A new study led by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) has analyzed the fair and equitable burden-sharing of carbon dioxide removal in developing countries. To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5-2 degrees Celsius, carbon dioxide removal is key. However, discussions about how to share the burden of this are limited and have mostly only focused on developed countries and major emitters. The study, published in the journal Nature-Based Solutions, employed a diverse set of allocation methods on a range of global emissions scenarios to address equitability in sharing the burden of climate change mitigation. The researchers found that the potential for carbon dioxide removal quotas for these seven countries ranged between 0.1-29 gigatons of carbon dioxide across the allocation scenarios.

Source: IIASA

George Atalla of Ernst & Young explains the hesitation from governments to invest in green transformation and how to encourage more investment in climate initiatives.

Source: Sustainability Magazine

How battery-makers are contributing to a circular economy by designing “gigafactories” to recycle raw materials. Traditionally manufacturing is a one-way process where raw materials are used to produce finished products, and once those goods are sold, producers do not worry about how the products are disposed of. However, this results in a large amount of waste, as less than 9% of the world’s consumption of raw materials is reused.

Source: The Economist

The excessive growth of seaweed and microalgae in waters from the Caribbean to the Baltic is causing clogging and pollution. However, instead of discarding it, these organisms are now being harvested and used as ingredients for cosmetics and food products.

Source: BBC News

The fashion industry has been criticized for unsustainable practices, but it is moving towards a revolution in sourcing materials through reuse rather than new production. The sustainable fashion company Circ is leading this trend, with its Chief Business Officer, Luke Henning, overseeing the efficient production of sustainable textiles, tracking sustainability information, and raising funds.

Source: Forbes

The fashion industry need to focus on sustainability and accountability beyond just environmental impact. The European Fashion Alliance (EFA) recently discussed measures aimed at encouraging a more sustainable and inclusive future for the fashion industry, including sustainability and digital transformation, innovation, education and labour market measures. The industry is now also facing stricter laws and regulations to hold brands accountable for their supply chains. Companies like FibreTrace are setting an example by launching a cloud-based mapping tool that works with any fiber, material, certification, document, and data, which is free of charge to encourage the apparel and textile industry to take accountability and responsibility for their supply chains. Reports like Zero Waste Europe’s Beyond Circular Fashion are also providing advisory models for brands to follow to identify a virtuous business model that goes beyond circularity.

Source: Just Style

Achieving a circular economy for plastics is possible within our lifetime, but it will require cooperation between consumers and manufacturers. Whether companies choose to handle it internally or collaborate with similar organizations, investing in the future now will result in more profitable operations and continuous advancement.

Source: Sustainable Brands

The 7th edition of the European Food & Beverage Plastic Packaging Summit will take place in Antwerp, Belgium on February 15th and 16th 2023. The summit will focus on the industry’s challenges in achieving sustainable packaging through strategies such as recyclability and packaging performance. Brands and retailers will discuss consumer experience and demands for the next generation of packaging and its role in the circular economy. The summit also aims to address societal and environmental concerns by fostering collaboration along the supply chain and providing networking opportunities for senior level industry professionals.

Source: ACI