EC Environmental Policy

The US could create jobs, curb carbon emissions and encourage economic prosperity by switching to a clean energy economy, write Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif. A recent report said that the US could create 2 million new jobs by 2050 if it adopted a goal to source 50% of its total electricity from clean energy sources by 2030. "Congress has an opportunity to put our country on a path toward a clean energy future that improves our economy while reinforcing our commitment to reducing dangerous carbon pollution," they write

China has proposed building a $50 trillion global transmission system that would connect the world's wind farms and renewable energy projects. "Global energy interconnection" would solve global energy instability, climate change and environmental pollution, said State Grid Corp. of China Chairman Liu Zhenya. In such a model, clean energy sources would provide about 80% of the world's total electricity.

SunPower, Tarkett, and Wal-Mart have joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circular Economy 100 USA program.

IKEA has installed a 1.14 MW rooftop solar PV system - comprised of more than 3,600 panels - at its new store in Las Vegas. The installation is the largest of its kind in Nevada.

Greenpeace) finds that the 8,359 existing coal power plants in operation across the world consume enough freshwater to meet the basic water needs of 1 billion people - and about 25% of proposed coal power plants are planned in water-stressed regions. The report also proposes 3 policy changes to reduce water use in the global coal industry.

Greenpeace launched an interactive web-based map that allows users to monitor deforestation and fires across Indonesia in near real time.

In 1900, an estimated 100,000 tigers roamed free on our planet. Yet within a hundred years, that number plummeted by more than 95 percent - the result of rampant poaching and widespread habitat loss. But it seems the tide may finally be turning for the majestic cat. On Sunday, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced that wild tiger numbers were on the rise for the first time in over a century.

Warming ocean waters are bleaching the world's corals to an unprecedented degree and could destroy huge swaths of coral reefs in areas ranging from Australia to Africa. "This is a huge, looming planetary crisis, and we are sticking our heads in the sand about it," says Justin Marshall of the University of Queensland in Australia.

PepsiCo joins the flock of food companies swearing off eggs from caged hens. PepsiCo PEP -0.31% today became the latest company to commit to using 100% cage-free eggs. The company will make the transition in North America by 2020 and globally by 2025. PepsiCo uses eggs in some of its baked products, such as biscuits, cookies, and protein bars, as well as oatmeal.

The biggest players in technology and some of the largest consumer brands recently submitted separate friend-of-the-court briefs providing resounding support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan.

A successful campaign led by chef-turned-activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall drew attention to a big problem: In the UK, less than 6 million takeaway hot beverage cups are recycled each year, while 7 million are thrown out each day. The attention led to an increased discount for Starbucks customers who bring their own coffee cups, as well as a call from a British natural plastics manufacturer for an increased focus on bio-based and biodegradable materials. 

On Friday, General Mills announced that it will "soon" start labeling its products that contain genetically modified organism (GMO) ingredients nationwide. With the rationale that it is impractical to label its products for just one state, the company plans to disclose GMO ingredients according to the law set to go into effect in Vermont on July 1.

Sky promises to source 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2020 where available, while Bloomberg promises to purchase all green electricity by 2025 Two of the world's largest media firms have pledged to get all their electricity from renewable sources as part of the RE100 initiative, which encourages businesses to source 100 per cent renewable power.

Marks & Spencer, Nestlé UK and Ireland, and Unilever were among a group of more than 25 stakeholders in the food and beverage industry to sign on to resource efficiency charity WRAP's Courtauld Commitment 2025. The Commitment aims to reduce food and drink waste by 20%, cut the GHG intensity of food and drink consumed in the UK by 20%, and reduce the impact of water use in the supply chain.

The adidas Group sourced 43% of its cotton from sustainable sources in 2015, surpassing its 40% "Better Cotton" target. The company plans to source 100% of its cotton from sustainable sources by 2018.

Global carbon dioxide emissions were flat for the second consecutive year in 2015 due, in part, to renewables, according to the International Energy Agency. The report said that renewables accounted for about 90% new installed capacity last year, and wind represented at least half of that total. Meanwhile, the world's economy jumped about 3% last year, "offering further evidence that the link between economic growth and emissions growth is weakening," said the report.

Mislabeled seafood products have become a widespread problem: Recent studies have found that 30 percent of seafood products are mislabelled and that such errors have led to significant distrust in labels among consumers. Meanwhile, DNA test results have reinforced that the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC's) ecolabel provides credible traceability.

REI reported a 9.3% jump in sales last year, when it launched a Black Friday campaign encouraging consumers to go outside rather than shop and closed its stores on the major shopping day. The outdoor retailer also grew its co-op membership by 7.3% in 2015, and now boasts more than 6 million members.

This infographic summarizes the findings of a recent statewide survey, commissioned by Xylem, Inc., which revealed that California residents are supportive of the use of recycled water, that they do not view the use of recycled water as a short-term fix to the state's 5-year drought, and that education is a key component in bolstering public support for recycled water use.