EC Environmental Policy

HVAC producers, working jointly with design professionals, are in the forefront of the war on climate change," writes Alex Carrick, chief economist for CanaData, part of Construction Market Data Group. The industry has been instrumental in helping to develop innovative plumbing, lighting, glazing and roofing products to increase sustainability, reduce water consumption and improve air quality.

Hasbro, Inc., a global company committed to creating the world's best play experiences, is the latest company to join the growing How2Recycle Label Program. Hasbro joins over 45 other participating companies committed to educating consumers on packaging recyclability by providing clear on-package instructions.

The EU added a record-breaking 12.8 gigawatts of installed wind capacity last year, according to the European Wind Energy Association. The group says wind has surpassed hydro power, becoming the third-biggest source of generation in the EU. "Wind power accounts for one-third of all new power installations since 2000 in the EU. Conventional power sources such as fuel oil and coal continue to decommission more capacity than they install," EWEA said.

France's Parliament took definitive steps to prevent food waste on Wednesday. The country's Senate unanimously voted to ban large food stores from throwing away food that's approaching its expiration date.

A committee of the International Civil Aviation Organization has proposed standards for aircraft carbon dioxide emissions. "When fully implemented, the standards are expected to reduce carbon emissions more than 650 million tons between 2020 and 2040, equivalent to removing over 140 million cars from the road for a year," the White House said in a fact sheet

For our annual trends report, we honed in on key issues and opportunities that will define the field - including global geopolitical instability, Paris Agreement implementation, growing importance of sustainable finance, and the continuing rise of cities and regions - via SustainAbility's ongoing issue tracking plus interviews with two dozen international sustainability experts.

Super Bowl 50 was played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., a facility built with sustainability in mind. It has a 27,000-square-foot green roof, and more than 1,150 solar panels generate enough power for all of the San Francisco 49ers' home games. Recycled water accounts for 85% of water use for irrigation and flushing.

Could the health and environmental benefits of taxes on sugary drinks and carbon-intensive foods outweigh the out-of-pocket costs? New research from Oxford University and the University of Reading suggests that is indeed the case. A study found that a combination of a sugar tax on soft drinks and a food-based carbon tax in the United Kingdom could raise £3.6 billion in revenue, reduce carbon emissions by 19 million tonnes, and increase life expectancy.

Mars, Inc. announced plans to remove artificial coloring from its entire human food product portfolio.

Food company John West Australia pledged to help end unsustainable fishing practices within the Australian canned tuna industry, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

British Columbia will protect around 85% of the Great Bear Rainforest, which is "one of the world's largest temperate rainforests." The additional 15% will be available for logging under the "most stringent" standards in North America.

Leveraging biomimicry's unique approach to research and design can lead to sustainable, profitable technologies that mitigate risk and reduce costs. 

A vacuum distillation system by H2O GmbH has reduced the amount of wastewater produced and saved more than €100,000 ($108,280) annually for thermofin, a German metalworking company.

Wastewater treatment and renewable energy production can be costly endeavors. However, if valuable chemicals could be extracted from wastewater, or if algae could more easily be used to turn carbon dioxide from the air into biofuel, companies could profitably pursue such projects. Researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) and the Chinese Academy of Science & Technology are working to make this possible.

But analysis carried out by ClimateWorks, a global philanthropy-focused NGO, found that almost all of the recent COP21 related commitments from 65 of the world's biggest businesses do not explicitly address the vast majority of emissions for which the companies involved are responsible.

Our ninth annual report (download PDF), published today and produced in partnership with Trucost, continues our tradition of taking the pulse of corporate progress in sustainability, in the United States and around the world. It looks at both common measures (energy, waste and carbon) and some less-common ones (corporate reporting of natural capital profit or savings, for example, or companies' low-carbon investments) over the past five years.

A $10-per-barrel tax on oil companies will be part of the Obama administration's budget proposal for fiscal 2017. Proceeds would fund alternative transportation and infrastructure. Congress is not expected to include the measure in spending legislation. The proposal is significant, however, because it reflects Obama's increased focus on climate change.

On Friday, the fast-food chain announced in a statement that all of its eggs for its nearly 400 restaurants in 13 states will come from cage-free hens by 2025.

We buy-and throw out-more clothes than ever. It's time for new innovation to lower the footprint of our clothing.

Dell and actor Adrian Grenier have announced the "Legacy of Good" short documentary film contest, aimed at creating compelling stories to raise awareness around the circular economy movement and the role of technology in creating a better future.