Crackdown on corporate greenwashing

Welcome to another fortnightly edition of SnippETS.

The global movement towards combating climate change and promoting sustainability is gaining momentum across various sectors. One significant development is the anticipated crackdown on corporate greenwashing, with the United Nations High-Level Expert Group providing recommendations to ensure companies meet their climate commitments.

As companies face increasing pressure to fulfil their climate promises, the demand for workers with green skills is on the rise. The transformation towards sustainable business practices necessitates a workforce capable of incorporating sustainability into every job.

Furthermore, the environmental impact of food production has come under scrutiny, with comprehensive assessments revealing stark differences between various practices. Shifting towards plant-based diets could reduce the need for vast amounts of farmland.

In the realm of activism, both France and the UK have witnessed climate protest movements. France's radical climate protests, such as Extinction Rebellion and Youth for Climate, have influenced public discourse on climate change, utilizing tactics like civil disobedience and direct action.

In terms of environmental initiatives, Japan stands out for its commitment to protect coastal ecosystems through forest restoration and sustainable management.

Additionally, notable developments include New York's statewide ban on new construction connected to natural gas and the implementation of low-carbon concrete seawalls in Rotterdam that serve as habitats for marine life while providing shoreline protection.

Overall, these diverse efforts reflect the growing recognition of the urgency to address climate change and promote sustainability across sectors, requiring collaborative action, regulatory measures, skill development, and innovative solutions.

Companies often fail to follow through on their climate change commitments, but this trend may shift. The United Nations High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero emissions have provided detailed recommendations for ensuring companies’ climate pledges are met. France and the UK have already started to crackdown on corporate greenwashing with new regulations that make it harder for companies to claim carbon neutrality. As this trend toward corporate regulation gains momentum, it won’t be long until we see similar regulations here in New Zealand. Read more...

With this increased focus on maintaining corporate climate promises, the increased demand for workers with green skills should come as no surprise. There is an urgent desire to transform the global economy toward more sustainable business practices, which requires transforming the way we work and making every job at least partially sustainability focused. This will require a huge boost in green skills which enable the environmental sustainability of economic activities and can be deployed across a wide range of existing and new professions. Read more....

A comprehensive database on the environmental impacts of nearly 40,000 farms, 1,600 processors, packaging types, and retailers has been created. Researchers can assess how different practices and geographies lead to different environmental impacts for 40 major foods. Some beef producers create 105kg of CO2 equivalents and use 370m2 of land per 100 grams of protein. Whereas Low-impact plant-based proteins can create just 0.3kg of CO2 equivalents and use just 1m2 of land per 100 grams of protein. Plant bases diets would require 3.1 billion hectares (76%) less farmland! Read more....

Some of these statistics have got the beef industry worried, like any large organisation that’s been caught out (Tobacco & Big oil). Their strategy is to confuse, defend, and downplay the impacts of your industry. The US beef industry is creating an army of influencers and activists to help with its message. Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) trained advocates and spokespeople help ‘educate’ consumers and influencers about the role of beef in a healthy diet and how beef farmers and ranchers raise beef responsibly and sustainably. What climate emergency!?. Read more....

The fashion industry is a significant contributor to global emissions and waste, and wool production is no exception. Some companies are exploring regenerative wool farming, which aims to create a closed-loop system that benefits both the environment and the economy by focusing on soil health and biodiversity. The wool produced in this way is marketed as a sustainable alternative to conventional wool, but the approach is still in its early stages and faces challenges in scaling up. Read more....

Japan has set a historic example by committing to protecting its coastal ecosystems by restoring and preserving its forests. The country's Forestry Agency and Fisheries Agency have signed a joint agreement to implement measures such as tree-planting and sustainable forest management to prevent soil erosion and maintain water quality in rivers and seas. The initiative aims to enhance the resilience of coastal ecosystems and contribute to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Read more....

Looking now to France and the radical climate protest movements that may spread globally. Rise of movements such as Extinction Rebellion and Youth for Climate in France have had an impact on public discourse around climate change. There are questions as to whether the tactics used by these movements, such as civil disobedience and direct action, will actually drive political change, but the protesters think they will. What’s more, protesters argue these tactics represent a growing recognition of the urgency of the climate crisis. Read more....

Contrasting what is going on in France, the climate protest group Extinction Rebellion in London is taking a more subdued approach, focused on building community support for their cause. This involves more outreach and education efforts, as well as targeted lobbying of political leaders. The reasons for this shift in tactics include criticism of the group's disruptive actions and a desire to build a broader base of support for climate action. How these tactics stack up against those of the French, will be seen over the coming years. Read more....

New York State has announced a ban on gas connections in new construction seven floors and under from 2026 and from 2029 for all buildings irrespective of their height. This is all part of efforts to combat climate change and address health concerns about leaking methane. This will require new buildings go all electric and jettison fossil-fuel burning appliances in favour of heat pumps and induction stoves for heating and cooking. Read more....

The Port of Rotterdam has installed a new low-carbon concrete seawall that doubles as a home for marine life. The seawall is a kind of artificial oyster reef, helping to safeguard populations of mussels, fish and crustaceans, using bricks with specially designed holes to expend wave energy as the water passes through, that are claimed to be the first artificial solution that truly enhances biodiversity, is long-lasting enough to prevent offshore erosion of the seabed from waves, and strong enough to disrupt incoming storms. Read more....