A third of the top 30 global retailers of packaged food, fast-food and personal care goods that use palm oil in their products have made no commitment to sourcing it sustainably, while only a fifth have made adequate promises, according to a scorecard issued by a US-based alliance of scientists. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) looked at whether companies have agreed to buy palm oil that does not contribute to deforestation or the destruction of peat lands, how transparent they plan to be about their progress and verification processes, and how much green palm oil they are already using. Mondel?z, Nestlé and Unilever were judged to have made “full commitments”, while 11 companies – mainly from the fast food sector – were judged to have made no commitments at all. Kellogg’s, which recently announced new commitments, scores relatively highly; Procter & Gamble, which is the target of a new campaign from Greenpeace, is judged as showing “little commitment”. Calen May-Tobin, analyst for UCS, said that, “multinational companies really hold the world’s tropical forests in their hands. If these companies demand deforestation-free, peat-free palm oil, the producers on the ground would be forced to change their palm oil practices.” (Thomson Reuters, Marketing)
Climate Change
China-US climate cooperation raises hopes for global deal according to UN
Closer cooperation between China and the US, the top two greenhouse gas emitters, on combating global warming is boosting prospects for a UN deal due to be agreed next year. Last month, China and the United States, who together account for about 40 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions, said that they would work together to share information and policies to plan for the 2015 deal. Christiana Figueres, head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, told a news conference this week, “I am very hopeful about the US-China conversation and confident that both will be leaders in the agreement.” Lack of willingness by Beijing and Washington to take aggressive action contributed to the failure of a 2009 summit in Copenhagen, the last attempt to agree a climate accord. Figueres praised China’s efforts to combat climate change, saying it “is on the path to a national carbon market”, as well as being a world leader in solar power. She added that, “China is not necessarily doing this because it wants to save the world but it is in their own interests.” (Thomson Reuters)
Climate change could mean more malaria in Africa
A study has claimed that future global warming could lead to a significant increase in malaria cases in regions of Africa and South America unless disease monitoring and control efforts are increased. In a study of the mosquito-borne disease, that infects around 220 million people a year, researchers found what they describe as the first hard evidence that malaria creeps to higher elevations during warmer years and back down to lower altitudes when temperatures cool. The study claims that this “suggests that with progressive global warming, malaria will creep up the mountains and spread to new high-altitude areas”. It had been predicted that malaria as a disease could be especially sensitive to climate change, because both the parasites that cause it and the mosquitoes that spread it thrive as temperatures increase. Some researchers have argued, however, that socio-economic improvements and more aggressive and effective mosquito-control efforts would have a large enough positive effect to counteract the potential threat of changing climates. (Guardian)
International Development
Sweden suspends aid to Uganda over anti-gay law
Sweden has suspended some of its financial aid to Uganda over a law toughening punishment for gays, becoming the fourth donor to do so. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed an anti-gay bill in late February, strengthening already strict laws against homosexuals by imposing a life sentence for certain violations, and making it a crime to not report anyone who breaks the law. “Swedish aid is not unconditional. The Government is therefore now choosing to suspend government-to-government payments still due under our current strategy for Uganda, with the exception of research cooperation,” Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Hillevi Engström, said in a statement. Sweden follows the World Bank, Norway and Denmark, who have withheld or diverted aid totalling around $110 million. The US, the biggest Western donor, says it is also reviewing ties. (Thomson Reuters)
Technology & Innovation
UK and China seal £20 million clean tech deal
The UK and China have agreed a £20 million research deal to develop new low carbon manufacturing processes and technologies, and support the development of low carbon cities and offshore renewables. Under the terms of the agreement, signed this week, both countries will commit £10 million of matched funds over the next three years. The deal, signed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, follows a host of Sino-UK collaborations designed to accelerate the development of renewable energy technologies, carbon capture and storage projects, next generation solar modules, fuel cells, smart grids, and electric vehicles. Energy and climate change minister Greg Barker welcomed the latest partnership saying that, “investing in innovation and science is essential for both the UK and China to address energy supply issues and meet emissions targets, as well as drive long-term economic growth.” (Business Green)
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