United Nations Environment Programme

Geoengineering sounds like a quick climate fix, but without more research and guardrails, it's a costly gamble − with potentially harmful results

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 22, 2023

When soaring temperatures, extreme weather and catastrophic wildfires hit the headlines, people start asking for quick fixes to climate change.

Key Points: 
  • When soaring temperatures, extreme weather and catastrophic wildfires hit the headlines, people start asking for quick fixes to climate change.
  • The U.S. government just announced the first awards from a US$3.5 billion fund for projects that promise to pull carbon dioxide out of the air.
  • Policymakers are also exploring more invasive types of geoengineering − the deliberate, large-scale manipulation of Earth’s natural systems.
  • The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy also discussed these concerns in its July 2023 research plan for investigating potential climate interventions.

Risks of solar radiation management

    • When people hear the word “geoengineering,” they probably picture solar radiation management.
    • These technologies, many of them still theoretical, aim to reflect solar energy away from Earth’s surface.
    • While theoretically capable of cooling the planet, solar radiation management could have drastic side effects by shifting patterns of global atmospheric circulation that can lead to more extreme weather events.
    • Space mirrors placed between the Sun and Earth could theoretically block 2% of incoming solar radiation and stabilize global temperature.

Removing carbon dioxide from the air

    • Carbon dioxide removal technologies generally carry lower risks than manipulating solar energy.
    • Carbon capture and storage removes carbon dioxide from power plants and factories and stores it underground in deep geological reservoirs.
    • Direct air capture, designed to pull carbon out of the air, is still in its early stages but offers the advantage of being able to reduce existing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
    • This, too, is costly, at upward of $600 per metric ton of carbon dioxide captured today, but innovators are getting funding from the U.S. government.

The legal void

    • There’s a good chance that geoengineering meant to help one region would harm others.
    • Right now, that’s a legal void.
    • In the event of harm that crosses national boundaries, there is currently no clear path for recourse.

Striking the right balance

    • Some forms of stratospheric aerosol injection might avoid the destruction of ozone and have short life spans in the atmosphere.
    • However, more rigorous research, transparent global governance and robust legal and ethical frameworks to manage risks and ensure equity are needed first.
    • As Riley Duren, a systems engineer from NASA, said in an interview with the space agency: “Geoengineering is not a cure.

In a Barbie world ... after the movie frenzy fades, how do we avoid tonnes of Barbie dolls going to landfill?

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 17, 2023

It made headlines around the world when the much-hyped Barbie movie contributed to a world shortage of fluorescent pink paint.

Key Points: 
  • It made headlines around the world when the much-hyped Barbie movie contributed to a world shortage of fluorescent pink paint.
  • Think of the fad for Baby Yoda dolls after the first season of The Mandalorian in 2020.
  • Toys are the most plastic-intensive consumer goods in the world, according to a 2014 United Nations Environment Program report.

The toll of the dolls

    • Before the US-China trade war, half the world’s toys were manufactured in Dongguan, a city in China.
    • That included one in three Barbie dolls.
    • Every 182 gram doll caused about 660 grams of carbon emissions, including plastic production, manufacture and transport.
    • By my calculations, emissions on average across all these types of toys are about 4.5 kilograms per kilogram of toys.

The role for toymakers and governments

    • Toy manufacturers can – and should – use low carbon materials and supply chains, and focus on making toys easily dissembled.
    • To their credit, some toymakers have cut back on plastic in their packaging, given packaging immediately becomes waste.
    • Governments can set up effective recovery and recycling systems able to handle toys.
    • While gaming produces e-waste streams, it is also a likely cause of the longer-term fall in popularity of plastic toys.

What should we do?

    • For starters, we can avoid cheap and nasty toys which are likely to break very quickly.
    • Look for secondhand toys.
    • Read more:
      How to find the most sustainable and long-lasting children's toys

Ambition to Action: Fashion Leaders Convene in Copenhagen to Accelerate Impact

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages.

Key Points: 
  • This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages.
  • Fashion Redressed is a brand-new online film series launching in September, presented by the Global Fashion Agenda and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.
  • UNEP and UN Climate Change launched The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook , a guide for fashion communicators to align efforts to sustainability targets.
  • Industry leaders unite in the CTI Fashion Initiative to drive circularity in fashion.

Ambition to Action: Fashion Leaders Convene in Copenhagen to Accelerate Impact

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023

This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages.

Key Points: 
  • This edition included more speakers and content than ever before, with the dynamic and action-orientated sessions spanning across four different stages.
  • Fashion Redressed is a brand-new online film series launching in September, presented by the Global Fashion Agenda and produced for them by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.
  • UNEP and UN Climate Change launched The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook , a guide for fashion communicators to align efforts to sustainability targets.
  • Industry leaders unite in the CTI Fashion Initiative to drive circularity in fashion.

Riverside Natural Foods' efforts in mitigating plastic pollution

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 12, 2023

Discerning the urgent need for a collective response to the global plastic waste crisis, Riverside Natural Foods joined forces with rePurpose Global in July 2021.

Key Points: 
  • Discerning the urgent need for a collective response to the global plastic waste crisis, Riverside Natural Foods joined forces with rePurpose Global in July 2021.
  • Through this partnership, Riverside Natural Foods has funded the collection and ethical processing of 2 million pounds of low-value plastic waste, which is equivalent to over 50 million plastic bottles and over 180 million plastic bags.
  • At Riverside Natural Foods, plastic packaging is used to provide barrier protection and preserve the product quality by protecting it from oxygen and moisture.
  • The Riverside team was aware of how much of a challenge plastic pollution is, with 91% of plastic waste globally not recycled.

Global Smart Trash Bin Market to 2030: Rising Awareness of Proper Waste Management Drives Growth - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 9, 2023

Customers may comprehensively monitor trash operations by analyzing real-time information on the basis of waste collected, fill level, type of waste, and so on, using these automated smart trash bins for waste management and disposal.

Key Points: 
  • Customers may comprehensively monitor trash operations by analyzing real-time information on the basis of waste collected, fill level, type of waste, and so on, using these automated smart trash bins for waste management and disposal.
  • With the growing awareness about environmental issues and the need to reduce waste, governments and organizations around the world are placing greater emphasis on waste management.
  • Smart trash bins can help to optimize waste collection and disposal, thereby reducing the environmental impact of waste.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global economy, and the smart trash bin market has not been immune to its effects.

Key international meeting on legally binding international plastic pollution agreement set for Canada in 2024

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 2, 2023

The Government of Canada is committed to playing a constructive role in finding a global consensus as we collectively face a triple crisis: climate change, biodiversity collapse, and plastic pollution.

Key Points: 
  • The Government of Canada is committed to playing a constructive role in finding a global consensus as we collectively face a triple crisis: climate change, biodiversity collapse, and plastic pollution.
  • By hosting INC-4, Canada looks forward to playing an integral role in fostering international consensus toward achieving an end to plastic pollution by 2040.
  • "Fighting plastic pollution starts at home, but we can only truly get ahead of the global pollution crisis with concerted and coordinated international action.
  • Canada is committed to negotiating a legally binding and ambitious international agreement to end plastic pollution.

MAG joins Playing For The Planet for the fourth consecutive year

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 22, 2023

STOCKHOLM, May 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MAG Interactive today announced its participation in the UN Environment Programme's Playing For the Planet Alliance for the fourth time. In this year's campaign, MAG has chosen to focus on the importance of preserving the Himalayas and protecting the snow leopard, which lives in this unique environment.

Key Points: 
  • STOCKHOLM, May 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MAG Interactive today announced its participation in the UN Environment Programme's Playing For the Planet Alliance for the fourth time.
  • In this year's campaign, MAG has chosen to focus on the importance of preserving the Himalayas and protecting the snow leopard, which lives in this unique environment.
  • "Playing For The Planet is an important initiative for MAG, and we are proud to participate for the fourth year in a row.
  • MAG's various Playing For The Planet activations in the company's games run until June 26.

WorldMark by Wyndham Digs into Urban Permaculture Movement with ‘Planting Seeds’ Pilot in Portland

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 3, 2023

Vacation club brand WorldMark by Wyndham ® is launching Planting Seeds, a pilot program that introduces guests staying at WorldMark Portland Waterfront Park to the concept of urban permaculture through interactive workshops and an on-site vertical demo garden.

Key Points: 
  • Vacation club brand WorldMark by Wyndham ® is launching Planting Seeds, a pilot program that introduces guests staying at WorldMark Portland Waterfront Park to the concept of urban permaculture through interactive workshops and an on-site vertical demo garden.
  • (Photo: Business Wire)
    To oversee its new Planting Seeds program, WorldMark enlisted the expertise of master regenerative urban farmer Daniel Campbell, owner and operator of Portland’s PDX Farm, who installed a demo garden on the WorldMark Portland Waterfront Park outdoor patio.
  • Learn the science behind these “nitrogen fixer” plants and how they can boost your soil’s nitrogen levels for a more robust urban garden.
  • In a recent survey conducted by WorldMark, nearly 80% of American travelers report that sustainability is an important part of their travel experience.

A touch of nostalgia in a beautiful China

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Xi has participated in the activity in Beijing every year since he became the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in 2012.

Key Points: 
  • Xi has participated in the activity in Beijing every year since he became the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in 2012.
  • China is scheduled to plant at least 100 million mu (6.67 million hectares) of forests and grasslands this year.
  • Xi called nationwide tree-planting campaigns an active practice to advance afforestation and build a beautiful China.
  • Through tree planting, China has optimized its environment, greened its mountains and kept people's nostalgia, laying a solid foundation for achieving sustainable development and inheriting the Chinese civilization.