WASTE

NGOs partner to accelerate campaign to end plastic waste

Global efforts to end plastic pollution saw the formation of a knowledge exchange network from some of the world's leading NGOs, designed to advocate for a treaty to tackle plastic waste. The World Economic Forum's ‘Global Plastic Action Partnership’ (GPAP), the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's ‘Plastics Initiative’, and waste charity WRAP said they would work together in support of their common vision to deliver a circular economy for plastics. The collaboration aims to support international negotiations to deliver a new plastics treaty, with hopes of securing a new accord to tackle plastic waste in mid-2025. Once the treaty is adopted, public and private stakeholders across the world will need to assess their plastic use and design pathways for tackling plastic pollution, the organisations said.  (Business Green)*

POLICY & RESEARCH

Almost 2 in 5 CEOs fear their firm will be ‘unviable’ in 10 years

Almost two in five of the bosses of global companies fear their businesses will be unviable within a decade due to the struggle to find talented workers and the need to adapt to technological change. A survey by consultancy PwC questioned UK CEOs and found that 21% could not see their businesses lasting a decade on their current trajectories, rising to 39% for global CEOs. Almost three-quarters of CEOs (73%) from around the world said global growth would decline over the coming year. The survey found that 40% of UK CEOs believed their company’s tech capabilities were not good enough to meet their strategic objectives. As a result, 86% of UK CEOs said they were automating processes and 74% were upgrading skills in key areas of their businesses. (The Guardian)

STRATEGY

Danone aims to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030

Dairy giant Danone said it plans to cut absolute methane emissions from its fresh milk supply chain by 30% by 2030 by working with farmers, companies and governments on regenerative practices. Methane emissions have emerged as a top threat to the global climate, with scientists and policymakers calling for aggressive action to curb them. Danone, which works with 58,000 dairy farmers across 20 countries, expects to remove 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane emissions by 2030. Danone said it will launch four new initiatives in 2023 for methane reduction in Africa, Europe and the United States. It is also launching a partnership with US NGO Environmental Defense Fund and collaborating with the US Department of Agriculture and the European Commission-funded Climate Neutral Farms project. (Reuters) 

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

National Grid posts success with hydrogen generator trial

Utilities company National Grid has successfully completed trials of a hydrogen-powered generator, paving the way for the use of hydrogen technologies as a replacement for diesel backup generators. The trial took ten weeks to complete and was hosted at National Grid’s ‘Deeside Centre for Innovation’ in north Wales. During the trials, a 250kW hydrogen power unit (HPU) from GeoPura was used to power low-voltage equipment as well as site operations like cooling, pumps and lighting. The hydrogen to serve the generator was ‘green’, meaning that it was generated by running water through an electrolyser system served by renewable electricity. The trials confirmed that the HPU could successfully provide up to 250kW for up to 45 minutes and up to 100kW for longer periods. (edie)

STRATEGY

Eaton & BNP Paribas partner for clean tech financing push

Power management technology specialist Eaton is partnering with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to offer business and property owners a finance solution designed to help them deploy a range of energy-saving technologies. The companies said that the new finance offer will provide businesses with access to a range of clean energy technologies and infrastructure solutions that can help slash soaring energy bills, as well as access to Eaton's global service network. The projects are then funded through predictable fixed payments. The companies said the approach could be harnessed to deliver technologies such as energy storage systems, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and EV charging infrastructure with no upfront cost. Such technologies promise to deliver significant energy bill savings at a time when firms are expecting to see their energy costs rise. (Business Green)*

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