Sustainability Progress Report #4

First published on March 29, 2024.

How is the EU managing its climate stripes?

Legend:

??? climate change

?? litigation

???? regulatory/policy changes

?? money talks

?? green energy

?? reforestation

?? waste

??? green claims

?? pollution

?? decarbonization

???? labour rights

?? water

?? endangered species

?? resource

Regulatory talks.

Council updates sanctions for environmental crime. The recently enacted legislation included a phrase known as "qualified offense," which is applicable in cases when an infringement mentioned in the directive is committed to inflicting environmental devastation or irreparable, long-lasting damage.? In the case of major offenses, firms will be fined a minimum of 5% of their global revenue, or €40 million. In the event of any other infringement, the maximum penalty will be €24 million, or at least 3% of turnover. (to the source ) ??????

Council updates rules for waste shipments. The amended legislation prohibits shipping hazardous waste intended for recovery in non-OECD nations and shipping waste for disposal to foreign countries. All trash shipments intended for disposal within the European Union are prohibited from being exported unless approved by the previous written notice and consent procedure. Before export, exporters inside the EU and those exporting to third countries are required under this procedure to inform and get written confirmation from the countries of dispatch, destination, and transit. (to the source ) ??????

EU voters call for stricter climate policies. In anticipation of the June European elections, 25,916 respondents from 18 nations participated in the first-ever pan-European poll, which covered a wide variety of topics. Combined, these nations account for 96% of all EU citizens. The majority of respondents favour real steps to reduce emissions and demand more ambitious climate policies. The majority polled—57% in France, 53% in Germany, and 51% in Poland—support a more aggressive climate policy. This was in line with people's worries about how climate change might affect their daily lives. In Poland and Germany, around 60% of respondents stated they are now experiencing negative effects from climate change or anticipate doing so during the next five to ten years. (to the source ) ??????

Anti-deforestation law gets a pushback. To meet restoration goals for certain species and ecosystems by 2030, member states would have to restore at least 20% of the region's land and marine regions. The EU legislation attempts to stop contributing to global deforestation, by eliminating deforestation from supply chains for beef, soy, and other agricultural products supplied in Europe.? Several EU nations, led by Austria, are requesting that the anti-deforestation law of the union be changed immediately before it becomes effective at the end of the year. The regulation, they argue, may harm farmers throughout Europe. Farmers in Europe will also be subject to these regulations, which prohibit them from exporting goods made in deforested or damaged areas. Hungary, which had earlier voted to approve the measures, suddenly changed its mind.? (to the source ) ??????

Industry talks.

China and USA in the green tech race. Global markets are being distorted by China's heavily subsidised exports of green technology. While China pours money into its industrial sector to help revitalise its slowing economy, the United States makes significant investments in the development of solar technologies and electric car batteries with financing from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen will bring up the problem of overcapacity with her Chinese counterparts at a meeting in Beijing. She'll issue a warning, pointing out that China's export-oriented policies pose a risk to the stability of global supply chains that are emerging around solar, electric car, and lithium-ion battery industries. (to the source ) ????

Bacteria that eat plastic? Researchers at the University of Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences have discovered the critical function of bacteria that actively participate in the degradation of plastic. They are hoping further research can present a breakthrough for the global plastic waste problem. (to the source ) ????

Climate change displaces vineyards and affects wine quality. According to the analysis, the area of Europe that can grow wine is predicted to grow by around 40% by the end of the century. It also mentioned that the UK's wine-growing area has already grown by almost 400% between 2004 and 2021. Research predicts that by 2100, 90% of wine-growing regions in southern California, Greece, Italy, and Spain may no longer be able to produce grapes. (to the source ) ??????

The regulator requires fashion retailers to change green claims. Following a regulator investigation, UK fashion retailers ASOS, Boohoo, and Asda will alter their green claims.? Each retailer agreed to some steps, such as ensuring that all claims about being green are true and not deceptive, that important information is displayed clearly and conspicuously in simple language that is easy to read, and that they will refrain from using general environmental terms like "eco" or "sustainable" to describe fabrics. Instead, more specific terms like "organic" or "recycled" will be allowed if the products meet certain requirements. (to the source ) ?????

Berlin hospitals serve planet-friendly meals. A "planetary health" diet high in plant-based foods and low in animal products is supplied to patients in twelve hospitals in Berlin. One of the hardest steps to take towards a greener economy is persuading rich countries to cut back on their meat intake. The number of people who eat meat every day fell from 34% in 2015 to 20% in 2023, according to a survey done by the German Agriculture Ministry. Not because of the environmental hazards, but because of the health dangers, around half of the respondents said they were trying to eat less meat. (to the source ) ????

Conagra faces a lawsuit for false claims. The business was sued on the grounds that it had deceived American customers into thinking that nine of its fish items were from sustainably farmed sources. According to the lawsuit, Russian fisheries in the Bering Sea provided Conagra with fish, including endangered species, by using enormous nets. To confirm the clear commitment it made to customers on the sustainability of the fishing methods used to acquire the goods, ConAgra is expected to have adequate, company-wide monitoring in place. (to the source ) ????

Unauthorised recruiting firms charge Filipinos thousands for badly paid jobs in Poland. According to the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM), there are currently around 30,000 Filipino labourers working in Poland. They run the risk of being abused or having their rights violated, such as when their employers refuse to pay them or provide subpar housing that is dirty and without clean water. A female Filippino worker was informed by her recruiter that she would make over $700 a month after paying $4,080 to secure a job in Poland. She was given a $3 hourly wage and assigned to a fish factory in Grzybowo. The Philippine government has warned many times about "unscrupulous recruiters" for employment in Poland who are focusing on Filipinos employed in other nations, such as the United Arab Emirates. (to the source )????????

?? Guidance on better labour practices. A growing number of women move because they cannot find work or other economic possibilities, and many of them are abused and exploited while travelling or working. These women may become indebted and more susceptible to abuse if they pay high recruiting fees, which are expenses and charges associated with finding work overseas. Learn about the risks and implement better practices with the help of this IHRB guide focused on due diligence, hiring, equitable pay, and grievance procedures. (to the source ) ????????

?? Guidance on ecosystem services premium. Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are cash awards given to landowners or farmers in exchange for their efforts to protect, improve, or restore ecosystem services. The concept is that companies and governments, or other ecosystem service beneficiaries, pay people to provide or manage an ecosystem service that benefits them. Provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services are the four categories into which ecosystem services may be divided. You may apply them with the aid of this brief guidance from ETP Global. Ecosystem services are classified as provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services. This short ETP Global guide will assist you in putting them into practice.? (to the source ) ????

Global talks.

We continue to waste food. A recent United Nations analysis estimates that in 2022 we wasted 1.05 billion metric tonnes, or 19% of the food produced worldwide. 60% of the garbage was generated in homes. About 28% came from restaurants that provide food service, while roughly 12% came from shops. Food waste is a global issue due to its production's negative environmental effects, which include the land and water supplies to raise crops and animals as well as the greenhouse gases it emits, such as methane. (to the source ) ????

Food insecurity rises with climate change. In only four years, the number of people classified as "acutely food insecure" has increased from 149 million to 333 million. Scientists warn that 2024 is expected to be yet another record-breaking year with high temperatures, as the globe approaches the crucial 1.5C threshold. Heatwaves, droughts, and floods contribute to the food insecurity. The most vulnerable individuals are most in danger from the severe events, which have caused widespread crop failures and forced a large number of people to flee their homes. (to the source ) ??????

IFRC and USAID conference to discuss risks and disaster response. Enhancing data collection is the heat summit's primary objective. North Korea submitted the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund's first heatwave petition in 2018. Vietnam followed in 2021, and then Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in 2022, and Greece, Bangladesh, and Kyrgyzstan in 2023. The fund's response to heatwave appeals increased by more than five times during that time. If temperatures rise by 2C, the number of deaths from heat-related diseases is expected to increase by more than fourfold by the middle of the century. According to a different estimate, China alone might experience 20,000–80,000 heatwave deaths a year. (to the source ) ??????

EPA shares a plan to prevent methane leaks from oil and gas wells. Reducing methane emissions might effectively mitigate climate change as it traps eighty times more heat than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during its first twenty years of existence. As per the Interior Department, firms reported venting and flaring an average of 44.2 billion cubic feet of gas per year between 2010 and 2020, which is sufficient to fulfill the energy requirements of almost 675,000 houses. The new regulation, which places a cap on how much gas businesses may vent and flare without having to pay royalties, is anticipated to bring in an extra $50 million or more in payments to the federal government annually. (to the source ) ???????

Climate change, conflict, and cheap labour drive the smuggling trade. United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that the main causes for the growth of the human smuggling trade in Southeast Asia include conflict, climate, and the need for low-paid labour in nations like Malaysia and Thailand, with corruption contributing as a major enabler. UNODC polled 4,785 migrants and refugees in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, and 83% of them admitted to being smuggled. (to the source ) ???????

Indian villagers organize to tackle droughts. The people of Surajpura, a rural area in Rajasthan, have built water-saving walls, ditches, and dams to restore their fields in response to climate change. More communities in the area deal with the same water constraints. About three years ago, the people of Baldarkha village, which is about 10 kilometres from Surajpura, created trenches and contours over three hectares of barren terrain to make the area productive for their animals to graze on. (to the source ) ?????

Biofortification to replenish lost nutrients in food. Research from 2004 discovered that the nutritional content (minerals and vitamins) of 43 foods, primarily vegetables, significantly decreased. Since then, there has been ongoing nutrient loss. Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have been linked to the falling nutritious value of various staple crops. Biofortification could restore nutrients through genetic engineering, usage of nutrient-rich fertilisers or soil amendments, or plant breeding to create new varieties. (to the source )

Cocoa prices reach an all-time high. Following three straight weak harvests in West Africa, cocoa prices before Easter break at $10,000 per tonne for the first time. El Ni?o and climate change have intensified the harsh weather that has affected Ghana and Ivory Coast, two countries that together produce over half of the world's chocolate harvest. The high product price does not translate into increased profits for cocoa farmers. Farmers may benefit from the high prices in the long run as these could encourage additional investment in the production of cocoa. (to the source ) ?????

Hydroelectric dams generate methane. The primary methane-degassing producers are hydroelectric dams. Approximately one billion tonnes of methane are released into the atmosphere when water approaches hydroelectric dams and their reservoirs and tumbles through the turbines to create power. Methane seeping out of water accounts for three billion of the 51 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases that humans send into the atmosphere annually. (to the source )??????

More protected areas will preserve carbon sinks. According to research by Conservation International, some of these vital carbon stocks have disappeared. The countries that lost the most irrecoverable carbon between 2019 and 2022 were Australia, the United States, and Canada (respectively, 7.6%, 2.3 percent, and 1.4 percent). However, millions of metric tonnes of irreversible carbon are being stored in newly established protected areas around the globe. Compared to government-run protected areas, lands managed by Indigenous and local groups lost less irreversible carbon. However, these lands are continuously under pressure from development and agriculture. Protected areas are still a potent weapon for preserving irreversible carbon despite the losses. (to the source ) ????

Does climate change affect timekeeping??! Earth's rotation slowing down due to the melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica may have an impact on global timekeeping. An extra second has been added every so often since the 1960s when the world adopted coordinated universal time, or UTC since the Earth's rotating speed is not constant and deviates from clocks. This is referred to as a "leap second." Recent changes in the Earth's core caused quicker rotations. By 2026, scientists are suggesting we subtract time—a negative leap second—instead of adding one. (to the source ) ??????

What are your takeaways for the week? What caught your eye?? What was surprising? Comment below, let's discuss sustainability.