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The European Commission released "Clean Energy for All Europeans," a new clean energy package that lays out plans to help the EU meet its climate targets under the Paris Agreement. The plans outlined in the package include cutting carbon emissions by 40% and increasing energy efficiency by 30% by 2030, phasing out coal subsidies, and more.

PepsiCo has announced it will restore and protect a handful of watersheds in Latin American countries in which it operates, including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala. The company announced plans to "replenish" all the water used during manufacturing in high water risk areas by returning it to the watershed from which it was taken.

New data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration also highlighted another potential contradiction: Virtually every state suing to block the Clean Power Plan has itself shifted toward burning less coal to generate the electricity its residents need since the year 2007 - in some cases by very large amounts.

Apple seems to be embedding its renewable energy commitments into its corporate structure. The company recently created a new wholly-owned subsidiary known as Apple Energy LLC and filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which regulates power companies, to be able to sell electricity and other power grid services to non-utility customers. The move is a strong sign that Apple will not only fulfill its plans to operate on 100 percent renewable energy through net-metering, but plans to generate and sell renewable energy back to the grid.

HP has committed to powering its global operations with 100 percent renewable energy - and says it plans to reach the 40 percent renewable electricity mark by 2020 - because, as Nate Hurst, HP's chief sustainability and social impact officer says, "both cost-effective and low carbon sources of energy are essential to the future and the growth of HP's business."

Ahmedabad, a rapidly urbanizing city in western India grappling with rising air pollution levels. In an innovative step, the city, along with NRDC and other partners, unveiled the draft Ahmedabad Air Information and Response (AIR) Plan. The first of its kind, the AIR Plan is a decisive step by Ahmedabad to protect local residents from the debilitating effects of bad air.

Bacardi is planning to source 40% of the sugarcane it uses to brew its rum from sustainable sources by 2017, and 100% by 2022. The company also announced plans to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and the use of packaging and water

The White House has announced a new plan to reduce America's methane emissions, which are thought to account for up to 14% of the country's total greenhouse emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency will monitor methane emissions from the fossil-fuel sector, and the Interior Department will develop a plan to capture and sell methane emitted by coal mines on federal land. The effort will depend on "cost-effective, voluntary actions and common-sense standards," said Dan Utech, special assistant to the president for energy and climate change

One year after Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast, 20 major U.S. brands including Starbucks, Unilever and Mars, Inc. are calling for the White House to follow through on climate change preparedness efforts outlined in the Climate Action Plan announced by President Obama on June 25.

The Obama administration's rule leans heavily on renewable energy to meet its goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent by 2030, which is an increase of 2 percentage points from the draft it released in the summer of 2014. While states have two additional years until they must begin cutting emissions - 2022 instead of 2020 - they are expected to start devising ways to improve their environments, which will focus on shifting to cleaner burning fuels and away from carbon-heavy ones. "The trend we are on will get us there," says Rob Gramlich, senior vice president for government affairs at the American Wind Energy Association, in a phone interview. "As the nation moves from coal to gas, and as it adds more wind, solar and energy efficiency, we will reach that 32 percent target."

The Obama administration's Clean Power Plan rule will require states to begin cutting carbon emissions by 2022. "The trend we are on will get us there. As the nation moves from coal to gas, and as it adds more wind, solar and energy efficiency, we will reach that 32% target," said Rob Gramlich of the American Wind Energy Association. To comply, states can choose among options including boosting renewables, improving heat rates for coal-fired steam generators, and using more nuclear energy and lower-emitting natural gas. Forbes (8/4) 

China plans to remove over 5 million vehicles from roads this year for failing to meet new fuel standards designed to reduce smog. The plan calls for removing 330,000 cars from Beijing and 660,000 from the surrounding Hebei province.

India announced plans to quadruple its existing renewable power capacity to 175 GW by 2022 in effort to supply electricity to every household in the country, according to Bloomberg. The plan entails 100 GW of solar PV capacity, 60 GW of wind power, 10 GW of biomass projects, and 5 GW of hydropower.

Kellogg is planning to require its suppliers to curb their greenhouse emissions as part of a broader push to reduce the company's environmental impact. The company also announced new plans to expand its net-zero deforestation pledge to include crops such as soy and sugarcane

Hoping to stem illegal wildlife trafficking, the Obama administration on Wednesday introduced an aggressive plan for taking on traffickers that will include using American intelligence agencies to track and target those who benefit from the estimated $20-billion-a-year market.

China's state planning agency has ordered the city of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong to draw up plans to reduce coal consumption in a bid to improve air quality, according to a policy document released on Wednesday.

Home appliance company Whirlpool announced plans to build an $18 million on-site wind energy project to offset 22% of its electricity consumption at its Ohio-based manufacturing facility, in partnership with OneEnergy.

Procter & Gamble plans to begin blending cellulosic ethanol produced by DuPont into Tide Coldwater detergent. "We believe that actions speak louder than words in the area of sustainability, and this partnership with DuPont demonstrates we are doing just that," says Gianni Ciserani, P&G's global fabric and home care chief.

WENDY'S PLANS TO USE MORE SUSTAINABLY SOURCED BEEF

The final straw: Ben & Jerry's announces plan to eliminate single-use plastic in Scoop Shops worldwide

Morgan Stanley said it plans to pour $250 billion into low-carbon financing over the next 12 years, funding renewable energy and clean tech ventures and underwriting so-called sustainable bonds, which are debt for environmental projects.