Sustainability ‘issue of our time’

Vulnerable countries are stepping up and taking climate action, amid a slow response from some of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday.  In a new analysis, released ahead of the COP26 climate negotiations, the agency said that 93 per cent of least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) have submitted enhanced national climate plans (NDCs), or plan to do so.  On the other hand, UNDP says, some countries in the G20 bloc of leading industrialized countries have been “dragging their feet on adhering to the core principles of the Paris Agreement to ‘ratchet up’ their climate ambition.”  The G20, meeting in Rome this weekend, is responsible for more than three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.

As the host for the COP26 this November, the UK is in the spotlight when it comes to reducing emissions. Plastic production and consumption is an important contributor to climate change, business models that are cutting back on single-use plastic offer important lessons, and inspiration, to drive an agenda that moves towards a circular economy. These are also timely inputs to the discussion on the Environment Bill, which includes several measures to tackle plastic pollution. In this blog Mariel Vilella looks at how businesses reduce their plastic waste and work towards circular economy principles. With increased public awareness about the impacts from plastic pollution, the transition towards a zero waste circular economy, where production and use of single-use disposable products is limited to the bare minimum, is ongoing and growing.

Finnish startup Betolar is a new materials startup specialised in new geopolymer based carbon neutral construction materials for the construction industry and circular economy.The company has just announced closing a €2 million funding round, led by Voima Ventures, and joined by Taaleri Sijoitus …