First Sustainable Development Goal

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing on Tuesday heard leaders from across the battery spectrum call for U.S. action on the growing demand for advanced batteries to power the transportation technologies of the future.  The hearing witnesses also outlined measures that can help ensure the sustainable economic growth of an American battery-powered future, including conservation of limited resources and advanced battery recycling.
Adam Muellerweiss, President of the Responsible Battery Coalition and Chief Sustainability Officer of Clarios, stressed in his written and verbal testimony the need to “create a sustainable, domestic battery economy to decrease emissions, reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains, and increase manufacturing in the United States,” and urged Congress to embrace a lifecycle approach that creates opportunities for domestic job creation.
He also shared important details about the Responsible Battery Coalition’s development of ‘Green Principles,’ an effort to help guide environmentally responsible EV battery manufacturing, use and end-of-life management through its research partnership with University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability.

The introduction of congestion charges in cities can act as encouragement for motorists to opt for smaller, more efficient cars, a study has concluded.
Experts from Washington State University found that drivers who often encounter traffic jams are drawn to larger cars, which they see as safer and more comfortable.
However, modelling suggests that congestion charges can reverse this effect — freeing up drivers to feel comfortable buying more fuel efficient vehicles.

We have a complicated relationship with resources and materials. We continue to extract, to create, use and—overwhelmingly—waste. This not only creates a mammoth amount of human-made items in our natural world, but it leaks greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Billions of tonnes of them. It’s not all bad news though: this article considers how we can break free of our toxic relationship and reevaluate the values that have exacerbated our warming climate. Here, the findings of the Circularity Gap Report 2021 show us what is possible and within reach.