Bloomberg. The CDP grades companies on their awareness and response to climate change. Products like iPhones "can serve as a flashlight or a siren; they can provide first aid instructions; they can act as a radio; and they can be charged for many days via car batteries or even hand cranks," Apple said. It's not clear whether Apple cited any downsides to the company's business as a result of climate change. Some direct impacts could include property damage from fire, storms, or flooding, and tougher water access at facilities like its Arizona data center. Apple has a presence in a number of at-risk places, ranging from San Francisco to Tokyo. Indirectly, the economic hardship caused by climate change could sabotage the company's customer base. Apple is presumably concerned, as it was one of 30 U.S. companies to receive an "A" from the CDP, some others being Home Depot and Johnson & Johnson. That may still not bode well for the environment though, given that north of 1,800 U.S. companies submitted CDP reports for 2018. Worldwide, over 7,000 businesses made submissions. Some of Apple's attempts to offset carbon emissions include protecting forests and worldwide investments in clean power. All of its first-party operations use renewable energy, and the company has been working to soften the damage caused by its supply chain.