Shell and Gazprom among companies backing 2⁰C limit
More than a third of the world’s largest listed companies, including major fossil fuel producers, say they would support an international deal limiting global warming to 2⁰C, according to research by CDP. The group sent a disclosure request to over 2,000 companies, including 28 of the world’s largest energy producers who account for a combined 26 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Eleven of these energy majors agreed that initiatives should be put in place to limit global warming ahead of the climate talks in Paris later this year. BG Group, BHP Billiton, Gazprom, Shell, ConocoPhilips, EniSpa, Repsol, Statoil, Total and Sasol all answered yes. Eight reported that they have no opinion on the matter and the remaining seven did not answer the question, which suggests either a lack of clarity around the official board position on the issue or that some companies are not treating the imminent COP21 with the necessary strategic priority. (Edie)
Strategy
Burger King continues quest for Peace Day burger after McWhopper rejection
Burger King is refusing to give up on its attempt to release a showpiece burger with other fast-food chains for UN’s International Day of Peace, despite being publicly rejected by McDonald’s. A week after asking its rival for a ceasefire in their “burger wars” by creating a special McWhopper burger for the occasion, Burger King has now invited four other US fast-food chains to help create a “peace day burger”. In an open letter to Denny’s, Wayback Burgers, Krystal, and Giraffas, Burger King said it had received a “significant number of unexpected responses from other restaurants, large and small” after its initial proposal to create a “peace burger” was pointedly rejected by McDonald’s. The company said it wanted to merge the “individual proposals” it had received from its four rivals into one burger, which it will sell on world peace day, on 21 September, from a pop-up restaurant already under construction. (The Guardian)
United flights soon to be powered by farm waste
The airline, United, will be the first in the US to start flying regular passenger flights using alternative jet fuel on flights between San Francisco and LA. The fuel is comprised of a mix of non-edible oils and agricultural waste blended with traditional fuel. “We believe that one of our greatest opportunities to reduce the aviation industry’s environmental footprint is through sustainable alternative fuels,” says Angela Foster-Rice, United’s managing director for environmental affairs and sustainability. United flew the first biofuel test flight in the US in 2009 (using algae), and the first commercial flight in 2011. The company signed an agreement with AltAir Fuels—the company supplying the new fuel to LAX—six years ago. But it’s only now that the biofuel industry is beginning to get to the point to supply regular flights. The challenges of scaling up have involved the cost alternative fuel feedstock and raising sufficient capital investments, Foster-Rice says. (Fast Coexist)
Policy
Brazil’s president says Uber costs jobs, needs regulation
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff criticized ride-sharing software Uber on Wednesday for increasing unemployment, adding to a chorus of labour concerns about the world’s most valuable venture-backed start-up. Rousseff said local authorities must regulate the service, which has led conventional taxi drivers to stage protests and lobby lawmakers in Brazil’s three biggest cities. Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and the capital Brasilia have all moved to ban the mobile application, which lets users hail Uber drivers for rides. None of the bans has yet taken effect, as mayors weigh whether to approve the laws. (Reuters)
Employees
Indonesian unions mobilise over minimum wages, layoffs and labour laws
Indonesia’s main trade union centres KSBSI, KSPI and KSPSI have launched a national campaign over minimum wages and labour laws with a 25,000-strong demonstration of workers in Jakarta. The unions are calling for a minimum wage increase of 25 percent for 2016, and have rejected a government proposal to handle minimum wage adjustments through an automatic calculation without negotiation. Many workers in Indonesia are unable to make ends meet with high inflation, and tens of thousands of workers already laid off this year, the unions are also demanding that the government act to help ensure job security. The union centres are also campaigning jointly for protection for domestic and migrant workers through ratification of ILO Conventions, and for an end to the criminalisation of workers and trade union leaders for engaging in legitimate industrial action. (ITUC)
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