LOBBYING

BMW, Toyota and major carmakers lobbying against climate policies

Toyota is of the world's most influential companies blocking Paris-Agreement-aligned climate policies, according to a report naming the 50 most influential corporates obstructing climate policy progress. The report by thinktank InfluenceMap names Toyota as the only carmaker ranked in the top five companies for obstructing climate policy progress, with only US oil majors ExxonMobil and Chevron faring worse. Also in the top five are US-based gas and electric utility Southern Company and energy infrastructure major Sempra. According to the report, Toyota has been lobbying against proposals for stricter laws on phasing out all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in several of its key markets, including the US. The broader automotive industry has been found to be “highly negative on stringent climate regulation”, with BMW, Daimler and Hyndai all named in the top 50 companies obstructing climate policy. (edie)

POLICY

Indonesia introduces carbon trading policy to reduce emissions

Indonesia has introduced new rules on carbon trading to set up a market mechanism to help achieve the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030. The regulation introduces result-based payments for initiatives that result in carbon reduction as an instrument in the carbon trading mechanism. This instrument will be in addition to the carbon tax that the Indonesian parliament passed last month. The carbon trade will have a “cap-and-trade” system whereby pollution level is limited and allowances can be traded by business entities within the country and cross-border. Officials have said a fully-fledged carbon market will likely operate in 2025, but the carbon tax will begin in April 2022 for above-cap pollution level at a rate of $2.09 per tonne of CO2e for coal-fired power plants. (EuroNews)

ENERGY 

Toyota to develop alternative fuels with other Japanese vehicle makers

Toyota is to partner with four other Japanese vehicle makers to explore the viability of alternative green fuels for internal combustion engine cars, including hydrogen and synthetic fuels derived from biomass. The companies include Mazda, Subaru, Yamaha and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Toyota plans for 15 electric vehicle (EV) models by 2025 and is investing $13.5 billion over the next decade to expand battery production capacity. It will also continue to develop vehicles powered by hydrogen. As nations tighten environmental regulations to cut carbon emissions, automakers including Toyota, are ramping up production of EVs. Japan has said it aims to be carbon neutral by 2050 and is promoting the use of hydrogen fuel. (Reuters)

CLIMATE CHANGE

Indigenous climate activists denounce COP26 deal as “death sentence”

Indigenous communities have accused world leaders of sacrificing them in order to postpone meaningful climate action and shield corporate profits in COP26 negotiations. Indigenous groups argue they face an upsurge in land grabs, water shortages and human rights violations as a result of the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact The Glasgow deal creates a regulated global carbon trading  market– introduced in Article 6 of the Paris Accords – allowing countries to partially meet their climate targets by buying credits representing emission cuts by others. Such carbon credit schemes often rely on sequestering land, forests and rivers relied on by indigenous and local communities for food, water, medicine and spiritual traditions. While activists secured some safeguards for Article 6, investors will still be able to qualify for incentives without complying with international treaties that require indigenous people to be properly consulted. (The Guardian)

CLIMATE CHANGE

COP26 produced double emissions of previous COP in Madrid

According to an initial assessment report for the UK government, the carbon emissions from COP26 are expected to reach 102,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This figure is more than double the emissions resulting from the previous COP in Madrid, despite the UK government’s pledge to make the event “carbon neutral”. An estimated 60% of COP26 emissions come from international flights, with many world leaders flying in by private jet  with additional cargo aircraft. . The report claims to be a "preliminary baseline assessment" for COP26 and does not provide a breakdown of figures for other emissions. Some measures taken to reduce carbon emissions at the climate summit were the promotion of low carbon transport, and a "low carbon" catering approach which also eliminated single-use cups and plastics. (BBC News)

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