3 takeaways from the California, Mexico climate agreement
Cooperation between California and Mexico was made official this week at a 4-day trade event Governor Jerry Brown attended in Mexico City. Climate tasks were described as surprising and hopeful and culminated into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) similar to the one California signed with China last year. Key Takeaways:
1. Combating climate change is sound economic policy
2. Carbon pricing continues to gain traction
3. A new model for cooperation
Nat Keohance via Grist.
Food and drink sector cut water use by 16% in 2013
Signatories to a water reduction initiative launched by UK- based Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in partnership with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reduced their water use by nearly 16% between 2007 and 2013 – equivalent to 6.1 million m3 water or 2, 430 Olympic-size swimming pools, saving the industry £2 million. The initiative, involving 70 signatories including Kellogg’s, Birds Eye, Heinz and Arla Foods, have managed to reduce their water across 284 active sites. Sustainability in the food and drink sector received a major boost lately when food giant General Mills became the first corporation of its size to publicly commit to tackling climate change across its operations and supply chain. Great example of the power of industry organizations to tackle sustainability issues that threaten operations of companies in that specific industry. By Ilaria Bertini on Blue & Green Tomorrow.
World Bank Faces Push back Over Leaked Safeguards
World Bank plans to update their safeguards or organizational standards to ensure projects that they finance support sustainable development were leaked, and are under criticism. Although the World Bank conducts valuable projects, data collection, and reports to address climate change all over the world and leader said 2014 should be the year of climate change, the safeguards are considered not sufficient. Spokesperson from watch-dog “nowhere lays out what governments have to do to assess if their projects will exacerbate climate change or how climate change will affect the viability of their projects.” Additionally, lack of attention to indigenous groups has been pointed out as well. Proposal of safeguards will not be reviewed and refine so let’s see if feedback is incorporated at the official publication. Kate Sheppard on Huffington Post Green.
And 3 exciting climate change announcements were made by the White House. If you haven’t seen our summary post click here.
The Sustainability Co-Op 