When you think of an atomic bomb, you imagine a mushroom cloud that releases enormous amount of destructive energy. Now imagine that 1.5 Hiroshima atomic bombs have been going off every second under the sea, for the last 150 years - that’s the amount of heat energy that our planet’s massive oceans have absorbed, which has now resulted in the warming of our oceans, which in turn leads to extreme weather patterns seen today, not to mention the threat to marine life and our supply of seafood.

Oceans are huge, covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, so it takes a lot, a lot of energy to warm oceans up to their current level.

A study published in the official journal of USA’s National Academy of Sciences said our oceans have absorbed 436 ×10²¹ J of heat energy since 1871. Depending on time frames used, that figure is now equal to three to six bombs going off every second today, accelerated by rising emissions of greenhouse gases.

Scientists say a warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-Industrial era levels is enough to cause irreversible patterns of extreme climate – severe winters and droughts, plus more frequent typhoons.

In many parts of the world, this limit has already been breached. NASA says if we reach 2 degrees Celsius of warming, the deadly 2015 heat waves in India and Pakistan may occur annually, and about 61 million more people in Earth’s urban areas would be exposed to severe drought, when compared to 1.5 degrees warming scenario.

We are in a race to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius but like the proverbial frog in the slowly heating cooking pot that doesn’t realize it’s impending doom, the human race doesn’t see this as an immediate threat.

Greta Thunberg is just a dumb kid who dropped out of school to pursue a liberal agenda right?

Ahead of this week’s opening of the IAA Munich Auto Show, BMW announced its commitment to contribute in the world’s efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“With the Neue Klasse we are significantly sharpening our commitment and also committing ourselves to a clear course for achieving the 1.5 degree target,” said CEO Oliver Zipse said, referring to the Paris Agreement’s target, the first legally binding climate change action plan.

Neue Klasse is BMW’s electric-first platform (it can also support combustion engines) for its next generation models. It borrowed the name from the ’00 Series range of sedans from the ‘60s that pulled the company out of possible bankruptcy.  

BMW is one of the few car makers to tie its CO2 reduction targets with the Paris Agreement.

Last week, BMW announced a revision to its already very aggressive targets to achieve carbon neutrality in the production and lifecycle of its cars. Now, BMW wants to put 10 million BEVs (battery electric vehicles) on the road by 2030, up by at least 30 percent from its previous target announced last year, which included plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

“The share of all-electric vehicles in the BMW Group’s total sales is to be increased to more than 25 per cent by 2025, reaching 50 per cent by 2030. In total, the BMW Group aims to put around 10 million fully electrically powered vehicles on the road around the world in the course of the next ten years,” said the company’s press release.

BMW also revised its CO2 reduction target, saying it will cut carbon emissions by at least 40 percent from 2019 levels by 2030, double that of it's previous target.

BMW will also increase the use of recycled and renewable raw materials in its cars. Already, recycled PET bottles, the biggest contributor to plastic waste, are being used to make seats, door trims and floor mats for BMW’s i Series models.

Some of BMW Group’s thermoplastic components are already made using up to 100 percent recycled plastics.

It is also developing cactus- and other bio-based materials as alternatives to cow-hide leather and PVC synthetic leather.  

The BMW Group is one of the few car makers that is able to quantify the environmental impact of every part that goes into its cars, down to source of its raw materials, including mining of iron ore to make steel, as well as cobalt nickel for EV batteries, and the impact of the mining activities to the local ecosystem.

The company’s carbon neutral ambitions encompasses these, making it the widest for any car maker.

This allows the company to become the BMW Group to become the first car maker to combine its Sustainability Report with its Financial Report, into one Integrated Group Report.