CLIMATE CHANGE

Leading climate scientists urge the world to target net-negative emissions

A new report from the Climate Crisis Advisory Group, comprising 15 world-renowned climate scientists, calculates that even if the world achieves net-zero by 2050, there will only be a 50% chance that the global temperature increase will be capped at 1.5^oC. The report, which uses insights from the latest IPCC report, estimates chances of limiting warming to 1.5^oC would be greater if nations and businesses strive to deliver net-negative emissions by mid-century at the latest. This entails reducing emissions in-house, then capturing the equivalent to more than the residual emissions. The report sees a role for both nature-based solutions and man-made ‘negative emissions’ technologies in achieving a net-negative world, but it believes that both options have suffered from a lack of investment, policy support and in-depth research. (Edie)

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Microsoft, Accenture, Duke develop solution to track methane emissions

Power company Duke Energy, tech giant Microsoft and professional services firm Accenture have announced a partnership to develop a solution encompassing artificial intelligence, cloud computing and satellite data, aimed at monitoring the methane emissions of natural gas distribution systems. The platform will provide near-real-time data collection, enabling the rapid identification and repair of methane leaks. The Microsoft Azure cloud computing-based platform will track and prioritise data from multiple sources, including satellites, fixed-wing aircraft and ground-level sensing technology. Accenture, and its Microsoft joint venture, Avanade, will help design the system, utilising its experience in analytics, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, methane accounts for approximately 10% of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions in the US, with natural gas and petroleum systems representing 30% of the total. (ESG Today)

POPULATION 

UK Government urged to use climate fund to pay for family planning

The UK government has been urged to open up its £11 billion pot of climate funding to contraception, as research from low-income countries shows a link between poor access to reproductive health services and environmental damage. In a letter to the president of the UN COP26, an alliance of more than 60 NGOs has called for funding eligibility rules to be changed to allow access to climate funds for projects concerned with removing barriers to reproductive healthcare and girls’ education. The NGOs in question cited evidence from climate-affected communities and women that want access to reproductive healthcare to choose when or whether they have children. The campaigners argue that it is obvious to those communities that their ability to underpin sustainable living depends on their ability to control fertility. (The Guardian)

CORPORATE REPUTATION

An index, by non-profit Stand.earth, ranking 47 large fashion brands on efforts to remove fossil fuels from supply chains and products has given most a failing grade. The index compares brands’ commitments to decarbonisation with the actions to transition away from fossil fuels in operations, supply chains and products. It contests that while strong progress is being made in decarbonising direct operations, Scope 3 emissions are yet to be meaningfully addressed. The highest grade, a 'B-', went to Swiss outdoor-wear brand Mammut, while 20 brands received the lowest possible grade, 'F', including Giorgio Armani, Booho, Espirit, Everlane, Hugo Boss, Kering, LVMH, M&S, MEC, Pentland, Prada, Primark, and Uniqlo. Many ‘F’ brands are signatories of coalitions working towards net-zero, like the UN Fashion Charter, WRAP’s Textiles 2030 and the Fashion Pact. (Edie)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Republic Services and Raven SR to convert waste to green hydrogen

US recycling and waste disposal company Republic Services and renewable fuels company Raven SR, have announced a new partnership aimed at converting organic waste to produce green hydrogen at a site in California. Under the collaboration, Raven SR will initially process up to 99.9 tons of organic waste per day at Republic Services’ West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill and produce up to 2,000 metric-tons per year of renewable hydrogen, as well as power for its operations. Most green hydrogen production processes use electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water, using a renewable source of energy such as wind or solar, with oxygen released as a by-product. Raven SR’s proprietary Steam/CO2 Reformation process uses waste instead of water, providing one of the only non-combustion, waste-to-hydrogen processes in the world. (ESG Today)