Developing nations must lead emission cuts,says climate expert
Developing countries will have to take stronger action to cut emissions, even if industrialised nations cut their carbon output to zero by 2030, Lord Stern, one of the world's pre-eminent climate economists, has warned. In a new paper published to coincide with the last few days of the UN climate summit in Doha, Stern warned that all countries are making "recklessly slow" progress on cutting emissions if they intend to meet the internationally agreed target of limiting average global temperature rise to 2°C by 2050. The report argues that meeting the 2°C goal would require emissions to fall from around 50bn tonnes a year today to 35bn tonnes in 2030. But on current projections, developing countries are likely to emit around 38bn tonnes in 2030, while emissions from rich countries would probably be between 11bn and 14bn tonnes. “We are acting as if change is too difficult and costly and delay is not a problem.” The paper concludes, adding that “The rigidity of the processes under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the behaviour of participants also hinder progress. And the vested interests remain powerful." (Business Green, Guardian)
Solar site in Ghana to be 4th largest in the world
Africa’s largest solar power plant is to be built in Ghana by a British company, in a move that could start a wave of renewable energy projects across West Africa. Blue Energy, based in Cheshire, is to build a $400m, 155MW photovoltaic array that will be the fourth-biggest solar plant in the world when it opens in 2015. It should meet 20 percent of the Ghanaian Government’s target of generating 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. The Nzema project, in Western Ghana, is predicted to create hundreds of jobs and increase the country’s electricity capacity by 6%, as well as cutting emissions. (Financial Times*, Guardian)
Employees
Starbucks cuts paid lunch breaks and sick leave
Starbucks is cutting paid lunch breaks, sick leave and maternity benefits for thousands of British workers, sparking fresh anger over its business practices. On the day the House of Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC) branded the US coffee chain's tax avoidance practices "immoral", baristas arriving for work were told to sign revised employment terms, which include the removal of paid 30-minute lunch breaks and paid sick leave for the first day of illness. Some will also see pay increases frozen. The changes, affecting about 7,000 coffee shop staff, emerged as the company tried to quell outrage at its use of company structures that has seen it avoid paying taxes in the UK. The new contractual terms being circulated to staff across 750 stores include the removal of cash incentives for becoming manager or partner of the year in favour of the award of a plaque and the removal of a bonus scheme for women returning after they have had a baby because "it is not considered a valued benefit". (Guardian)
Corporate Reputation
Trafigura accused of bribing Zambian minister
Trafigura, the multinational commodities trading company, is embroiled in an investigation into a Zambian government minister who is accused of taking bribes over a $500m fuel contract. Zambia's justice minister, Wynter Kabimba, was on Monday called in front of the country's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to respond to allegations that Trafigura paid his company, Midland Energy Zambia, to secure a petrol and diesel supply deal. Kabimba, who is also secretary-general of the ruling PF party, has consistently denied the allegations and says he will resign as minister if the ACC finds evidence proving he influenced the deal or received any kickbacks from Trafigura. He has urged the ACC to pursue its investigations vigorously and tell Zambians the truth about "any wrongdoing". Trafigura has said that it “categorically refutes any allegation of corruption at any stage”. It also added that it had never made any payments to Midland Energy. (Guardian)
Reporting
Norway legislates for sustainability reporting
At the International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility held in Oslo, Norway, last month, the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, announced the country’s aim to legislate for sustainability reporting, making it the fourth Nordic country to do so. The new legislation will be based on the ‘Report or Explain’ principle; that companies should report their sustainability performance or explain why if they do not. Mr Eide also endorsed GRI’s Guidelines and commended Paragraph 47 of the Rio+20 outcome document ‘The Future We Want’, which calls for more reporting on an international level and urges governments, the UN, and other relevant stakeholders to engage to further advance sustainability reporting through policy. With the announcement of the forthcoming legislation, Norway follows the Danish example of the 2001 Financial Statements Act, which requires large businesses to either disclose their CSR information annually or explicitly state that the business has no CSR policy. Norway’s other Nordic neighbours, Finland and Sweden, also mandate annual sustainability reporting, although their legislation targets state-owned or state-majority owned companies. (Global Reporting)
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