A roundup of sustainability and climate news this week - 16/02/24🌎
97% of migrating fish at risk as natural disasters send home insurance premiums soaring. Plus Bangladesh leads the way in green garment production.
Congratulations on another week of making a difference! As you head off into the weekend, here are some of the latest headlines in sustainability and climate news. If you’d like to team up with impact-driven leaders and sustainability advocates, join us on WONDR - check out the events at the bottom of this newsletter too.
🌎 World news
➡️ Bangladesh has announced the creation of 30 new green garment factories, bringing its total number of LEED-certified factories to 192. Nine of the top 10 greenest factories are now based in the South Asian country, positioning it as a global leader in green garment production.
➡️ The British bank HSBC is aiming to deploy $1 billion of climate tech finance by 2030 via its collaboration with Google Cloud. The partnership aims to help customers with climate goals like ESG reporting and emissions reduction. Companies in the Google Cloud Sustainability Programme will also have access to HSBC’s specialist climate tech finance team to explore potential venture debt financing.
Do you think this is a good initiative?
➡️ Australian homeowners are facing the biggest hikes in insurance premiums in 20 years due to factors such as climate change. The rise in natural disasters and extreme weather events like bushfires and floods has seen insurers increase their prices by 16.2% in the last 12 months, compared to a 4.1% annual inflation rate.
➡️ Migratory species such as female leatherback turtles, narwhals and grey-headed albatrosses are facing extinction due to human impact on their natural habitats. A landmark UN agency report has revealed that more than one in five creatures from the 1,189 listed by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals are threatened. This includes a staggering 97% of the world’s migratory fish on the list.
➡️ Tech startup Twelve has launched the USA’s first commercial-scale plant for producing sustainable aviation fuel from CO2. Its technology uses a CO2 reactor called OPUS that turns carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons to produce chemicals and fuels with no emissions. The plant will produce around 40,000 gallons of fuel per year, with plans to scale and produce “billions” of gallons by 2026/7.
⚡Quick headlines
10,000 English farmers apply for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)
EVs will be ‘55% more sustainable’ than cars with petrol engines by 2030
📖 Weekend read: climate fiction
The finalists of Grist’s Imagine 2200: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors short story contest are now available to read online. These thought-provoking stories reimagine everything from Californian floods to rewilding projects.
🎟️ Upskill and connect
Our events are a great place to learn and meet new people. Can’t make these dates? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording.
February
Tuesday 20th - AMA: Find your Perfect Impact Investor
5pm GMT / 12pm ET / 9am PST
Breaking down the best way to find and assess investors for your business
Wednesday 21st - Speed networking for impact-driven professionals
4.30pm GMT / 11.30am ET / 8.30am PST
Meet other mid to senior-level professionals to share ideas and build new connections
Tuesday 27th - AMA: Prepare your Outreach for investors
5pm GMT / 12pm ET / 9am PST
The art and science of cultivating relationships with financiers and investors.
Thursday 29th - Connect & Solve 🚀
4:30pm GMT / 11:30pm ET / 8:30am PST
Here's your chance to forge new connections, engage with like-minded founders, and tap into a collective pool of expertise to tackle challenges head-on.