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Despite a decade of intensifying efforts to slow tropical deforestation, last year was the second-highest on record for tree cover loss, down just slightly from 2016. The tropics lost an area of forest the size of Vietnam in just the last two years.

Disneyland Resort was recognized today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the 2014 Food Recovery Challenge award for its zero waste efforts, and the highest percent increase in food recovery of any theme park in the nation. "Disneyland is a model for food recovery efforts," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "Disney has the potential to educate millions of people who visit the resort on zero waste, while doing its part to fight climate change and create a better environment for Southern California residents."

Institutional investors representing over half a trillion dollars in assets under management are calling on four major palm oil producers to adopt an immediate moratorium on deforestation and join the growing effort within the industry to establish traceable, deforestation-free palm oil supply chains. Led by Green Century Capital Management, investors called on the companies to cease their efforts to weaken the existing threshold for no-deforestation.

PepsiCo announced that its transportation fleet reduced fuel consumption by 24% from 2010 levels, enabling the company to avoid 55,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. PepsiCo also announced new efforts to seek lower-carbon fuels from suppliers, join the Business for Social Responsibility's Future of Fuels program, purchase additional electric delivery vehicles, and help to develop appropriate U.S. fleet fuel efficiency standards.

A new shareowner coalition coordinated by Walden Asset Management has filed resolutions with 11 oil and gas companies, seeking to shine a light on the practice of energy companies to fund, through direct lobbying or trade association membership, efforts to derail regulatory efforts to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. 

Despite efforts from Washington to sideline action on climate change, a growing number of Fortune 500 companies are taking increasingly ambitious steps to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, procure more renewable energy and reduce their energy bills through energy efficiency, according to a new report released today from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Ceres, Calvert Research and Management (Calvert) and CDP.

Developing coutnries are trying to defeat a policy that would require knowledge and consent to hazardous waste material being shipped into that country

Companies including SABMiller, Dow, Novozymes, and many others have begun to align their corporate responsibility targets with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since the United Nations (UN) launched them in September. Indeed, aligning corporate strategy with the SDGs demonstrates the relevancy of social and environmental efforts, and private sector contributions are essential if we hope to achieve the 17 ambitious targets by 2030.

What must be done and why consumer goods companies must step up their efforts to meet the 2020 goal of zero deforestation

The United States is launching an effort to save some of its busiest workers: honey bees.

The nation's largest companies are rapidly embracing renewable energy sourcing and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, according to a new report from Calvert Investments, Ceres, David Gardiner & Associates, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The nation's largest companies are rapidly embracing renewable energy sourcing and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, according to a new report from Calvert Investments, Ceres, David Gardiner & Associates, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). 

Increased conservation advocacy by groups including the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund encouraged the Mexican government to renew efforts to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise from extinction. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has signed a memorandum of understanding that includes stricter enforcement of a permanent ban on fishing nets in Mexico's Upper Gulf of California, where about 30 vaquitas are estimated to be left.

The White House last week outlined plans to get the US offshore wind industry off the ground. The White House has awarded Maine, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts each a grant of $600,000 to support offshore wind development. It has also established an interagency group in support of offshore wind. As part of that effort, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to offer areas off the coasts of North Carolina and New Jersey. GovTech.com (10/2) 

Nike on Friday announced two efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and enable business growth: a collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Climate CoLab to bring innovation in materials to the forefront of the climate conversation, and a commitment to reach 100-percent renewable energy in company-owned and operated facilities by 2025.

The country may be the world's largest carbon emitter, but China has the potential to become a clean energy leader. China is now the largest producer of renewable energy, generating 325 million tons of oil equivalent in 2013. Although renewables represented only 11 percent of the country's total energy production in 2014, this shift indicates the Chinese government's effort to transition its energy production mix.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The top official at the Environmental Protection Agency said Friday the ongoing legal fight over regulating carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants won't delay the nation's accelerating shift to cleaner sources of energy. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy spoke at Climate Action 2016, a conference in Washington on efforts to curb global warming. Seeking to reassure her international audience, McCarthy said the United States will absolutely meet its obligations to cut carbon emissions as agreed to in the landmark climate treaty signed in Paris last December.

The Better Buildings Challenge says businesses that have participated in its initiative have reduced energy use 2% annually for a total savings of $1.3 billion. The goal is to make buildings 20% more efficient within 10 years. In total, 34,000 buildings and facilities have been part of the effort.

The Arbor Day Foundation and Cabela's Outdoor Fund have partnered together to replant in forests devastated by natural disaster. The reforestation efforts, which include the planting of 200,000 trees, are critical to preserving wildlife habitat. Record wildfire seasons in recent years have destroyed millions of trees in forests around the country. Many areas burned so severely that natural regeneration is not possible, making the need to replant necessary. Insect infestations, disease and weather events also destroy forests.

A zero waste program for the plastics industry is expected to result in about $200,000 in new revenue for its first participant. Following the launch of its zero waste program earlier this year, SPI: The Plastics Trade Association has recognized its first Zero Net Waste recognized company. Thermoplastic provider The Minco Group achieved the designation after diverting 88 percent of its total manufacturing waste from landfill. The company also projects a revenue increase of about $20,000 for 2017 from its recycling efforts.

Apple is making progress on its sustainable supply chain efforts. The tech giant says all 14 of its final assembly site in China are now compliant with UL's Zero Waste to Landfill validation.