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Greenhouse gas concentration breaks record again in 2020, WMO calls on next week's conference to "significantly increase" carbon reduction commitments

Reuters reported that the United Nations warned on the 25th that greenhouse gas concentrations reached a record high last year and that the world's pace of controlling rising temperatures has been "significantly derailed." This clearly illustrates the specific tasks of the United Nations Glasgow Climate Summit (COP26). Carbon dioxide concentrations soar WMO: We are totally off track A report from the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that despite a temporary decline in emissions during the epidemic lockdown, carbon dioxide concentrations soared to 413.2ppm in 2020, higher than average over the past ten years. WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said the current rate of increase in greenhouse gases will lead to temperature rises "well in excess" of the 2015 Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C above this century's pre-industrial average. "We are completely off track," he said. "We need to re-examine our industrial, energy and transport systems and our entire way of life," calling for a "significant increase" in emissions reduction commitments at the COP26 conference, which begins at the weekend. The city of Glasgow is making final preparations for a climate summit that may be the world's best remaining chance of keeping global warming within the limits of the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. According to another analysis by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), if all current commitments by countries are realized, global emissions in 2030 will be 16% higher than in 2010. this

2021-11-18

Carbon emissions also need to be paid for. Experts call on countries to quickly establish a "carbon debt" mechanism.

As the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise, there is an increasing risk that our descendants will be saddled with a massive carbon debt. Researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and international partners have called for the immediate establishment of a Carbon Removal Obligation and determination of responsibilities for carbon debt. The next EU emissions trading plan to be revised is An opportunity to import. Scholar: The world should obtain funds to implement carbon debt before the carbon budget is exhausted. Over the past few decades, governments have jointly committed to slowing global warming through agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Despite many countries ratifying these agreements, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations continue to rise. At the current rate of development, we are working hard to use up the remaining CO2 emissions available before warming reaches 1.5°C. If this so-called "carbon budget" is exhausted before the world reaches net-zero emissions, then we will have to remove a ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for every ton of carbon dioxide we emit. In other words, if we continue on our current trajectory—which now seems likely—we will accumulate a carbon debt. A new study published in the journal Nature points out that the net-zero commitments made by an increasing number of countries already assume that large carbon debts need to be compensated through long-term net negative emissions. For example, the ideal global scenario estimates in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on 1.5°C Warming

2021-10-07

Japan's Ministry of Environment plans to require the comprehensive introduction of a "carbon tax" in tax reform next year

Japan's Ministry of the Environment basically decided on the 27th that in the 2022 tax system revision, it will require the full introduction of a "carbon tax" based on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions aimed at strengthening global warming countermeasures. This is intended to be a powerful means to achieve a decarbonized society, the signature policy proposed by the Yoshihide Suga administration. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the business community have shown a cautious attitude as they are wary of the increased burden, and will coordinate comprehensively on whether to impose taxes and the level of collection by the end of the year. The Ministry of Environment presented the outline of the proposal at a closed meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party group. It states for the first time that it will take measures to promote "carbon pricing" that taxes CO2 to promote emission reductions, and "promote professional and technical discussions while also considering the burden method" on carbon tax requirements, one of the representative methods. However, no specific tax items, tax rates and other system designs were given, which will be discussed in the future. In 2012, Japan introduced a "global warming countertax" as a type of carbon tax, which is mainly levied on companies using fossil fuels such as oil and coal. Compared with Europe, it is accused of low tax rates and poor emission reduction effects. The comprehensive introduction of carbon taxes may expand this. However, Japan already has a petroleum and coal tax and a volatile oil tax on gasoline, etc., and there are strong opinions that the overall adjustment should be unified. The coordination work is also expected to have twists and turns. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in December last year instructed the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to explore the introduction of carbon pricing. Although the methods have been discussed through separate expert meetings, the Ministry of the Environment, which wants to focus on carbon tax, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which is exploring options that lighten the burden on companies, are not in sync. An official from the Ministry of the Environment said: “Finally,

2021-10-07

Western climate plan: Britain bans oil truck sales in 2040, US proposes carbon tax on imported goods

A look at carbon tariffs, 2035 ban on sales of fuel vehicles, and 2030 renewable energy targets. Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 10-point climate plan launched in November last year, he will ban the sale of cars and vans using new petrol and diesel in 2030. , the UK once again announced that it will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel large trucks by 2040 as part of its 2050 net-zero emissions transport plan. On the other hand, the EU and the United States made progress on the carbon border tax almost simultaneously on the 14th. UK transport emissions reduction to increase, ban on freight oil trucks and zero-emission domestic flights in 2040 Transport is the most polluting industry in the UK, accounting for about 1/3 of the country's carbon dioxide emissions before the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK’s plan to cut transport emissions also includes achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050, with the goal of reducing emissions from domestic flights to net-zero by early 2040. But the plan has been criticized in the past as unrealistic as technology to reduce aviation's climate impact is still in its infancy. The government also said it would replace its government fleet of 40,000 cars and trucks with zero-emission vehicles by 2027, three years earlier than originally planned. The British government has yet to announce full details of its transport decarbonisation plan, which is expected to be released before Cop26, the United Nations climate summit hosted by the UK in November. Europe and the United States are simultaneously promoting carbon border taxes, and the United States plans to increase "pollution import fees." The carbon border tax recently released by the European Union is designed to protect domestic manufacturing while pressuring other countries to reduce emissions. On the same day, the American people

2021-10-07

When the ASEAN market encounters the EU's "Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism", is it trade protection or an opportunity for low-carbon transformation?

On July 14 this year, the EU's long-planned Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was officially announced. In the future, it will impose taxes on imported products that do not comply with EU carbon emission regulations, which has attracted the attention of various countries. The EU hopes to use this mechanism to prevent companies from moving carbon-intensive industries to countries with looser environmental regulations, causing the risk of carbon leakage. However, how will Southeast Asian countries with lower levels of development, as well as countries that have not yet established a carbon pricing mechanism, face the upcoming carbon tariff challenge? A survey report by a German think tank: The eight Asia-Pacific countries support and oppose it. Some countries accuse the CBAM mechanism expected to be piloted by the EU in 2023 as a trade protectionist measure. Liu Youbin, spokesman for China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said at a press conference on July 26 that this is "a unilateral measure that expands the issue of climate change into the field of trade. This violates the principles (of the World Trade Organization)." Asian countries opinions are not monolithic. Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation released a report in March this year analyzing the views of eight Asia-Pacific countries on EU CBAM. The eight countries include Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. Christian Hübner of the foundation said that based on the survey, Singapore is not opposed to the carbon border adjustment mechanism, "as long as it is fair and consistent with international norms and

2021-10-07

Tetra Pak, Taiwan’s first grown carton, joins hands with Yimei to make food packaging materials more sustainable

Most of the cartons used to package food need to be coated with a layer of plastic in order to protect the food and block sunlight. Nowadays, however, petrification is not the only option for this layer of glue. Taiwan's first "recyclable bioplastic" all-plant box is jointly launched by Tetra Pak Taiwan and Yimei Food Company. Not only does it use paper materials with the Forest Stewardship Council FSC mark, but the film also uses "Bonsucro sugar cane sustainability certification" ” mark and 100% recycled plant-based polyethylene (PE), so that consumers can drink it fresh and recycle it according to their daily habits. These efforts have also resulted in Tetra Pak being ranked among the top 50 sustainable development and climate leaders in the world. Yimei launched this fresh milk in October 2019 using university-proven paper pulp and sugar gum in paper containers. It uses Tetra Pak's all-plant box. A small leaf is embossed on the bottle cap to quietly indicate its identity - —Even the bottle caps are grown. Because paper containers need to hold drinks, soups, and water ingredients, they must be waterproof, insulated, and even block sunlight. Therefore, the inner film is usually added with multiple layers of plastic film or aluminum foil insulating layers, which also distinguishes paper containers from paper. Recycling falls into different categories. Paper containers are not just paper, but composite materials. Traditionally, petrochemical materials are used for this layer of glue. In recent years, plant glues such as soybeans, corn, and pasture have been added. For this all-plant box jointly launched by Tetra Pak and Yimei, the cardboard comes from FSC™ certified forests, and the glue film is Made from 100% plant-based polyethylene (PE) from Bonsucro sustainably verified sugar cane. "These are raw materials that can be grown and will continue to grow.

2021-10-07

The world's first crewless, zero-emission cargo ship sets sail in Norway to reduce nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions

Norwegian company Yara has created the world's first zero-emission autonomous cargo ship, Yara Birkeland, which runs on battery power and can achieve zero emissions. The ship is expected to sail between two Norwegian towns for the first time before the end of the year. There will be no crew on board and its voyage will be monitored by three onshore data control centres. The Norwegian company Yara, which developed the vessel, said the Birkeland will depart from the town of Her?ya and anchor in Brevikt. Birkeland uses 7 MWh of batteries, which is about 1,000 times that of an electric car. It can reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides (toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases) and carbon dioxide, has a maximum speed of 24 km/h, and can place 103 containers inside the ship. Although there are currently no plans for any major ocean voyages. But Yara also shows that the ship is capable of doing similar things to today's fossil-fuel-burning cargo ships. The shipping industry currently accounts for 2.5% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization. Almost all of Norway's electricity is generated by hydropower, which still produces greenhouse gases but is generally considered to have much lower carbon emissions than burning fossil fuels. Source: CSRone (https://csrone.com/news/7056)

2021-10-07

EU proposes draft climate change plan Fit for 55: Comprehensive transformation of society and economy

Carbon tariffs, a ban on the sale of fuel vehicles in 2035, and the 2030 renewable energy target were announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice President Frans Timmermans on the evening of Wednesday (14th) Taipei time. Scale climate change plan. This "Fit for 55" (Fit for 55) proposes a total of 12 policy measures to ensure that future climate and energy policies are consistent with the goals set by the European Climate Law, and will lead other countries in Scotland in a few months. Glasgow's appearance at the United Nations climate conference in November follows. Fit for 55: Looking towards a climate-neutral Europe on greenhouse gas reduction in 2030 55% In order to achieve its contribution to the goals of the Paris Agreement, the European Commission proposed a green policy in December 2019, with the goal of making Europe the first country in the world by 2050. A climate neutral continent. This goal is officially written into the European Climate Law that will take effect in July 2021, with a specific commitment to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990. In order to achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in nine years, the European Commission held an online press conference on the evening of the 14th and announced "55 packages" covering climate, energy, construction, carbon trading, land use, transportation, taxation Endowment and other aspects to drive economic and social transformation. Since it involves a wide range of areas, it will not only affect energy, transportation

2021-10-07

Saving global warming can no longer just reduce carbon emissions! Walmart and Amazon plan to achieve "net-zero emissions" by 2040

The EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism is approaching, and countries and major brands have launched countermeasures. Walmart is actively reviewing its value chain and is expected to use 100% renewable energy by 2035. Amazon even hopes to use 100% renewable energy for operations by 2025. Global emission reductions are unstoppable, and Taiwan has also called for reaching a net-zero goal by 2050. It is currently evaluating sustainable strategies that can be implemented by various industries and promoting energy transformation. In order to combat climate change, 195 member states of the United Nations adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015. The goal is to control the global climate rise within 2 degrees Celsius before the pre-industrial revolution by 2100, and even preferably reach 1.5 degrees. However, in 2018, the authoritative international climate science organization "United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" pointed out that the global climate rise will exceed 1.5 degrees in 2052. If the average temperature is to return to within 1.5 degrees, global carbon dioxide emissions will It must be reset to zero in 2050. This goal is less than 30 years away from now. The European Union announced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to improve the past carbon reduction methods that only addressed the symptoms but not the root cause. In view of the climate crisis facing the world, the European Union announced the draft "Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism" on July 15, 2021. It is expected to be implemented on a trial basis for three years starting in 2023. Initial requirements Imported steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers and power products are required to declare carbon emissions, and taxes will be levied on the greenhouse gas emissions of imported goods, and will gradually be expanded to other industries. Although all countries have established greenhouse gas emission controls in the past, high-carbon production companies

2021-10-07

Steel can be produced without coal. Sweden's first batch of "green steel" is delivered to Volvo, taking an important step towards zero fossil fuels.

Swedish company Hybrit claims to have produced the world's first batch of "green steel" that does not use coal. It has been trial-produced and shipped to truck manufacturer Volvo, and is expected to be officially commercially produced in 2026. IEA: The steel industry is the largest industrial consumer of coal. The performance of steel production in terms of emissions and other sustainability-related indicators is relatively mature, but there is still much room for improvement. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the steel industry directly emits 260 million tons of carbon dioxide every year. In 2019, this figure was higher than direct emissions from industries such as cement and chemicals. The IEA said the steel industry is the largest industrial consumer of coal. About 75% of the energy needs of the steel industry are met by coal. A year ago, Hybrit began trial operations at its green steel pilot plant in Lulea, northern Sweden, hoping to use renewable electricity and hydrogen to replace traditional coking coal to produce steel. Hydrogen is also key to the EU achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Volvo plans to use green steel to manufacture prototype cars and vehicle parts from next year. Hybrit is a joint venture between steel manufacturer SSAB, Swedish utility company Vattenfall and mining company LKAB. SSAB's CO2 emissions account for 10% and 7% of Sweden and Finland's emissions. The company said the trial delivery is "an important step towards a zero-fossil fuel value chain... The aim is to deliver fossil-free steel to the market as early as 2026 and at industrial scale"

2021-10-07