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State leaders, delegates, business leaders, and other stakeholders have convened in Paris for the U.N. Conference of the Parties (COP 21). Here are a few highlights from last week: 

The limelight is on nation-states at COP21, but cities around the world are getting serious about climate action. 

A fresh round of companies sign up to RE100 pledge, taking the total number of committed firms to 53. 

After prioritizing their own strategies for years, the giant retailers are advocating industry-driven leadership group for sustainable cosmetics and personal care products. 

In an announcement at the United Nations COP21 global climate talks in Paris, a total of 114 companies have joined a Science Based Targets initiative orchestrated in partnership with CDP, the World Wildlife Fund and the U.N. Global Compact.

But for ice cream super brand Ben & Jerry's, carbon pricing is already a reality, allowing the scheme to pay U.S. dairy farmers to invest in onsite renewable energy generation and other clean technologies as it looks to slash its supply chain emissions.

For the first four years of its existence, the Department of Energy's Better Plants program focused almost exclusively on encouraging industrial manufacturers to reduce energy intensity by an ambitious 25 percent. Many are recording annual average improvements of 2.1 percent, according to the DoE's latest progress report (PDF) issued in September.

Today at COP21 in Paris, LCTPi unveiled updates on each focus area. Here are the highlights from some key focus areas:

Lowe's, Lumber Liquidators, and Menards are also phasing out PVC rife with lead, cadmium and phthalates. 

Clean Production Action evaluates the landscape of businesses and NGOs pushing for safer chemicals

They'll always have Paris. But what did the U.N. climate summit mean to these business leaders who lived it? Execs from H&M, BASF and others weigh in

State leaders, delegates, business leaders, and other stakeholders convened in Paris for the U.N. Conference of the Parties (COP 21). Here are a few highlights from the final week: 

Carbon pricing was in the spotlight at the climate talks. Post-Paris, these reports are essential for any business interested in emissions trading, carbon tax and more

On the pathway beyond Paris, corporate leadership will be defined by maximizing positive impacts, not minimizing negative ones. What does civil society say? 

Millions of trees are disappearing every year into the clothing on our backs. They're being felled to manufacture dissolving pulp, a key ingredient for fabrics such as rayon/viscose, modal and lyocell. Even worse, much of that pulp is wasted. That revelation was the impetus behind an apparel industry campaign created both to raise awareness of this issue and to nip it in the bud. More than two dozen fashion and apparel companies - including retailers and producers - are involved with the "Fashion Loved by Forest" initiative. They include Eileen Fisher, H&M, Levi Strauss, Lululemon Athletica, Marks & Spencer, Patagonia and Prana.

The company has hit the ground running with a new set of initiatives seeking sustainable innovations in textiles and materials. 

What kinds of policies and initiatives will the country need to move its colossal industry base towards energy efficiency, and thus lower greenhouse gas emissions? Let's take a look at what is already happening in China and how it will affect the future.

Increasing the recycling rate to 100 percent industry-wide could generate an estimated $10 billion in cost savings and natural capital benefits, according to Trucost. For example, creating better closed-loop processes for reusing gold would have a bottom-line benefit of almost $100 million compared with $14.6 million at current recovery levels, according to the Trucost data.

"The payback for resilience efforts can be measured in many ways," ULI noted, "including cost savings from preventing damages and reducing operating costs, as well as revenue enhancements from improved marketing, company brand and project image."

Hilton Worldwide is taking advantage of a partnership with General Electric by installing electric-vehicle, or EV, chargers at 100 of its hotels by the end of 2016. Some other hotels are using green-energy storage systems, which can reduce charges on about 30% to 50% of a property's energy bill, according to a GreenBiz report