FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Carbon credits, which promise an impact measured to a specific quantity of CO2, may not be the most efficient instrument in constantly climate-changing world. But a new approach can make carbon markets fit-for-purpose moving forward. Here are some key premises for business to finance forests and broader climate action in a new era.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
A recent Ellen MacArthur Foundation study examines the myriad ways that scaled circular models can help restore critical biodiversity; but Swedish researchers warn that without more clarity and substance, efforts to scale a circular economy risk becoming counterproductive.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Still striving to greatly improve the sustainability of the industry, Fairphone’s new model embodies the company’s commitment to better materials, better mining practices and a longer product lifecycle.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
The Swedish EV maker finds vast differences in CO2e throughout the life of its vehicles, depending on the source of the charging energy.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As consumers demand that brands and retailers provide more sustainable products and ask for transparency, companies understand that these need to start at the very beginning — in the dirt, so to speak.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Through materials innovation and technology advances, the packaging industry can be a critical component in working toward a world without waste and a truly closed-loop, circular economy.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
In 2020, the team at the Formosa Agricultural and Environmental Research Center, located at the site of the company’s Texas plant, began concurrent production of honeybees, native flowering plants and native trees as part of an effort to enrich the area’s biodiversity.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
The Index ranks 144 countries based on their ICT infrastructures and ecosystems, including how well they are utilizing ICT to create more sustainable economies. For Tau Institute founder Roger Strukhoff, what sets the nations that will succeed apart is “a certain willingness to think beyond their front door.”
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Many people are becoming more aware of their environmental footprint and the impact they have on people and the planet. This awareness can be harnessed by the tourism industry to shift passive sea-and-sun tourists into more conscientious, actively engaged travelers.
FROM PURPOSE TO ACTION: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER -
While the use of green chemistry is critical to mitigating adverse
environmental impacts, there remains a gap in education of chemists and an overall lack of awareness in the industry. We sat down with John Warner, one of the founders of the field, to better understand how green chemistry is helping to enable a more sustainable future through science.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Whether it’s using the carrot of incentives or the stick of regulations, change is possible — and strongly desired. So, what can brands do? Be proactive and make the extra effort to find and choose recycled plastic whenever possible.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Whether in our personal lives or in business, doing only what is required or expected is generally unsatisfying. If your plan of action means doing the bare minimum, the status quo is the likely result.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Aidia Studio’s pre-Hispanic Mayan-inspired design is a much-needed evolutionary twist on current architecture that will help ensure the survival of the Mexican city’s transport links during increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
As the global chip shortage drags on and demand for electronics exceeds supply, we hope that the market for refurbished electronic devices and a circular economy will gain more traction.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
New data from the IPCC shows that more frequent, intense droughts could squeeze the food sector with too little water. This year, we are getting a glimpse of what that might look like.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Ray Onovwigun and his startup, Romco Metals, have seized the opportunity to build the capacity and infrastructure Africa needs to become a global player in the recovery and recycling of valuable metals.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
The first consumer electronics company to provide detailed carbon-impact data on all of its products, Logitech says all of its products and operations will be carbon neutral by the end of 2021.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
Nestlé hopes that a new interactive platform, Beneath the Surface, will give viewers better insight into the complexity of palm oil supply chains and insight into how choices they make under different scenarios can lead to a range of outcomes and consequences.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
lululemon’s latest partnership aims to replace conventional nylon in its products with bio-based; while two new blends from Pangaia are the brand’s latest step to delivering sustainable alternatives to overproduced materials such as cotton.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Taking advantage of the forced pandemic pause and building off the momentum of a less extractive tourism model already taking shape in the country’s Bay of
Plenty, the online program provided a foundation for shaping thriving host communities rooted in local context and culture.