AAN Editors 22 September, 2015 Share Twitter + Facebook + Email + Businesses and local governments make major climate commitments Both the private and public sectors are bringing a low carbon society closer this Climate Week as they make historic commitments to cut emissions and boost renewable energy. In the private sector, leading companies have joined a business pledge to use 100 per cent renewable electricity. Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Procter & Gamble, Walmart, Voya Financial and Salesforce have made the commitment as part of the ‘RE100’ campaign, joining thirty other major businesses which are already on board. On the public side, sub-national governments spanning the Americas, Europe and Australia and representing over 10 per cent of GDP have announced collective emissions cuts of 7.9 gigatonnes by 2030 – more than US emissions in 2012 – as part of the Compact of States and Regions. As the Paris climate summit approaches, these pledges show policymakers that both private and public sectors want, and are willing to help bring about, a renewable energy based green economy. Read more in our Tree Alert. SHARE THIS
25Sep China and US striking ‘game changing’ climate deal dismantling excuses for inaction around the globe China and the US expanded their bi-lateral climate agreement, with China launching the world’s biggest carbon market in 2017 and pledged US$3.1 billion in climate finance to help poorer nations transition away from fossil fuels. The Tree
25Sep US climate finance in limbo, risking ‘trust gap’ before Paris A looming US federal budget confrontation and hostility to UN climate talks from conservative US politicians threaten a US down payment into a key climate-aid fund, money considered vital to a climate deal in Paris this December. Reuters
22Sep Fossil fuels on the backfoot as divestment pledges hit $2.6 trillion With renewable energies booming globally, and the fossil fuel industry in terminal decline, the movement to shift investments out of dirty energy towards clean renewables has exploded, topping $2.6 trillion dollars. The Tree
22Sep Businesses and local governments make major climate commitments Both the private and public sectors are bringing a low carbon society closer this week, as they make historic commitments to cut emissions and boost renewable energy. Major businesses are going carbon neutral, while sub-national governments announced major emissions reduction plans. The Tree
22Sep For the first time, fossil fuel companies face national human rights complaint on climate change Typhoon survivors and civil society groups in the Philippines delivered a complaint to the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines Tuesday - calling for an investigation into the responsibility of big fossil fuel companies for fueling catastrophic climate change that is resulting in human rights violations. Greenpeace
21Sep Indonesia arrests seven company executives for illegal forest fires Police nabbed seven corporate executives in connection with illegal forest fires across Sumatra and Kalimantan, as part of a wide-ranging effort to arrest the haze crisis that's left a choking haze over much of the country and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors. Strait Times
21Sep 100% renewable energy by 2050 achievable, necessary – Greenpeace 100 per cent renewable energy for all is achievable by 2050, creating jobs and cutting fuel costs, according to Greenpeace’s latest Energy [R]evolution report. The Tree
21Sep Green funds beat ‘black’ funds over 2 years Green funds are outperforming ‘black’ funds that invest in fossil fuels by more than 14%, according to new research, which will silence some of the criticism of the socially-responsible investment market. Financial Times
21Sep African Development Bank Seeks to Spur $55 Billion for Energy African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, who took over this month, said he’s aiming to eliminate Africa’s energy deficit by 2025 by mobilizing $55 billion of investment. Bloomberg
21Sep Carbon pricing schemes double since 2012 in climate fight: World Bank The number of carbon pricing schemes worldwide has almost doubled since 2012 - covering about 12% of all greenhouse gas emissions - but most taxes or markets have prices too low to prevent damaging global warming, the World Bank said on Sunday. Reuters
