1) What would the Friedman doctrine suggest about Microsoft’s decision to go carbon negative by 2030?

2)  Viewed through the lens of “rights theories,” is Microsoft’s decision to go carbon negative by 2030 ethical?

Answers:

1.

Friedman's doctrine focuses on the importance of making a profit staying within the rule of the game and the responsibilities of shareholders to maintain a similar objective. Friedman doctrine is a shareholder theory shareholder responsibilities are highly prioritized. Concerning the Friedman theory, the initiative of Microsoft to reduce the carbon emission from the atmosphere by 2030 refers to the fact that Microsoft company should motivate its shareholders to participate in the initiative of removing the direct emissions is not appropriate completely. The company hopes to reduce carbon emission completely by 2050 which is opposite Friedman's theory because Friedman believes that there is only one social responsibility of company shareholders which is of making profit staying ethical to the business. The theory of Friedman completely ignores the importance of maintaining social responsibility and is deeply motivated in enhancing profitability with the contributions from shareholders. On the contrary, the initiative of Microsoft to become carbon negative company by 2030 by using alternative energies and recyclable products requires an additional $1 billion investment for climate innovation which is not a profitable initiative for short time. At the same time, the current market has changed a lot read the use of recyclable products and alternative energies at low cost has become trendy and it can easily accept more customers than just adapting strategies to make a profit. Therefore, the company can automatically generate additional profit from the investment in the future. Henceforth, the initiative can be described as both supporting and opposing the theory of Friedman.

2.

There is a definite scientific agreement. There is a serious carbon issue in the planet. Carbon has created a panel of gas in our atmosphere that traps heat and changes the climate world over. The temperature of the planet has already increased by 1 degree Celsius. Science tells us the effect will be disastrous if we do not limit the emissions, and temperatures continue to rise.

As the scientific community concluded, since the beginning of the First Industrial Revolution in the mid-1700s human activities have released more than two trillion tonnes of greenhouse gas into the world. More than three-quarters are carbon dioxide, with the majority emitted from this carbon since the mid-1950s. This is more carbon than nature can reabsorb, yet humanity pours into the air each year more than 50 billion metric tonnes. It is a few years or even 10 years old, this is not a problem. It may take thousands of years to dissipate excess carbon once the atmosphere enters.

The global climate experts believe that immediate action must be taken by the world to reduce emissions. In the end, we have to achieve 'net zero' emissions, which means that humanity needs to erase the carbon emission every year. This will involve aggressiveness, new technology, and innovative public policies that do not exist today. It is an ambitious – even bold – goal, but science tells us that it is a key objective for everyone living today as well as for every generation to follow.

Microsoft: negative carbon up to 2030

Although the globe needs to reach net null, those of us who can move quicker and go further need to do so. That is why we are today unveiling an ambitious goal and a new plan to reduce Microsoft's carbon footprint and ultimately erase it.

By 2030, Microsoft will be negative in carbon, and by 2050, since its founding in 1975, Microsoft will remove all carbon emissions directly or by electricity use from the environment.

We know that progress does not only require a bold objective but a comprehensive approach. As outlined below, we are initiating an aggressive carbon reduction programme today, both with direct emissions and for our whole supply and value chain, by over half our carbon emissions by 2030. In addition, we will be funding it in order to start charging our direct emissions, but also our supply chain and value chain ones, by broadening our internal carbon tax since 2012 and increasing last year.

Based on this science and mathematics, today we launch an aggressive plan to cut emissions of Microsoft's carbon. It consists of three wide elements.

First, by the middle of this decade, we will reduce our volumes 1 and 2 to almost nothing via the following steps:

•By 2025 we will move onto a 100% renewable energy supply that will mean we have a Green Energy Agreement for 100% of all our data centres, buildings and campuses using carbon emissions.

•By 2030, we are going to electrify our vehicle for worldwide campus operations.

For our Silicon Valley Campus and Puget Sound Campus Modernization projects, we will pursue the Zero Carbon International Living Future Institute and the LEED Platinum certification.

Secondly, through new actions, including the following, we shall reduce our 3 emissions by more than half in 2030:

In July 2020 our present internal carbon price will begin to gradually cover our 3 emissions. At present, the cost is $15 per tonne and covers all emissions of scope 1 and 2 plus trip emissions of scope 3. Our internal CO2 tax is not a "shadow fee" calculated but not levied, unlike some other companies. Our charge is based on the carbon emissions of each division of our enterprise and funds are used to pay for improvements to sustainability.

Every division of our organisation will likewise pay a domestic carbon charge for its entire 3 emissions starting in July.

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We start at a low price per tonne compared to our present emissions fee, but we gradually increase in time to the same rate for all of our 1, 2, and 3 emissions. This will both boost company-wide incentives for reduction of all emissions from scope 3 and finance additional work to cut our own emissions by scope 3 and invest in carbon removal.

•By July 2021, new procurement methods and tools will be implemented in order to enable and encourage our suppliers to reduce their 1, 2 and 3 emissions. We engage with our suppliers to deliver consistent and accurate data and to take effective efforts to advance scientific goals.

Thirdly, Microsoft will remove more carbon than it emanates by the year 2030 which would enable us to remove all carbon from the company directly or electrically since its foundation in 1975. We will achieve this via the portfolio of Negative Energy Capture-and-Store Bioenergy (BECC) and direct air capture technologies, which may include reforestation and replanting, soil carbon sequestration (DAC).

Microsoft will build up its carbon removal portfolio on an annual basis by evaluate NET features related to four criteria: (1) scalability; (2) accessibility; Given the latest state-of-the-art technology and pricing, we will first focus on natural solutions to move towards more viable technology-based solutions.