Sustainability

• [New] If sustained over the next decade, the palm oil industry will have avoided 1.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution over 10 years compared to business as usual.
• [New] As the world moves to a more sustainable energy future, utility-scale renewable energy will make up increasing portions of grid energy, driven in part by the needs projected by cities and businesses.
• [New] One of the aims of the Circular Economy Action Plan - an EU roadmap for achieving climate neutrality by 2050 - is to make sustainable packaging and other plastic products mandatory and increase producer responsibility.
• [New] To foster the turnaround there is expected to be a jobs boom in green construction, with the International Labour Organization predicting 6.5 million sustainable construction jobs by 2030, the second fastest growing sector next to green energy.
• [New] ICCF is excited to see that 3M has moved to the forefront of global sustainability efforts with today's announcement of both a detailed plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and a significant reduction in water utilization.
• [New] There is an urgent need to give impetus to the 30% renewable energy supply ambition by 2030 and find innovative ways to achieve the transition to sustainable energy in Nigeria.
• [New] Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030 aiming at youth health and well-being which are the key drivers of sustainable development around the world, requires an inclusive partnership between all the stakeholders as inter-sectoral coordination for their empowerment.
• [New] There is an urgent need for a clear break with current trends of environmental decline and the coming decade is crucial - The risks to human well-being and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals will continue to escalate unless environmental degradation is halted.
• [New] In Australia, the federal government is passing up opportunities to encourage tourism to reconfigure towards a more sustainable model.
• [New] In the coming year we can expect low-code, along with other technologies that hasten development, to be more prevalent as banks focus on enabling sustainable, solid development, in addition to offering speed and efficiency.
• [New] In the 2021-2027 period, Member States will be required to allocate at least 8% of their ERDF resources to sustainable urban development, while over 30% of ERDF resources and CF resources must be set aside for climate objectives.
• [New] The UK-led international initiative hopes that by 2030, at least 30% of the global ocean will be classified as marine protected areas - which will help safeguard biodiversity and sustain ecosystems.
• [New] The Department of Defense could become a leading buyer of clean fuels, including sustainable aviation fuels.
• [New] Create economic opportunities: A reinvigorated climate partnership would broaden India's access to the technological and financial resources required to support its sustainable development and decarbonization strategies and would deepen access for U.S. businesses.
• [New] SMART guidelines will be vital to digital health systems transformation, and attainment of universal health coverage and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• [New] US administration provides an opportunity to work together to reform the WTO, including by reinforcing its capacity to tackle competitive distortions and to contribute to sustainable development.
• [New] If government focuses immediate-term investment and support on addressing the UK's poor quality housing and on building the battery and component factories needed to support new electric vehicles, tens of thousands of new, sustainable jobs will be created.
• [New] China's post-2025 economy may use capital, labor and energy less intensively, be more environmentally sustainable, and remain a formidable competitor to Western manufacturing.
• [New] Sustainable Development Technology Canada recently announced the 20 Canadian companies who are pushing the boundaries of innovation and making Net Zero a reality, and will be sharing a $55 million SDTC investment.
• [New] The value proposition for sustainable finance is clear - the potential value of sustainable business opportunities is seven times the cost of realizing them (USD 311 billion in costs; USD 2.1 trillion in opportunities).

Last updated: 28 February 2021