One Planet Summit Highlights the EU's Climate Leadership

As evidenced by the recent One Planet Summit, the EU and its member states are leading climate action. In the EU, governments, businesses and investors are all engaged in hopeful efforts and initiatives designed to combat climate change.

On the anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate agreement on December 12, French President Macron convened a summit to encourage private and public financing for the implementation of the Paris agreement. The One Planet Summit was attended by governments, corporations and other organizations. At this event the European Union announced that it would invest at least €9 billion (US$10 billion) on clean energy, sustainable cities and agriculture. Even Theresa May, the less than green-minded prime minister of the UK, acknowledged the need for wealthy nations to help the developing world. She pledged to contribute £140 million to help poorer countries manage climate change.

European nations are also working towards the goal of eradicating emissions. Germany is already a climate leader and that nation has announced that it will slash its greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 95 percent by 2050. France has emerged as the global climate leader. The country in engaged in serious emission reduction efforts through the adoption of a host of forward looking initiatives.

The EU and its member states are leading producers of renewable energy. engaged in consorted efforts to reduce emissions, ratchet-up climate finance, move away from fossil fuels, grow the green economy, and invest in agricultural adaptation.

The EU's efforts are all the more important in the face of the fiasco that is the Trump administration. Trump has eviscerated the US government's climate action plan. Trump announced that he is withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Climate agreement.

The US is now the only nation on Earth that has will not honor to their emissions reduction pledges. In the face of an historically irresponsible US government the EU is leading nations, organizations and individuals who are committed to the goals of the Paris Accord.

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France Shows Trump What Climate Leadership Looks Like

France is leading climate action. The host nation for the signing of the historic Paris Agreement has repeatedly refuted Trump's climate denial while adopting a raft of measures as part of an ambitious national climate plan.  It is fair to say that with its support of science, climate focused political agenda, and progressive climate plan France is one of the most sustainable countries in the world.  French efforts have been ongoing for years and include everything from mandatory sustainability reporting to the problem of food waste. In May France announced that it was moving forward with 17 GW of clean energy investments. These are just some of the reason France has emerged as a global climate leader.


Science

The US under Donald Trump is the only nation in the world that is not signed on to the Paris Climate Agreement. In reponse to Trump's contempt for climate science, France awarded "Make Our Planet Great Again" grants to 18 researchers including 13 US climate scientists. The research grants will extend throughout the remainder of Trump's term (assuming he is able to avoid impeachment). The laureates include professors and researchers from Cornell University, Columbia University, and Stanford University.

Following Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Accord in June French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would cover the US share of funding for a U.N. climate change panel. When Macron and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger met in July they made fun of Trump's climate denial. "Now we will deliver together to make the planet great again," Macron said.

He also sent out an invitation to US climate scientists saying:

"To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs who were disappointed by the decision of the President of the United States I want to say that they will find in France a second homeland. I call them to come and work here, with us on concrete solutions for our climate and our environment. I can assure you that France will not give up the fight".

Macron awarded 3-5 year long climate research grants worth between €1 - €1.5 million. The grants cover research for climate modeling as well as well as the technological and social challenges associated with transitioning away from fossil fuels. At the beginning of 2018, France is teaming up with Germany to provide €60 million worth of grants to 50 projects.

Macron said during the ceremony: “We will be there to replace US financing of climate research. If we want to prepare for the changes of tomorrow, we need science”.

As reported by the Star one of the awardees lamented the "devaluing of science by this administration" These remarks came from Louis Derry, a leading professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Cornell, who also said that he is happy to be free of the "crazy stuff that goes on in Congress and with the current administration".

Another grant recipient is Núria Teixidó Ullod, a visiting scientist at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. Her research revealed the relationship between fossil fuels and drought. Another recipient of the French grant is Alessandra Giannini. Giannini is a Research Scientist at Columbia University. Giannini is well known for having conducted research that makes a causal connection between global warming and drought.

Trump is pleased to see these people go because their research flatly contradicts his climate denying narrative.

Politics

Macron has made it clear that climate action will continue regardless of what the ruling US administration does. After it has become clear that the US president has no interest in listening to reason, The French president seems to have decided that Trump is not relevant. Macron is part of a growing chorus that sees Trump as irrelevant. To make the point Trump was not invited to the climate-focused UN and World Bank's "One Planet Summit," that took place one day after the Macron's grant award ceremony.

France must also be acknowledged for having stemmed the tide of right-wing populism. In the wake of Trump's electoral victory, some were concerned that similar dystopia creating governments would pop up all across Europe.

Many are saying that France's rejection of the far right in recent elections killed the momentum that threatened all of Europe. Germans followed the French lead reelected Angela Merkle. Europeans seem to be rejecting the politics of Trump (and UK Prime Minister Theresa May), instead they are embracing progressive centrist forms of government. The importance of France in this respect cannot be overstated. France is a bulwark against the cancerous nationalism that is presently dividing Americans.

The fossil fuel industry pays the Repubublicans handsomely to deny climate science and the recent tax bill is an homage to that relationship. It would appear that Trump and the GOP are using nationalism to mask a plutocracy.

Although Macron's government is decidedly pro-capitalism, they are also anti-corruption. The Trump administration by contrast is the most corrupt administration in Amercian history. 

Economy

France is a model for Republicans who purport to be concerned about the economy and claim to be pro-business. Since 2015 the French economy has been steadily growing. Entrepreneurs seem to be thriving in the country and this has pushed France ahead of the rest of Europe in startup fundraising.Macron acknowledges the importance of climate consideration as both a health concern and an economic issue. This is evident in their appraisal of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. In October France announced that they would only ratify the trade deal it will not affect the nation's climate policies and regulations.

France has seen tremendous economic returns from their investments in clean energy.  First with nuclear and increasingly with renewables France is a clean energy titan. France is currently a low carbon energy leader getting more than 75 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. It produces so much energy, in fact, that it exports much of it to nearby nations to the annual tune of $3.2 billion.

"France wants to become the No. 1 green economy." This is part of France's ambitious climate plan. After the announcement Shares of French automaker, PSA Group rose 2.4 percent and Renault SA gained 1.9 percent, making them the day’s best performers on the Bloomberg 500 Autos Index.

Climate plan

In July French Ecological Transition Minister Nicolas Hulot unveiled details of a national climate plan to help France eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050.  Macron's predecessor President Francois Hollande, strongly supported renewable energy and he made bold strides towards ramping up capacity.  Holland announced that France will close all of the nation's coal-fired power plants by 2022.

Macron is continuing Holland's agenda by ramping up renewables and encouraging homeowners to produce their own energy. Last summer Macron announced that he is planning a massive home renovation retrofit program that will reduce energy consumption and cut CO2 emissions.

France is embracing renewables are abandoning fossil fuels. This includes an initiative to end the sale of fossil fuel powered cars by 2040. Hulot said that the government will stop issuing licenses for oil and gas exploration on French territory. "There will be no new exploration licenses for hydrocarbons," Hulot told BFMTV. Hulot has previously indicated that France will offer tax incentives to help get fossil fuel powered vehicles--especially older vehicles--off of the road. Hulot has also expressed an interest in raising diesel taxes.

On the issue of climate change Trump is like Macron's polar opposite just as Scott Pruitt is Huot's evil antithesis. Trump and Pruitt are eroding support for renewables and smoothing the path for more fossil fuel development.  The contrast between the climate focus of Macron's government and the rampant denial in the Trump administration could not be starker. The two governments have diametrically opposed climate narratives. While Macron is charting a course into the future, Trump is reaching back to the darkness that got us here.

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Apple's Earth Day Leadership in 2017

Leading corporations are helping to show the way forward this Earth Day and no company has come further in recent years than Apple. 

They were slow off the mark but since Tim Cook took over as CEO in 2011 and hired former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson in 2013 Apple has made amazing progress. Jackson is Apple's VP of environment, policy, and social initiatives. In the last four years Apple has significantly improved their environmental sustainability performance while ameliorating working conditions and transparency.

In 2017 Apple led the Greenpeace Tech Company Rankings and strengthened its competitive advantage by showing leadership in recycling, clean energy, emissions reduction, waste management and water stewardship.

Standing up to Trump

Despite the anti-environmental orientation of Trump and Republicans, Apple continues to honor and improve on the climate pledges it made under President Obama. In the US Apple has been building giant solar power plants near its data centers and offices in North Carolina, Nevada and California. Jackson is letting the Trump administration know where Apple stands. "One thing this administration has made clear is that they want to hear from business and so we’re going to do everything we can to make our values known," Jackson said. 

There are lots of good reasons why businesses are combating climate change. Apple is one of several companies that are resisting Trump and rejecting his false narrative that regulations are bad for business.

Recycling

Apple is a recycling leader. Just in time for Earth Day Apple vowed to add to their efforts by ending mining and using only recycled materials. This commitment is motivated by environmental concerns and to mitigate against risks associated with supply chain shortages. Apple is acknowledging the impact that electronics manufacturing is having on the planet. Rather than mine the earth for rare minerals and metals Apple plans to use only recycled materials for its products. "Climate change is undeniable," the company said in a recent report. "Earth's resources won't last forever. And technology must be safe for people to make and use. We don't question these realities -- we challenge ourselves to ask what we can do about them in every part of our business."

Apple makes the point that bold commitments are required even if the details have yet to be ironed out. Although the specific supply chains have yet to be identified there are sufficient raw materials in the billions of discarded phones and other recyclable electronics.

"We're actually doing something we rarely do, which is announce a goal before we've completely figured out how to do it," Jackson told Vice. "So we're a little nervous, but we also think it's really important, because as a sector we believe it's where technology should be going."

Being a little nervous means they are pushing the envelope of the possible and that is precisely the kind of effort we need to see from the corporate world.

"We are committing as a company to not necessarily having to source from the earth for everything that we need," Jackson said.

Given the rising rates of cell phone use and the low recycling rates (approximately 16 percent in 2014) Apple sees an opportunity and is prepared to lead the industry in the area of using recycled materials. 

Renewable Energy

Apple is among several companies that have taken the "100% Renewables" pledge. Apple relies on renewables in 24 countries accounting for 96 percent of its energy usage. Apple has also encouraged their suppliers to do use renewable sources of power. “We look at our carbon footprint as so much more than just our office, our data centers, our stores – even our distribution centers,” Jackson said. “All that’s included in our 96 percent, but now we’re moving on to our supply chain.”

In April, Environmental Leader reported three more suppliers (Compal Electronics, Sunwoda Electronics and Biel Crystal Manufactory) have committed to using renewable energy to manufacture Apple components. There are now a total of seven Apple suppliers who have taken the 100 percent renewables pledge.

Apple and its suppliers expect to generate over 2.5 billion kWh annually of clean energy by the end of 2018. Apple is also getting ready to add clean power to the grid. In June 2016 Apple applied for a federal license to sell any excess solar electricity.

Emissions reduction

Apple has adopted science-based emissions reduction targets and they are also working to reduce supply chain emissions by increasing suppliers’ renewable energy use. In the first year of the company’s energy efficiency program, suppliers at 13 sites prevented more than 13,800 metric tons of carbon emissions through replacing outdated or inefficient heating, cooling, and lighting systems, repairing compressed air leaks, and recovering and redirecting waste heat.

In 2016, Apple tripled the number of supplier sites participating in its energy efficiency program. Through this effort Apple suppliers have reduced their carbon emissions by 150,000 metric tons. Apple’s 2017 Supplier Responsibility progress report indicates that the adoption of renewables by several large suppliers will reduce carbon emissions by 7,000,000 metric tons per year by the end of 2018.

Waste management

In 2015 Apple suppliers diverted more than 73,000 metric tons of waste from landfills in 2016, the company’s suppliers diverted more than 200,000 metric tons of waste from landfills. As reported by Environmental Leader (EL) in March, Apple’s 2017 Supplier Responsibility progress report indicates that the company’s suppliers had for the first time achieved 100 percent UL Zero Waste to Landfill validation for all final assembly sites in China.

The average environment assessment score across Apple’s 705 supply chain assessments in 2016 was 87 out of 100.

Apple worked with Tech-Com final assembly supplier in Shanghai and the local recycling facility to develop a better process for separating and recycling industrial waste and managing food waste. This enabled Tech-Com to recycle 100 percent of its manufacturing and composting its food waste. Since 2015, Tech-Com has diverted more than 10,000 metric tons of waste from landfills. Apple supplier Foxconn Zhengzhou recycling efforts succeeded in diverting 40 percent of landfill-bound waste and much of the remaining waste went to waste-to-energy facilities. In early 2016 Foxconn Zhengzhou was already 96 percent landfill-free and by the end of the year they had achieved their goal of being 100 percent landfill free.

Hazardous materials

Last year 100 percent of process chemicals at all final assembly facilities were free of “Apple-prohibited substances”. Apple has identified a list of hazardous chemicals in their Regulated Substances Specification list. Apple has prohibited or limited the use of these chemicals in their manufacturing processes. The company is now working with its suppliers to identify and eliminate the use of these chemicals at its non-final assembly facilities.

Water stewardship

Apple’s 2017 Supplier Responsibility progress report also highlights efforts to improve water management. Apple’s Clean Water Program, which focuses on using less freshwater in suppliers’ processes and increasing the reuse and recycling of treated wastewater, saved more than 3.8 billion gallons of freshwater in 2016. This represents a 35 percent average reuse rate across 86 sites. Since 2013, Apple’s water management program has saved more than 8 billion gallons of freshwater, Apple says.

Competitiveness

Apple’s sustainability efforts are a model that others should follow. These efforts are not just good for the planet they are benefiting the bottom line and reducing risks by becoming more resistant to threats. As reported by environmental leader, Apple Foxcoon Zhengzhou recyclingApple’s latest supply chain audit report shows its push for more rigorous environmental standards and renewable energy production across its supply chain is working.

"We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far," writes Apple COO Jeff Williams, in a letter at the beginning of the supplier responsibility report. "Yet even as you read this, Apple continues to address challenges throughout the supply chain. We are openly working with industry partners, governments, NGOs, and others who share our vision of improving lives and caring for the environment."

As explained in the EL article, "other companies should take note, and look for ways they can improve their supply chain sustainability to stay competitive." Leading companies can take a page from Apple’s playbook and continue pursing environmental sustainability goals across the supply chain.

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Apple Leads Greenpeace Tech Company Rankings

For the third year in a row Apple is at the top of Greenpeace's environmental rankings for tech companies in 2017.  Apple led platform operators with a score of 83 percent on Greenpeace’s Clean Energy Index. Facebook came in second with a score of  and Google 67 percent and Google came in third with 56 percent.

Apple's final grade was an A for energy transparency, renewable energy commitment, energy efficiency and mitigation, and renewable procurement. The company received a B for advocacy. Google got all A's except for a B in the transparency category, however as noted above they did not fare well in the clean energy component.

These rankings assess the energy footprints of large data center operators. They appeared in a Greenpeace USA report titled, "Clicking Clean: Who is Winning the Race to Build a Green Internet?" This is the eighth annual ranking of tech companies conducted by Greenpeace that is released early in the new year. This report was released on January 10, 2017.

Apple has evolved into one of the most environmentally progressive companies in the world. They have some very ambitious plans for the near future. They will soon move into their Apple Campus 2. When it opens it will be powered by almost three quarters of a million square feed of solar panels.

As stated in the report, Apple has "played a catalytic role within its IT supply chain, pushing other IT data center and cloud operators who help deliver pieces of Apple’s corner of the internet to follow their lead in powering their operations with renewable energy."

There was a new winner this year in the colocation and content delivery network company category. Las Vegas based Switch develops data centers and is involved with the telecommunication, cloud, and colocation services. They appear on the list for the first time due to the fact that they are already entirely powered by renewable energy. Switch was given all A’s and 100 percent on the clean energy index.

As part of the RE100 pledge Apple, Facebook and Google are all converting to clean energy. All three tech giants have all pledged to power their operations with 100 percent renewables.  Growth at both Apple and Google is powered by clean energy.

According to the report information technology companies are increasingly relying on renewables. The IT industry is an energy hog so the more it relies on renewable energy the less it will have to draw from a (fossil fuel) powered grid.

This trend towards clean energy is all the more important in light of the fact that streaming is projected to significantly increase power consumption in the sector. The IT industry currently consumes more than 7 percent of global electricity and it is expected to grow exponentially in the future.

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Apple's Apps for Earth Initiative Raised Awareness and Funds for WWF

Apps are big business and a partnership between Apple and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) funneled some of these revenues to ecological causes.  Given the number of apps and the volume of demand  using apps to generate revenues for the environment is a boon. As of June 2016 there are approximately 2.2 million apps available and 2 million in the Apple App Store. In 2015, global mobile app revenues amounted to $41.1 billion. In 2020, consumers are projected to spend over $101 billion on mobile apps via app stores.

This spring an initiative called Apps for Earth, saw 100 percent of revenues from 27 apps at the Apple Store go to WWF over a ten day period that ended on April 24th. This campaign not only raised awareness it generated more than $8 million to support hte WWF’s conservation work.

As Lisa Jackson, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency and now an Apple executive, explained in a Washington Post interview:

"This is really our first big step into engaging customers in our mission."

This is not the first time these two organizations have collaborated. In 2015 Apple partnered with WWF to launch a multi-year partnership to protect a million acres of responsibly managed forest across China.

Apple has also engaged in a number of eco-initiatives in house. Apple has supported the US Clean Power Plan and the company responded to the White House's request to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their supply of renewable energy.  Apple's green efforts are more than a marketing ploy, these efforts have contributed to their bottom line.


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Extracting Value from Recycling - Apple's e-waste Management (Video)

Apple has mined a small fortune from its own waste in both dollars and social capital. While Apple has only recently become a sustainability leader, they have been focused on recycling for many years dating back to the time when Steve Jobs was still at the helm. The problem of waste is increasingly serious but Apple is ahead of the curve and leading the way forward.

The volume of waste keeps increasing while many landfills are rapidly nearing capacity. Smart businesses need to follow Apple's lead as we anticipate a more stringent regulatory regimes in the form of Extended Provider Responsibility regulations.

Recycling has come a long way and it is destined to undergo a lot more changes, particularly with regard to e-waste in the years to come. In 2013 620 million pounds of consumer electronics were recycled in the US setting a new record. Apple is not alone in its recycling efforts, cell phone manufacturers are working on reducing waste. Verizon has already collected more than 2 million pound of e-waste and the company plans to collect another 2 million pounds of e-waste by 2020. Dating back several years we have seen e-waste recycling efforts from Samsung, Sprint, LG, AT&T, and others. Recycling is now a business imperative and led by Apple, Verizon and others 2016 may stand out as a year in which recycling comes into its own.

As reviewed in a Triple Pundit article, Best Buys e-waste take back is excellent customer service. As explained by Manufacturing.Net:

"Creating a closed loop with consumers is an excellent way to drive business growth, delight customers and make significant progress towards lowering a company’s carbon footprint."

Recycling not only benefits the environment and the economy it can create millions of jobs. It can also create new revenue streams. According to an IBISWorld report, revenue for the cell phone recycling industry is estimated to increase until 2019.

Smart companies are analyzing their waste data and collaborating with stakeholders to assume greater control of the waste management process. Examples of recycling collaboration in the electronic industry are EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Electronics Challenge and the R2 Responsible Recycling Leader Program. In 2014 EClaim Recovery Specialists created a new revenue sharing program with businesses that generate large amounts of electronic waste from electronics, computers and networking equipment.

Companies are beginning to appreciate that it makes no sense to pay a third party to remove waste that has value. Waste is big business, more than $100 billion are generated each year by the US scrap metal industry alone.

Most electronics devices still end up in landfills at their end of life making e-waste recycling a huge largely untapped opportunity. While there are a wide variety of items that can be recycled, there is no greater or more urgent opportunity than the one afforded by e-waste. The e-waste from up to 1 billion computers will need to be recycled by 2020. In 2014 there were 1.8 billion new cell phones and only 3 percent were recycled. Last year we generated roughly 42 metric tons of e-waste worth about $52 billion. Only one-sixth of e-waste is currently diverted for proper recycling and reuse. According to StEP, by 2017 the volume of e-waste is estimated to reach almost 66 metric tons.

E-waste has value in the form of iron, copper, gold, silver, aluminum and other resources. An average mobile phone contains about 300 mg of silver and 30 mg of gold. When added up across all phones to be sold the two metals alone are worth billions. However the value lies in separating valuable metals, plastic and glass from toxic materials like leaded glass, batteries, mercury, cadmium and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Apple proves that while sustainability is good for people and the environment, it also benefits their brand and the bottom line. Apple is generating significant revenues from its recycling efforts.

As reported by Environmental Leader, Apple diverts massive amounts of e-waste away from landfills. The company collected about 90 million pounds of e-waste last year or 71 percent of the total weight of the products sold seven years earlier. This is both responsible business and a lucrative source of revenue.

Apple's recycling efforts are paying dividends and benefiting the environment by reducing their demand for resources. They have yielded 2,204 pounds of gold worth $43.6 million from recycled electronic devices last year. Apples recycling efforts also recouped 6,600 pounds of silver, 3 million pounds of copper, 23 million pounds of steel; 13 million pounds of plastic, 12 million pounds of glass and 4.5 million pounds of aluminum. Instead of ending up in a landfill, Apple will reuse 61.4 million pounds of recovered material from last year.

To increase the efficiency of their recycling efforts Apple has developed a robot named Liam designed to dismantle iPhone into useful materials. Liam can disassemble 1.2 million phones a year.

At Apple's March 21 2016 event on Monday, vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson took to the stage to discuss the company's environmental initiatives, and debut its robot.


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Apple's Growth Streak Has Ended but its Sustainability Leadership is Still Going Strong

Apple's growth streak may have come to an end but as a mature company its sustainability leadership is going stronger than ever. In fact Apple is poised to double down on sustainability. Every product has a life cycle and Apple's products are no different. Smartphones may have reached market saturation as the global smartphone market has shrunk for the first time. Despite the dropping demand for its premiere product line,  this corporate giant will continue to be a powerful sustainability leader for years to come.

As revealed by Apple's second-quarter earnings, the company's stellar 13 year growth streak has ended. However Apple continues to be the dominant player in the technology sector.

In recent years Apple has transitioned from a sustainability laggard into a sustainability leader. Their initiatives include renewable energy, recycling, sustainable forest management, sourcing and manufacturing. Apple has been serious about sustainability for more than a few years. In 2013 Apple was already getting all of the power for its data centers from renewable energy.

As reported by UNEP's Climate Action, in February Apple issued $1.5 billion in green bonds to finance low-carbon projects across its global operations. This includes renewable energy, storage, efficiency, green buildings and resource conservation. This is the largest issuance of its kind by an American company.

Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives said Apple’s new green bond “will allow investors to show they will put their money where their hearts and concerns are."

Apple has also embarked on what it has called "Project Titan" which is an electric car project with a shipping date of 2019.

Apple is also among the companies that supported the US Clean Power Plan and they responded to a White House initiative to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their supply of renewable energy.

Apple's green efforts have contributed to their bottom line valuation and there is no reason to believe that this will not continue.

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Germany Continues its Green Dominance in 2015 (Video)

Europe has the highest concentration of national sustainability efforts in the world. In 2015 Nordic countries once again assumed a leadership role along with France. In addition to being an economic giant Germany is also an environmental titan. Germany is ranked fourth in the Global Green Economy Index.and seventh in a RobecoSAM study. Germany has distinguished itself as an early adopter of clean power and it has a secure place in history as a renewable energy pioneer.

The country has passed legislation in support of renewable energy and it is producing results. In 2015 Germany set solar power records and surpassed some major renewable energy milestones that are the envy of governments around the world.

German efforts extend beyond renewable energy and encompass green building. Germany was ranked number 6 in the world by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2014.

The German government led by Angela Merkel has joined other major powers in endorsing ambitious climate objectives. This includes a statement calls for, "deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions," and "decarbonisation of the global economy over the course of this century."

Germany is not a newcomer to climate action and Merkel has been at the forefront of this movement for two decades. In 1996 Merkel was a German representative in the European Council of environment ministers that were the first political body to declare the goal of keeping temperatures below 2C was the goal.

Germany is a world leading renewable energy power getting as much of three quarters of its daily demand from clean sources. On July 25, 2015, Germany obtained 78 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

Year after year German production of renewable energy has increased. In 2015 Germany generated 193 billion kilowatt hours (billion kWh), or one third of its energy from renewable sources up one fifth from the year before.

Cleantech not only reduces the countries emissions it is providing jobs. Nearly 800,000 jobs people work in the cleantech sector and 214,000 people work in renewables in Germany.

The German government has supported the growth of renewable energy and managed to radically reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. As part of a policy called "energiewende" (energy transition) policies Germany is embarking on complete de-fossilization. Germany is already on the cusp of getting 34 percent of its energy from renewables a target it had set to achieve by 2020. The country expects to get 100 percent of its electricity requirements from renewables by 2050.

Cities across Germany are ramping up their renewable energy capacity. The small German town of Feldheim gets all of its electricity from renewables and Munich, Germany's third largest city is working to get all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. The city of Frankfurt has pledged to have zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Frankfurt 's comprehensive energy management scheme has decoupled growth from emissions. The city has reduced its emissions by 15 percent since 1990 and grew its economy by 50 percent. The nation as a whole has also succeeded in decoupling economic growth and emissions. Germany's GDP has grown while their GHGs have fallen. 

German cities also support for car free zones and green spaces. There German city of Hamburg has what may be the most climate friendly motto's in the world: “Understanding climate change — reducing climate change — master the effects of climate change.”

In 2015, Hamburg announced plans to eliminate fossil fuel powered cars in the next couple of decades and cover a two-mile section of the Autobahn with greenspaces. These "roof-parks" will cover 60 acres and have forests, gardens, and trails.

Germany's support for renewable energy also extends to other countries. In 2015 the nation gave India a 125 billion Euro loan for green energy projects. The Indo-German partnership is designed to fund transmission infrastructure of renewable energy projects. The German loans will fund green energy projects in Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Germany is a model for the world that is a real world refutation of some of the criticism leveled against renewables. The fossil fuel lobby frequently point to the problem of intermittancy of renewables (eg the sun is not always shining and the wind is not always blowing). However, as pointed out in a Bloomberg article, Germany proves that intermittancy can be overcome.

In this short film, Germany Trade & Invest focus on Germany’s Renewable Energy Revolution. Scientists, industry leaders, and politicians review the country's achievements, next steps, and the opportunities the energy transition offers.



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France: One of the Most Sustainable Countries in 2015

In 2015 France stood out as one of the most sustainable countries in the world due to the scope of their national efforts and the wider economic implications of their actions. While Nordic countries and their neighbor Germany have ranked very highly on a number of national sustainability assessments, France must be including on any list of the greenest European countries in 2015. France is listed among the top ten countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranking of 180 nations. 

As hosts of the COP21 climate talks last December French leadership was essential. This is particularly true in light of the Paris terror attacks that took place just prior to the start of the final round of negotiations. Under the leadership of Francois Hollande France has been a global climate leader. In addition to being the host of the most important climate conference in human history, France introduced a number of sustainability measures in 2015. From managing food waste to supporting renewable energy France showed that it is walking the talk last year.

In 2015 France passed important green energy legislation that will quadruple the country's carbon tax by 2020. They also installed a 300 megawatt solar PV plant that is now the largest such facility in Europe. France is striving to get almost a quarter of its energy from renewables by 2020 and 40 percent by 2030.

France has also made green and solar roofs mandatory on all new constructions and they have restricted the number of fossil fuel powered vehicles that can travel on city roads. France has also made sustainability reporting mandatory.

Alongside government efforts French companies are assuming a leadership role. For example Air France and a hundred or so other corporate leaders endorsed a statement that included calls for "prompt and decisive action on climate change." The statement sought to lay out a framework to combat climate change and stimulate economic growth. It explicitly called for more clean energy.

French power stations are pushing for an energy roadmap. Électricité de France and other companies that comprise the Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership (GSEP) sent a letter to governments urging them to provide a clear pathway outlining the move away from fossil fuels and towards low-carbon energy.

France is also investing in clean power in the developing world. The French and Jordanian Prime Ministers signed an agreement for a $44 million loan to build a transmission corridor for renewable energy.

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Obama Signs Executive Order to Reduce GHGs in the Federal Government and Across their Supply Chain

President Obama is leading by example and significantly reducing the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions. In the first week of November the President signed an executive order that cuts emissions and weaves sustainability into the fabric of the federal government.

The move will cut government greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40 percent and avert 26 million metric tons of GHG emissions by 2025. The White House claims that this will save tax payers up to $18 billion in energy costs and increase the share of federal energy derived from renewables by at least 25 percent.

The new EO also calls for emissions reduction in the federal government's $445 billion supply chain. The sustainability record of the government's major suppliers is already publicly available. The Federal Supplier Greenhouse Gas Management Scorecard documents the emissions of companies in the governments supply chain.

Federal vehicles will reduce their GHGs by 30 percent and federal buildings will improve their energy efficiency by 2.5 percent a year and water intensity in federal buildings will improve by 2 percent a year

For more information about the Executive Order click here.

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Apple's Renewable Energy Investments in China

On October 21, 2015 Apple announced that it is ramping up its renewable energy investments in China. The company is working with its Chinese suppliers to produce 2.2 gigawatts of solar power and other renewable energy. This move will decrease Apple's carbon footprint by an estimated 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas as more of its suppliers rely on renewable energy between now and 2020.

Apple is but one of a number of technology companies that are increasingly relying on renewables. Google, Facebook and microsoft are also making substantial investments in renewable energy.

Apple will finance 200 megawatts of solar power capacity in regions of China where many of its suppliers are located. Apple and its Chinese suppliers plan to add more than 2 gigawatts of renewable energy from solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

Foxconn, which runs the factory where the most iPhones are assembled will install 400 megawatts of solar power by 2018 in China's Henan Province. This will enable the factory to produce an amount of energy equivalent to the power it uses.

Apple has recently completed solar projects that will generate 40 megawatts of power to offset 24 stores and 19 offices China.

Apple already powers its US data centers, offices and stores with renewables. Apple was one of a number of companies that responded to requests from the White House this summer to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their supply of renewable energy.

Apple's green efforts have contributed to improved reputation which has bottom line benefits. Apple is also among the companies that have supported the US Clean Power Plan 

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France Makes Sustainability Reporting Mandatory

There is a growing trend towards mandatory sustainability reporting and France is leading the way by introducing obligatory carbon reporting for financial institutions. This means that pension funds, insurance companies and other institutional investors in France will have to disclose environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

These ESG issues, including risks associated with climate change, are of increasing interest to investors as the world transitions to a low carbon economy. Under the new rules investors will need to set targets and measure progress. They will also be held accountable if these targets are not met.

The announcement was made by finance minister Michel Spapin on May 22nd at the Climate Finance Day conference in Paris. The rule is contained in draft legislation known as Article 48 of the French Energy Transition Law which was recently passed by the French parliament.

France is establishing itself as a climate leader with a host of initiatives from national emissions reductions pledges, to reducing food waste. The UK already requires companies to disclose the risks of climate change and mitigation efforts. Sweden may very well be next. The mandatory sustainability reporting will put pressure on other nations to follow suit.

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Apple Makes Sustainability Investments in China

Apple is making China greener and expanding their market presence. From solar farms, to forests and greener supply chains Apple is making some serious sustainability focused investments in China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is presently in China. He announced his arrival on his new Weibo account (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter). He said that he is in China to launch, "innovative environmental programs." As of Tuesday morning Cook already had 400,000 followers.

While the Chinese smartphone market has contracted by 4 percent this year Apple's sales are expanding. Apple is currently the largest smart phone vendor in China selling more iPhones in that country than in the US. Apple's sales in China have expanded by 71 percent to reach $16.8 billion

Cook said he was in China to promote Apple's forest management efforts, a project the company has undertaken in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. This project aims to protect as much as 1 million acres of responsibly managed working forests in China. These forests provide fiber for pulp, paper and wood products. Apple has set a goal to achieve a net-zero impact on the world’s supply of sustainable virgin fiber.

Apple is also planning to build two 20 MW solar farms in China. Taken together the two projects will generate up to 80 million kWh per year. These projects are being built in partnership with Sichuan Shengtian New Energy Development, and SunPower. The solar plants are located in Sichuan Province and they will generate more energy than needed to power all of Apple’s 19 corporate offices and 22 retail stores in the country. Apple plans to increase its use of renewable energy around the world from over 80 percent today to 100 percent in the coming years.

In addition to generating solar power these projects have been carefully designed to minimize their ecological impact and protect the grasslands that support the yak population.

"Apple's announcement today is a significant first step toward addressing its energy footprint in China, and sets an important precedent for other companies that have operations in China," said Greenpeace USA Senior IT Sector Analyst Gary Cook.

"The next step for Apple should be to work with its suppliers to power its manufacturing operations in China with 100% renewable energy." Greenpeace East Asia Senior Renewable Campaigner Yuan Ying said

Apple appears to have taken Ying's advice serious. They recently announced that they will transition to greener manufacturing in China over the coming years. In addition to greening their supply chain in that country they are cutting back on their carbon emissions from their product manufacturing.

Apple also conducts routine audits of its manufacturers focusing on finding and correcting any environmental violations. Last year, the company worked with the manufacturers to reduce water use and prevent water pollution.

Apple is bringing corporate sustainability to China and this is an investment that is already yielding massive dividends.

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France Curbs Vehicles and Decrees Green or Solar Roofs

In France we are seeing efforts to both curb vehicular emissions and increase renewable energy. City officials in Paris have instituted a system that is designed to curb the number of cars that can drive in Paris. This follows new legislation mandating either solar panels or plants on the roofs of all new buildings.

Last March France restricted both GMOs and cars, this March their vehicular restrictions continue alongside the new rooftop initiative.

Air quality is problem in Paris, so city officials are using partial bans on cars to reduce pollution from car exhaust. On Monday March 23, Paris banned cars vehicles with even-numbered license plates. To enforce the ban there were more than one thousand police. The policy was enacted into law last year and it gives government the authority to limit vehicles dependent on air quality readings.

In another move that benefits air quality France has issued a decree that demands that a part of all new rooftops to be covered in either plants or solar panels. The new law was passed on Thursday March 19 and it applies to all new buildings in commercial zones across the country.

Green roofs sequester carbon, provide oxygen and offer an additional layer of insulation. Additional benefits include the promotion of biodiversity, providing a nesting place for birds and retaining rainwater which reduces runoff.

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Apple Proves its Never too Late to Go Green

Apple's successful adoption of a host of sustainability initiatives demonstrate that it is never too late to go green. The conventional wisdom suggests that to be recognized as a sustainability leader you have to get there first and be green to the core. However, Apple has made some profound changes in recent years which have taken the company from the fringes where it was singled out as a sustainability laggard to its current incarnation as a sustainability leader.

A 2013 Green Market Oracle article asked whether Apple's sustainability efforts where too little too late. It would appear that the answer to that question is apparently not.

In 2012 Apple did a reversal on their resistance to EPEAT and they radically improve working conditions of their suppliers in China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook's hiring of former EPA chief Lisa Jackson in 2013 was a powerful signal that the company was serious about sustainability. Hiring Jackson to head their sustainability initiatives has made a powerful difference. She has said of Apple's sustainability efforts we are "swinging for the fences."

In 2015 Cook explained that engaging sustainability initiatives is about more than ROI. However, Apple's bottom line appears to be benefiting alongside its reputation. In 2014 the Motley Fool published an article which suggested that Apple's gross margins have become much more stable after being subject to wild volatility. Also in 2014, CSR Rep Track 100, ranked Apple as the 5th best CSR company in the world.

Apple has emerged as a sustainability leader and the numbers suggest that engaging sustainability has been good for the company. Apple has announced some massive renewable energy investments that is both environmentally sustainability and good business strategy. These investments position Apple as one of the world's leading companies.

These efforts include $1.9 billion plan to build and operate two data centers in Europe (Ireland and Denmark) powered by wind energy. The Irish facility is being built on land that will restore native trees to the Derrydonnell Forest. The project will also incorporate and outdoor education space and a walking trail. The Denmark facility will capture waste heat and help to warm local homes. The company has also announced that they will be employing advanced green building designs.

Apple is also a solar energy leader. They are investing almost $3 billion into solar facilities in California and Arizona. The Arizona project alone will produce 70 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power more than 14,500 homes. The company is also partnering with First Solar to build a 2,900 acre solar farm in Monterey California.

With Apple's commitment to go 100 percent renewable, the company's environmental footprint is getting much smaller. Apple's improvements are improving the company's ratings.  Apples efforts were reflected in improved rankings in Greenpeace's most recent electronic report and this is likely to improve when Greenpeace does its updates in April 2015.

It all comes down to leadership, and Cook is the real deal when it comes to environmental sustainability.

"We know that climate change is real," Cook said at the Goldman Sachs technology conference in San Franciso. "Our view is that the time for talk has passed, and the time for action is now. We’ve shown that with what we’ve done."

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