With the rise of environmental awareness in recent years, consumers are increasingly interested in environmentally friendly products and low-carbon footprint labels when shopping, even influencing their purchasing decisions. According to a 2021 study published in Nature Food, 34% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in 2015 came from the food system. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also stated in its 2019 Special Report on Climate Change and Land that approximately 21% to 37% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system. These data suggest that the food we rely on for survival accounts for a quarter of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions! The world's first: The Danish government develops a "food climate label." On April 16, 2022, Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Rasmus Prehn stated that in response to climate change, the Danish government will invest 9 million Danish kroner (approximately NT$37.31 million) to develop a "food climate labeling system," becoming the world's first country where the government uniformly manages food climate labels. At the same time, a special task force will be established, and further promotion is expected before the end of this year. The Danish government believes that environmental standards must be formulated and managed uniformly by the state to avoid the emergence of various environmental labels with different standards on the market that confuse consumers and cause confusion. According to the Danish Consumer Council, 75% of Danes do not understand the climate footprint of products, but according to statistics from the Danish Food Culture Organization, about 60% of Danes hope to be able to buy

The Independent reports that the Javits Center in Manhattan, New York, once had a reputation as "New York City's leading bird killer" due to its dark, mirrored glass exterior. However, after a transformation, it has become a haven for local wildlife, boasting the second-largest energy-efficient green roof in the United States and a soon-to-open urban farm. A $40 billion renovation has transformed it into Manhattan's largest rooftop solar farm. Alan Steel, president and CEO of the Javits Center, said in an interview, "We started this irreversible transformation with the green roof. Every time we implement environmental and sustainable measures, our clients ask us to do more, so I think this is a truly beneficial development." Named after the late New York Senator Jacob Javits, the convention center is located on Manhattan's West Side Highway, overlooking the Hudson River. Annually, 2.5 million people visit for events such as Comic Con, auto shows, and travel expos. Last year, the center hosted the Sustainability Summit during New York Climate Week. Over the past decade, the Javits Center has undergone a $1.5 billion (approximately NT$44.4 billion) renovation, expanding by 18,580 square meters and adding sustainable facilities. As New York strives to achieve its goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, improving the eco-efficiency of the Javits Center is one of the city's top priorities. The Javits Center will be equipped with more than 3,000 solar panels, making it the largest rooftop solar power station in Manhattan.

Bloomberg reported that California's main power grid reached a milestone of 99.87% renewable energy last Saturday (April 30th), maintaining the record for approximately two minutes, bringing it one step closer to its goal of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2045. Much of this green electricity came from a large-scale solar farm south of Los Angeles. A historic day: California achieved nearly 100% green electricity for just two minutes. California established its goal of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2045 in 2018. Governor Gavin Newsom's budget proposal for next year also includes a roughly $2 billion investment in promoting the transition to 100% clean energy. Daniel M Kammen, an energy professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said on Twitter that California's achievement shows that "if we can reduce fossil fuel subsidies and political inertia, we can achieve 100% clean energy every day by 2030." According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees the state's power grid, this achievement broke the record of 97.58% renewable energy on the 3rd of the same month. Although the record was only maintained for 2 minutes, CAISO believes that this still shows that California is making progress towards its 100% green electricity goal. Although Denmark and South Australia have achieved 100% green electricity goals in the past, California's main power grid, which needs to supply 80% of the state's electricity needs,

The Guardian reports that a recently released report indicates that while the global capacity of coal-fired power plants under construction declined last year (2021), coal use and the number of planned coal plants worldwide remain too high to keep global warming within safe limits. Coal-fired power plant capacity under construction hits a new low, while power generation growth reaches a record high. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, coal use appeared to be on a long-term downward trend. However, after lockdowns and economic turmoil, new coal-fired power plant projects increased worldwide in 2020, particularly in China. According to a report released on the 26th by the US energy think tank Global Energy Monitor, total coal-fired power capacity under construction fell again sharply last year, by approximately 13% (from 525 GW to 457 GW), setting a new record low for plants under construction. Furthermore, the number of countries planning new coal-fired power plants has also declined, from 41 at the beginning of 2021 to 34. At the same time, the slowdown in the phasing out of old coal-fired power plants has significantly reduced the effectiveness of coal reduction. Last year, the installed capacity of coal-fired power plants retired was about 25GW, roughly equivalent to the capacity newly put into production in China. In addition, global coal-fired power generation grew by 9% last year, reaching a record high, exceeding the 4% decline at the beginning of the epidemic in 2020. Ignoring the latest warnings from the IPCC, coal-fired power plants around the world continue to operate. Although countries at the 26th United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) in November last year

The New York Times reported that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on the 7th that the increase in methane levels in the atmosphere last year was the largest since measurements began 40 years ago, exacerbating concerns about greenhouse gas releases from oil and gas operations. Methane emissions set a new record in 2021, hitting a new high for two consecutive years. Methane levels in the atmosphere are not as high as carbon dioxide, but its short-term impact on global warming is even greater than that of carbon dioxide. Large amounts of methane continue to enter the air from oil wells and pipelines, or through unintentional leaks. Other sources include livestock, landfills, and the decay of organic matter in wetlands. According to a preliminary analysis by NOAA, atmospheric methane concentrations have been steadily rising over the past 15 years or so, reaching a record high in 2021. The previous record annual increase in methane levels was set in 2020. "Our data shows that global emissions are rapidly moving in the wrong direction," said NOAA Administrator Richard W. Spinrad. "Reducing methane emissions is an important way to mitigate the impact of climate change in the short term and quickly reduce the rate of warming." Overall, carbon dioxide contributes much more to global warming. The analysis released by NOAA on the 7th showed that carbon dioxide concentrations continued to rise rapidly in 2021. In addition, over the past 10 years, the rate of increase in carbon dioxide concentrations has reached the level at which monitoring began.

Climate Home reports that the fossil fuel industry is trying to use plastic production as a last hope for survival, but the outlook may not be optimistic. As energy demand for oil and gas declines, fossil fuel companies see plastic as a "lifeline" At the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) earlier this month (March), governments reached a consensus on the scope of negotiations for a legally binding plastics treaty. The treaty is likely to reduce the production of plastics while encouraging recycling and waste reduction measures. In order to prevent climate change, the demand for oil and gas for energy will decline rapidly in the next few decades, and oil companies had hoped that the demand for plastic products could make up for this shortfall to some extent. Until recently, the website of the fossil fuel company BP stated that "the close relationship between economic development and plastic use means that the demand for oil as a plastic raw material will continue to grow over the next decade." But shortly after the signing of the plastics agreement, the article was removed and can only be viewed through the web backup tool. Krista Halttunen, a scholar at Imperial College London who studies oil company strategy, said these companies are facing an "existential crisis" as demand for energy products decreases, and they see plastics as a "lifeline"... "In a decarbonized future, this will be the business that keeps them alive." Politicians use plastics to justify oil production projects. Recently, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni

The Plastic Soup Foundation, a marine conservation organization, has published a study stating that wastewater treatment plants on the UK's east coast are releasing millions of plastic particles, polluting the North Sea and even drifting to the Dutch coast. The report warns that the plastics industry is slow to transform and that millions of plastic particles are entering the ocean. British wastewater treatment plants use black plastic particles called "bio beads" (or nurdles) to filter water, but sewage overflows and heavy rain can wash them into waterways and into the sea. The study found that wastewater treatment plants in Ipswich, Hull, and Grimsby are the most likely sources of plastic. Once plastic particles enter the sea, they can be carried by storms, wind, and tides to the coast of the Western Scheldt in southwestern Netherlands. The report warns that the plastics industry is failing to take adequate precautions to prevent the release of millions of plastic particles into the ocean. "Plastic pollution levels are reaching new highs, and relying solely on government plastic policies is not enough," said Oskar de Roos, a plastics expert at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Netherlands. "The plastics industry is moving too slowly towards a circular economy, and pollution from nanoplastic particles is the most direct consequence." Biobeads are plastic particles used to produce plastic products. They can be made from polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and other plastic materials. They can have a negative impact on ecosystems, wildlife, and the environment.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said on February 23rd that actual emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the global energy industry are 70% higher than official data, with the coal industry being the largest single source of emissions. The coal industry's methane emissions problem is serious, surpassing oil and gas. The IEA's 2022 Global Methane Tracker report points out that the world needs to strengthen monitoring and policy actions to reduce emissions of polluting gases. This is the first time that the coal industry has been recorded as having a significant methane emissions problem, surpassing other fossil fuel industries at 42 million metric tons, followed by oil and gas at 41 million metric tons and 39 million metric tons respectively. The report helps each country estimate its overall emissions for the first time and observes signs of progress in controlling methane emissions. "Methane emissions from the energy sector grew by less than 5% last year," the IEA said. "They did not return to 2019 levels and lagged slightly behind the growth in overall energy use, suggesting that some emission reduction efforts may be effective." At the 26th United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow, UK last year, more than 100 countries joined the Global Methane Pledge, led by the United States and the European Union, with the goal of reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. 40% of anthropogenic methane emissions come from the energy sector. Methane leaks exacerbate environmental problems. Methane is second only to carbon dioxide.