Currently, countries worldwide recognize the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the main culprit of global warming, and emerging carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies can be seen as a viable path to reduction. The Financial Times reports that EU member states have agreed to an investment plan for CCS technology, with an estimated €10 billion in public funds expected to be allocated. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will oversee the use of funds for the CCS program. The EU plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2020, and is willing to raise its reduction target to 30%, assuming other countries can set similar targets. Furthermore, the EU expects renewable energy to account for 20% of electricity generation by 2020. ABI Research, an emerging technology research firm, pointed out on January 4th that, according to its Global Carbon Market Outlook report, the global carbon emissions trading market will reach $395 billion in 2014, more than three times the $118 billion in 2008. Note: CCS technology is a technique used to capture and store carbon dioxide from emission-intensive industries such as coal-fired and gas-fired power plants. It involves capturing carbon from fossil fuels as carbon dioxide and storing it long-term in rock formations, such as oil or gas fields. The entire technology includes three stages: capture, transport, and storage. According to a survey by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),

The United Nations confirmed yesterday that greenhouse gas reduction plans from 55 developed and developing countries were submitted to the Copenhagen Accord record by the January 31 deadline. UN officials pointed out that approximately 78% of countries have now completed their greenhouse gas reduction plans. These countries are also the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, including the United States, China, India, the European Union, Japan, Brazil, and South Africa. These countries also made emission reduction commitments under the Copenhagen Accord. Major greenhouse gas emitters have also joined the climate change action plan for developing countries, including Ethiopia, the Maldives, and Singapore. Their greenhouse gas emission targets and action plans presented at the Copenhagen Climate Conference surprised many. For example, the United States pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels; China pledged to reduce its emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 2005 levels. According to the report, two major emitters—Mexico and Russia—failed to reach a reduction agreement by the deadline. However, the UN has stated that the deadline is intended as a "soft deadline," and Russia's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% to 25% from 1990 levels by 2020 has also been formally documented today. Other countries are expected to submit further reduction plans in the coming weeks. UN officials say this is the first time large emerging economies such as China and India have made written commitments.

The Hong Kong government launched a three-month public consultation today on its Producer Responsibility Scheme for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau stated that Hong Kong generates approximately 70,000 tons of used electrical appliances annually, which cannot all be disposed of in landfills in the long run. Therefore, solutions for this type of waste must be found, such as establishing central processing facilities. The consultation document indicates that a government survey on processing fees showed that half of the respondents considered a fee lower than 2.5% of the retail price of the appliance reasonable; a quarter considered a fee between 2.5% and 5% acceptable. The government aims to recover costs, and the scheme covers five categories of electronic products: refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, televisions, and computers. Referring to international experience, the government suggests different fees based on product size, with small appliances costing around HK$100 and large appliances costing HK$200 to HK$250. The government's proposed fee models include charging importers and distributors at the time of sale, with the fees being fully or partially recovered by consumers; another model is to charge consumers directly. The authorities also plan to hire contractors through open tender to handle the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), prohibit the disposal of WEEE in landfills, and propose mandating that retailers offer free recycling services in exchange for new ones, in order to achieve environmental protection goals. – Reference source: Central News Agency, 2010-01-18

Following official reports warning of a potential resurgence in carbon emissions this year, pressure on the US government to pass legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions continues to rise. A recent Short-Term Energy Outlook report from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicates that economic recovery means carbon emissions will surpass the records of the past two years, making it more difficult for the US to achieve its goal of reducing total carbon emissions to 83% of the 2005 baseline by 2020. The report, which includes monthly carbon emission forecasts, found that the US carbon reduction last year was 6.1%, lower than the expected 11% reduction. The report points out that the economic downturn has impacted industrial energy demand, and changes in electricity usage are one of the main reasons for the reduction in carbon emissions. However, the report anticipates that the economic recovery will result in a 1.5% growth rate in carbon emissions this year. (Source: Environmental Expert, January 14, 2010 - Translated by the Plastics Industry Technology Development Center - For reference only, please refer to the original text.)

The United States needs to reconsider its biofuel policy because the current biofuel incentive program achieves only minor environmental benefits while severely impacting taxpayers' incomes. A recent research report from Rice University indicates that in 2008, the US government spent $4 billion on biofuel subsidies, but the effect was only to replace 2% of gasoline supply. The report estimates that US taxpayers had to pay an average of about $82 for biofuel, equivalent to a barrel of high-priced gasoline, making it uneconomical in terms of cost. The report also warns that bioethanol, as a supplementary industrial product, has many negative environmental impacts, particularly on ecosystems and fishing activities along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast. Furthermore, it reinforces previous findings that bioethanol has a minimal impact on greenhouse gas emissions. The report states that, under scientific validation, the climate benefits of US-made bioethanol are inconsistent and should not be compared to the greenhouse gas emissions from traditional gasoline combustion. (Source: En)

Leading EU multinational corporations, including Shell, Tesco, and Vodafone, today called on the EU to revise its 2020 carbon reduction target to 30% of 1990 levels. EU member states are preparing to formally submit the 2020 greenhouse gas emissions targets agreed upon at the Copenhagen conference. While the UK, France, and other developed countries have unilaterally set targets of 20% reduction in carbon emissions, the EU is attempting to lobby for an increase to 30% by 2020. An open letter from the Prince of Wales Business Leaders on Climate Change to European Commission President Barroso expressed support for the EU's position and hinted at their support for the 30% reduction target. The organization's leaders are from Europe's largest companies, including Deutsche Telekom, Philips, and Unilever. The letter states that raising the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to 30% by 2020 would be crucial for the rapid development of a low-carbon economy. It also argues that although a binding treaty on climate change was not reached at the Copenhagen Conference, an agreement remains crucial for economic interests and development. The EU's climate change strategy is entirely based on a binding international treaty that enables the global carbon market to offer competitive carbon trading prices. The letter points out that even if the EU does not continue to play a leading role, and the US, China, and other major emerging economies have already made significant progress...

The Official Journal of the European Union published new regulations on December 22, 2009, revising existing regulations governing the marketing of cosmetics. The new Regulation 1223/2009 replaced European Commission Directive 76/768/EEC, which governed cosmetics. This directive had been amended 55 times, and the European Court of Justice had issued several rulings on its interpretation. The new regulation is a universal code applicable to all member states, aiming to simplify regulatory procedures and related terminology, and reduce ambiguity arising from the separate implementation of the original directive in the 27 member states. Regulation 1223/2009 applies only to cosmetics; medical or biological pesticide products are not subject to its regulation. According to this regulation, "cosmetics" refers to any substance or mixture used on the external parts of the human body for cleansing, altering appearance, or protection, including cosmetic products, soaps, bath preparations (bath salts, bath foams, bath oils, and bath gels), perfumes, depilatories, deodorants, hair care products (shampoos, volumizing powders, hair conditioners, hair creams, and hair styling products), creams, lotions, face masks, primers, shaving products, lipsticks, and toothpaste. One of the goals of the new regulation is to ensure the safety of cosmetics, therefore, it places great emphasis on product traceability. The new regulation stipulates that cosmetics must designate a legal or natural person within the EU as the responsible party before they can be marketed. The new regulation clearly defines the responsibilities and obligations of the responsible party, the responsibilities and obligations of the distributor, and the distributor's role in the supply chain, and clearly explains and expands the scope of the responsible party's duties, and stipulates that from the last batch number...

The European Union is committed to enhancing the status of eco-labeling. The European Commission recently expanded the scope of eco-labeling to include textile flooring. The Official Journal of the European Union published Resolution 2009/967/EC on December 17, 2009, which included eco-labeling regulations. Textile flooring products must meet these regulations to be awarded an eco-label. Eco-labeling is voluntary; products must meet certain environmental criteria to be labeled. To date, the EU has established standards for many categories of products and services, including textiles similar to textile flooring and self-assembly products such as hardwood flooring. Textile flooring regulated by the Commission's resolution is mostly woven, knitted, and tufted fabric, typically attached to a floor using nails or adhesives. Carpets and mats not fixed to a floor, wall coverings, and outdoor textile flooring are not included in the regulations. Each candidate product must meet all award criteria to be awarded an eco-label. The environmental criteria set forth in the new resolution will expire in December 2013. The main purposes of establishing environmental guidelines include: These guidelines are based on multiple studies and cover the environmental impact of products and services throughout their entire lifecycle, including raw material extraction, flooring manufacturing, distribution, and disposal. This floral eco-label, affixed to product packaging, is designed for easy consumer identification. Because the eco-labeling criteria are independently developed by EU authorities after consulting with experts, without the involvement of product retailers, they are trustworthy. Furthermore, products bearing eco-labels can be promoted within the European Economic Area, helping to enhance manufacturers' [recognition/recognition].

Officials from the UK Office for Climate Change's carbon trading delegation, who visited China on January 25, stated that UK carbon trading companies value the Chinese carbon market and are willing to share their experience with Chinese partners. Besides continuing to seek new Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, the UK is also optimistic about new carbon trading possibilities, such as reducing carbon emissions in Chinese industries. Tom Bouwens, Deputy Director of the UK Office for Climate Change, said on January 26: "China is the world's largest seller of CDM carbon credits, and the UK is the world's largest buyer. There are many opportunities in China, which is why the UK wants to strengthen ties with China." Senior executives from more than 10 UK carbon trading companies, including Ecobridge and Climate Change Assets Group, participated in the trip to China. From January 25 to 29, they will hold discussions with Chinese representatives in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, covering topics such as the development of Chinese CDM projects, financing for reducing carbon emissions, and carbon trading financial derivatives. The UK is a global leader in carbon trading experience. The UK established the world's first national greenhouse gas trading mechanism in 2002. When the EU-ETS, currently the world's largest carbon trading mechanism, was established, the UK had already been operating for three years. Many carbon trading companies have chosen London as their headquarters. China has initially established a three-way balance in its carbon trading market. This includes the Beijing Environment Exchange, the Tianjin Emissions Exchange, and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange. Among them, the Tianjin Emissions Exchange has already begun trading sulfur dioxide emissions, while the Beijing Environment Exchange has initiated voluntary carbon emission reduction programs for enterprises.

 The European Union established its ecolabel system in 1992 and amended it in 2000. Regulation EC 1980/2000, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, expanded the product scope to include all consumer products (excluding food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals) and services. The EU ecolabel's evaluation standards are drafted by the European Environment Labelling Authority (EUEB) and approved by the European Commission. EUEB members include ecolabeling bodies from member states, environmental NGOs, consumer associations, business associations, and representatives of SMEs.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced a new strategy on February 3 to revitalize U.S. biofuel production, vowing never to allow countries like China to outpace the U.S. in building a clean energy economy. Obama stated that increasing renewable energy production, bringing biofuel output to 36 billion gallons by 2022, would reduce U.S. dependence on oil by at least 328 million barrels annually and decrease annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than 138 million metric tons. U.S. biofuel production last year was 11.1 billion gallons. Speaking to Republican and Democratic governors at the White House, Obama said, "It's important that I believe the United States can take the lead in building a clean energy economy, but we must first overcome our own political pressures." Obama also announced the formation of an interagency task force to jointly develop carbon capture technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants and assist in the development of cleaner coal energy. He pointed out, "If we can develop the technology to capture the carbon pollution from coal emissions, we can create jobs and provide energy for the future." – Reference source: Lianhe Wanbao, February 4, 2010

Sixty international companies, including large corporations, began piloting two methods this year for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from products and supply chains. These two methods and standards are named "Product Life Cycle Standard" and "ISO 14067," respectively. ISO 14067, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), is expected to be finalized in March 2011; the Product Life Cycle Standard was published in December 2010. Both methods are primarily based on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Agreement, a ten-year collaboration between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Initially, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Agreement provides international organizations with tools to understand, quantify, and measure greenhouse gas emissions and electricity consumption. However, the two methods to be adopted will more comprehensively cover corporate carbon emissions: the Product Life Cycle Reporting Standard and the Product Supply Chain Reporting Standard. WBCSD President Bjorn Stigson stated that the new methods will help companies calculate their carbon footprint more precisely. He noted that "a more comprehensive approach to measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions allows businesses and policymakers to focus more on reducing carbon emissions across the value chain, while also enabling companies to produce more reliable products." These 60 international companies were selected from 120 applicants, including Airbus.

On February 22, 2010, Piyasvasti Amranand, President of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, announced that Thai Airways became the world's first airline to computerize the carbon footprint of its in-flight meals. Starting in 2010, Thai Airways will display the carbon footprint information of two signature dishes on its in-flight menus for passengers' reference. These two signature dishes and their carbon footprints are: Thai Red Curry Chicken with Thai Jasmine Rice (13.6 kg CO2 e per 250g serving) and Green Curry Chicken with Thai Jasmine Rice (13.9 kg CO2 e per 250g serving). The carbon footprint information will help passengers consider greenhouse gas emissions when ordering meals. Thai Airways' meal carbon footprint is part of the "Thailand Product Carbon Footprint Technology Cooperation Project," a joint initiative between the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) and the National Metal and Materials Technology Centre (MTEC). this

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with its 1.3 billion mu (approximately 120 million hectares) of grassland, should prioritize the carbon sequestration value of its grasslands and develop a carbon sequestration economy through its grassland industry. It is estimated that one mu (approximately 0.067 hectares) of natural grassland has a carbon sequestration capacity of 0.1 tons, equivalent to a reduction of 0.46 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Inner Mongolia's 1.3 billion mu of grassland is equivalent to a reduction of 600 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In 1997, representatives from 180 countries and regions signed the Kyoto Protocol in Japan, which allowed the free trading of greenhouse gas emission allowances between enterprises and countries, thus giving rise to global emissions trading. Dong Hengyu, Vice Chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region CPPCC, stated that grassland carbon trading in Inner Mongolia is a valuable resource no less important than forest carbon trading, possessing significant ecological and economic value. Policies for grassland protection and development should be effectively implemented to fully leverage the demonstrative role of Inner Mongolia's vast grasslands in ecological protection and mitigating climate change. Jin Zhuang, a professor in the Department of Finance at Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, explained that grassland plants absorb and fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. He believes that grassland ecosystems are crucial for mitigating global climate change and are also important carbon sequestration resources. In today's world, where the low-carbon economy is receiving increasing attention, strengthening and leveraging the carbon sink function of grasslands, and increasing the carbon energy of grassland ecosystems by improving grassland management standards, is a low-cost approach to carbon reduction. – Reference source: UNCTAD, 2010-02-25 – Consortium