17 November 2022

Sweden criticised at COP27

Sweden is being criticised at the COP27 currently taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The most vulnerable countries are demanding compensation from the countries that have been responsible for the greater part of emitted greenhouse gases, and thus climate change, while richer countries are resisting such demands due to fear of facing astronomical compensation claims if they were to admit historical responsibility for climate change. Sweden is one of the countries within the EU that opposes a new fund or facility to finance reconstruction after, among other things, weather-related disasters linked to climate change. Representatives of the international umbrella organisation, Climate Action Network (CAN), are now criticising Sweden and the country’s unwillingness to support such a fund. “Sweden is blocking all forms of progress within the EU for a robust discussion about the support that the EU needs to provide to the least developed countries, to island states, to communities in Pakistan that are facing climate devastation and are trying to recover,” said Eddy Pérez from CAN Canada.

Sydsvenskan, SvD

A Word From Our Sponsor

BASF conducts Research Press Conference 2022

BASF is currently driving the shift to greater sustainability with innovative solutions for raw materials, processes and products. BASF uses white biotechnology to create resource-efficient and climate-friendly products from a variety of raw materials using microorganisms. This fundamental research into biodegradability accelerates the development of sustainable materials. At BASF, researchers around the world are working on innovative solutions to tap alternative raw material sources and develop climate-friendly production processes and products. Today, Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, Member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer of BASF SE, joined scientists at BASF's research press conference to present current research projects and examples of innovation in various value chain segments. The event focused on technologies where microorganisms contribute to greater sustainability.

BASF's R&D platform is the basis for developing sustainable chemical solutions. BASF says its investment in R&D is paying off, with products brought to market in the last five years generating sales of more than EUR 11 billion. BASF is a leader in the chemical industry in terms of the number and quality of its patents. 45% of BASF's patent applications in 2021 relate to innovations with a special focus on sustainability, and this trend is growing. In the long term, the company also wants to increase sales and revenues from products that make a significant contribution to sustainability.

Press Release

H&M facing another greenwashing lawsuit

H&M is facing a class action lawsuit over allegations that its Conscious Choice collection is actually greenwashing. A claim filed in a federal court in Missouri, USA, is suing the retailer for “misleadingly, illegally, and deceptively” seeking to capitalise on consumer ‘green’ trends, where H&M customers are led to believe that Conscious Choice products are an environmentally responsible purchase. The plaintiffs are claiming that consumers have been tricked into paying a premium price for green products which weren’t green at all. “Basing sustainability strategies on the idea that consumers can continue to consume disposable plastic goods (because they can be recycled into more products) is highly problematic,” noted the filing. “This method of ‘green’ marketing does not address the fundamental issue of perpetuating disposable solutions and overconsumption of natural resources.”

Chargedretail

COWI contributes to Equinor's energy transition

COWI has secured a multi-year framework agreement from Equinor to support offshore wind and low carbon solutions. The agreement plans to build 12-16 GW of capacity in renewable energy solutions by 2030. The framework agreement is divided into three parts: generic resource delivery, study validation and project planning services. COWI has been working with Equinor for many years, also on renewable energy projects such as Empire Wind - an offshore wind project off the coast of New York with a total installed capacity of 2.1 GW. The new framework has a contract term of five years, with two extensions in three years, for a total of eleven years. The first contract in the framework agreement between COWI and Equinor is Firefly, an offshore wind project off the coast of Ulsan, South Korea.

Samferdsel & Infrastruktur

Green Power Denmark launches national campaign

High energy prices and Europe's dependence on gas are a major challenge that affects all energy consumers. Although right now it feels like a headwind, in a new campaign Green Power Denmark focuses on the fact that we [Denmark] have actually been here before - in the energy crisis of the 70s. At the time, the crisis gave tailwind to the energy transformation that Denmark is currently undertaking. Green Power Denmark underlines that it will take political courage and popular support, as seen in the last major energy crisis. Denmark must switch to cheap renewable energy as soon as possible to make the country independent of coal and Russian gas. The Green Power Denmark campaign will be promoted in newspapers, TV and social media.

Via

COP27

G20 commitment to climate goals amid geopolitical uncertainty sets example 

G20 leaders agreed to pursue efforts to limit the global average temperature to 1.5C at this year’s summit in Bali, with the world’s largest economies also agreeing to address the issue of loss and damage from climate change and reaffirming broadly-termed commitments to phase down unabated coal use and phase out fossil fuel subsidies, in moves that were generally welcomed by climate groups on Wednesday. (Carbon Pulse)

Nations set to postpone even more carbon market decisions for a year, draft suggests

Most decisions on a new UN carbon credit mechanism are set to be delayed for a year as time runs out at COP27 talks, according to draft text released on Wednesday that includes a divisive loophole to double claiming provisions that is seen as likely to grind the negotiations to a halt. (Carbon Pulse)

'Elements' leave much to negotiate

The UN climate agency published a first draft of a hoped-for final agreement, repeating many of last year's goals while leaving contentious issues still to be resolved. The 20-page document is labelled a 'non-paper', indicating it is far from a final version and there are still hours if not days left in the negotiations between delegates from nearly 200 countries. (Reuters)

Borrowing from a recent statement of the Basic emerging economies, it proposes to “express deep regret that developed countries who have the most capabilities financially and technologically to lead in reducing their emissions continue to fall short in doing so,” adding “Developed countries should attain net-negative carbon emissions by 2030.” (Climate Home News)

Rich countries test G77 unity

With very limited appetite to allocate new funds for loss and damage, rich countries see the best prospects of support for climate victims outside the UN climate process. Reform of multilateral development banks and the IMF could free up significant cash for the vulnerable. But that won't happen in Sharm el-Sheikh, where the developing world wants to see more commitment. The developed country tactic is divide and conquer: drive a wedge between the poorest and smallest nations, and big emerging economies. Island leader Gaston Browne last week expressed support for broadening the donor pool: “We all know that India and China… are major polluters and the polluters must pay.” But then G77 solidarity reasserted, and he clarified that historic emissions had to be factored into the assessment.

The EU has sent its strongest signal yet that it would consider setting up a new fund, as the G77 asks, with strings attached. “We are open for this facility, but under certain conditions,” said the EU’s climate chief Frans Timmermans. (Climate Home News)

What we're reading

• COP27: France, Spain latest to pledge halt to gasoline-driven vehicle sales (Reuters)
• Climate Role Model Sweden’s New Leader Axes Environment Ministry (Bloomberg)
• Venture capital increases its focus cleantech (Swedish, pwc)

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