CLIMATE CHANGE

More than 200 health journals call for urgent action on climate crisis

More than 220 health journals worldwide have published an editorial calling on leaders to take emergency action on climate change and to protect health. The British Medical Journal said it is the first time so many publications have come together to make the same statement, reflecting the severity of the situation. The editorial calls for “urgent action to keep average global temperature increases below 1.5C, halt the destruction of nature, and protect health” ahead of the UN general assembly and COP26 climate summit. It states that “health is already being harmed by global temperature increases and the destruction of the natural world”, adding that “the greatest threat to global public health is the continued failure of world leaders to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5C and to restore nature.” (The Guardian)

BIODIVERSITY

Big-name businesses boost nature targets at global conservation congress

Businesses including L'Occitane, Pernod Ricard and Kering have announced a series of biodiversity commitments at the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Congress this week. Beauty firm L’Occitane announced its intention to deliver a net-positive impact on nature by 2025 by avoiding and minimising negative impacts on nature, and restoring ecosystems in sourcing regions. Kering announced progress of its ‘Regenerative Fund for Nature’ to collectively transform one million hectares of land to host regenerative practices by 2025, with grants for projects supporting the global leather, cotton, wool and cashmere industries. Alcoholic beverage brand Pernod Ricard was the first company to sign up to the IUCN’s new ‘Agriculture and Land Health Initiative’ with aims to develop a definitions on sustainable agriculture and to promote the need for environmental systems change. (edie)

DIGITAL ETHICS 

Apple delays child abuse detection system after campaigners’ criticism

Tech giant Apple is delaying its planned launch of software to detect photos of child pornography and sex abuse on iPhones after a fierce backlash from privacy campaigners. The company said it would delay and potentially modify the new system. The controls sparked widespread alarm among privacy and human rights groups who feared that a tool for scanning images on iPhones could be abused by repressive regimes. The American Civil Liberties Union was among those warning that any system to detect data stored on a phone could also be used against activists, dissidents and minorities. Apple has fiercely defended its plan, which it said involved “state of the art” cryptographic techniques to ensure that Apple could not see what images were stored on any customers’ devices. (Financial Times)*

SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT

Mondelēz International prices inaugural green bond offering at €2 billion

Multinational confectionary company Mondelēz International has announced the successful pricing of its group’s first green bond, the largest ever green bond in the Packaged Foods and Consumer Goods Industry. The green bond issuance by Mondelēz International’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Mondelez International Holdings Netherlands B.V., totals €2 billion. Mondelēz intends to allocate the net proceeds from the offering to eligible projects that further the company’s commitment to more sustainably sourced ingredients, reducing waste in packaging, and tackling climate change. The eligible project categories – environmental management of living natural resources and land use, more sustainable water and wastewater management, pollution prevention and control, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean transportation – are designed to protect and regenerate the environment and are in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. (3BL Media)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

‘Green Score’ rating eco credentials of property launches in Singapore

Online property portal PropertyGuru has launched a ‘Green Score’ service in Singapore that identifies properties with small environmental footprints. The Green Score rates condominiums and public housing flats on their relative green merits, weighing up factors such as the sustainability accreditation of the building and proximity to public transport before giving a property a score, aiming to help eco-aware Singapore residents shop for homes with light environmental footprints. Higher scores will go to properties that are located within 400 metres of bus or subway stops, are certified by Singapore’s Green Mark green building scheme, or have won a sustainability award at PropertyGuru’s real estate awards show, Asia Property Awards. Critics state that although the guide is simplistic, it might help to shift mindsets towards more environmentally-conscious home buying in Singapore. (Eco-Business)

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