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WEF's annual state-of-play survey asks the views of a range of decision-makers and experts as to what they see as being the biggest risks facing the world today. It appears that while the types of risks have changed little in the last few years, the perceived level of risk and resulting impact has grown. Of the 1,000 respondents, 59 percent pointed to an intensification of risk; just 7 percent suggested a declining of risk.

The European Union on Wednesday finalised new climate rules after months of talks, targeting a total energy saving of 32.5 percent and an uplift in the share of renewable energy to 32 percent by 2030.

Since Google declared its 100 percent commitment to renewables back in 2012, it has signed contracts that will help add almost 2.6 gigawatts of wind- and solar-generated electricity to the grid by the time all the projects are completely. While each of those installations has its own timetable for completion, at least 900 megawatts of those projects should come online within the next four to six weeks alone, according to one of Google's energy strategy executives. Over the course of next year, all the clean power that Google is adding to the grid will offset what it's using in aggregate. And moving forward, Google wants to ensure that more of the electricity it actually uses can be traced to renewable generating sources.

The global volume of e-waste generated is expected to reach 93.5 million tons in 2016 from 41.5 million tons in 2011 at a compound annual growth rate of 17.6 percent from 2011 to 2016, according to a new report from Marketsandmarkets.

Finelite, a manufacturer of high-efficiency lighting systems, cut its waste production by 84 percent between 2005 and 2012 through using reusable packaging, Sustainable Plant reports. Through such innovations as replacing bubble wrap used to protect products with crinkled paper and so-called lean packaging, the company saved about $27,000 a year in garbage disposal costs, the article says.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is the first to receive the US Zero Waste Business Council's platinum certification - the highest possible rating - for successfully diverting 99.8 percent of its waste.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is the first to receive the US Zero Waste Business Council's platinum certification - the highest possible rating - for successfully diverting 99.8 percent of its waste.

HP became the first high-tech company to set specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals across its suppliers and business partners and an aggressive one at that: 20 percent by 2020, compared with 2010 levels.

US commercial buildings can collectively save up to 28 billion gallons of water annually by using a suit of tools produced by AT&T and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the organizations say.

Monsanto has set a goal of reducing its overall water usage by 25 percent by 2020.

Exercising before work raises an employee's productivity by an average of 15 percent.

Carnegie has been on a seven-year journey to create the world's first bio-based interior textile that doesn't compromise performance, value or aesthetics.

Currently, SCE customers lease or own more than 12,000 plug-in electric vehicles (PEV), which represent about 10 percent of national EV sales. Because California leads the nation in EV adoption, other utilities and stakeholders in the auto industry may find the information from the white paper useful.

The UK brewing industry has met its 2020 carbon target - to reduce carbon emissions by 67 percent compared to 1990 levels - eight years early and is on track to achieve its 2020 target for improved water efficiency, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says.

The UK brewing industry has met its 2020 carbon target - to reduce carbon emissions by 67 percent compared to 1990 levels - eight years early and is on track to achieve its 2020 target for improved water efficiency, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) says.

The International Panel on Climate Change has already warned of irreversible damage linked to greenhouse gas emissions and called for an 80-percent reduction of power-sector emissions by 2050. "We decided to go a little further."

Senate Democrats embraced new climate change goals Tuesday by adopting Gov. Jerry Brown's call to increase the use of renewable energy to 50 percent in 15 years and adding their own initiatives.

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

A new study has unveiled humanity's sweeping impact on the world's oceans. Commercial fishing, climate change, agricultural runoff and other human-caused stressors have wiped out nearly 90 percent of Earth's marine wilderness, researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Queensland, Australia revealed.

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.

About half of Unilever's growth last year came from its sustainable living brands, which grew 30 percent faster than the rest of the company's business, according to the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan annual progress report.