Unilever: Sustainability promises will take more time | Energy Dept. awards $1.93B in 48C IRA credits | Crashing ocean waves spew PFAS into air, researchers say
Unilever is backing off some of its stated sustainability goals, such as using half as much new packaging by next year. The company's revised goal is to cut its use of plastic packaging by 30% by 2026. CEO Hein Schumacher says the company has found that "transformation takes time" and is calling on the United Nations to set "legally binding" rules concerning plastic pollution. Voluntary rules aren't enough, Schumcher adds, while also asking for formal support for new recycling plans.
The Energy Department on Friday unveiled the recipients of $1.93 billion in Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit funding under the Inflation Reduction Act. The infusion is part of the $4 billion round announced last month, but details are only available on 35 projects in 20 states that have voluntarily self-disclosed the information. Some of the projects support solar manufacturing, including Highland Materials' polysilicon site in Tennessee and SolarCycle's solar glass project in Georgia.
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Researchers at Stockholm University say that ocean waves hitting shores emit more PFAS than industrial polluters and represent a threat to humans, fresh water, animal life and agriculture. The aerosols produced by waves are hundreds of times more polluted than the ocean water itself but generally higher in the Northern Hemisphere because of industrialization and the fact hemispheric waters generally don't cross the equator. PFAS chemicals have been linked to scores of maladies including cancer and birth defects.
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The effects of scorching heat waves, powerful storms and lengthy droughts are felt most keenly by Africans living in urban regions, but a growing number of cities on the continent are offering lessons on climate resilience, writes Ecotutu co-founder Babajide Oluwase. Durban, South Africa, has restored wetlands, planted mangroves and embraced green infrastructure to mitigate flooding while organizations in Nairobi, Kenya, have collaborated on promoting rainwater harvesting to fight drought.
The prospect of a national climate emergency declaration is back in the cards as White House officials have reportedly revived discussions on the matter, although advisers are disagreeing about the effectiveness of such a measure. A climate emergency declaration would empower President Joe Biden to restrict crude exports, offshore drilling and oil and gas transportation.
Under a rule newly adopted by the Bureau of Land Management, conservation would have equal standing with various extractive industries on public lands. Republican members of Congress, however, have stated their opposition and intention to cancel the rule.
The tectonic activity that created mountains and diverse life also may have caused the extinction of cone-shelled animals and sponges about 513 million years ago, scientists say in a new study. Researchers, who made the connection based on their study of similar rock layers in Antarctica and Southern Australia, say the tectonics altered oceans and suffocated archaeocyathid reefs, coinciding with a major extinction referred to as the Sinsk event.
Thank you for reading SmartBrief on Sustainability! I'm Karen Kantor and I cover sustainability, energy and chemicals for SmartBrief. I'm interested in how different industries are approaching challenges related to the effects of climate change, decarbonization, conservation, the energy transition and so much more. This is an exciting time to be in business and it seems like the innovations just keep coming. Do you like Sustainability SmartBrief? Hate it? Write to me at karen.kantor@futurenet.com. I'll be happy to hear from you.
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