WASTE

Single-use plastic cutlery and plates to be banned in England

Single-use items such as plastic cutlery, plates and trays are to be banned in England in a bid to reduce pollution, the government has confirmed. Figures suggest that every year England uses about 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion pieces of such cutlery, only 10% of which are recycled after being used. Plastic items relating to takeaway food and drink, including food containers and cutlery, make up the largest share of litter in the world’s oceans, according to research. Now the environment secretary is set to ban a suite of single-use plastic items. The move follows a consultation on the issue by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). According to reports, the ban will cover plastic plates, bowls and trays used for food and drink eaten at restaurants, cafes or takeaways, but not in supermarkets or shops. (The Guardian)

SUPPLY CHAIN

Grosvenor launches supplier scheme to boost SBT validation

Property management company Grosvenor Property UK has launched a green mentoring scheme for its suppliers in a bid to help 28 SMEs develop and set their own science-based climate targets. The scheme will operate over an eight-month period, in a move the real estate giant estimates could increase the total number of UK SMEs with such goals in place by around a fifth. Set to be delivered by Grosvenor’s charity partner Heart of the City, it is expected to help many of the property’s smaller-scale suppliers with fewer than 500 employees map and reduce an estimated 55,000 tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030. The firm said its 28 participating SMEs would increase the UK’s total number of SMEs with validation from SBT by 20%. (Business Green)*

TAX

Shell to pay UK tax for first time in 5 years after record profits

Shell has said it will pay tax in the UK for the first time since 2017 after making huge global profits in 2022. The energy firm said it expected to "take a hit" of around $2 billion on profits in the UK and the European Union in the final three months of 2023. Governments have imposed taxes on energy companies to capture some of the massive profits firms have made through high oil and gas prices. Shell will not disclose at present how much UK tax it will finally pay. The amount of tax oil and gas companies pay in the UK can be reduced after factoring in losses, investment in renewable energy or decommissioning oil platforms. In 2022, Shell saw profits of $9.5 billion across its global business. (BBC News)

CONSUMERS

US farmers win the right to repair John Deere equipment

Tractor maker John Deere has agreed to give its US customers the right to fix their own equipment. Previously, farmers were only allowed to use authorised parts and service facilities rather than cheaper independent repair options. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and Deere & Co. signed a memorandum of understanding. Under the agreement, equipment owners and independent technicians will not be allowed to “divulge trade secrets” or “override safety features or emissions controls”. Farmers are part of a grassroots right-to-repair movement that has been putting pressure on manufacturers to allow customers and independent repair shops to fix their devices. In 2022, Apple launched a “self-service repair” scheme, allowing customers to replace their own batteries, screens and cameras of recent iPhones. (BBC News)

DEFORESTATION

First Brazilian green taxonomy faces uncertain implementation

The Brazilian government has issued the country’s first sustainable finance taxonomy, but ongoing political developments have left its status uncertain. The taxonomy, which covers the water infrastructure and sanitation sectors, was developed by the previous government of Jair Bolsonaro. It will now be up to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to officially adopt the framework. Despite being non-political, Lula’s transition team has not yet validated the framework. High-priority activities covered by the taxonomy include water supply, sanitary sewage and urban solid waste management. It establishes detailed thresholds at three stages of increasing environmental performance – satisfactory, robust and higher levels – all of which incorporate biodiversity, social and other ESG factors. The taxonomy could underpin proposed future measures including a database of eligible projects and additional frameworks. (Responsible Investor)*

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