3 Sustainability News Stories You May Have Missed This Week
From Paris Climate Agreement re-commitments, to pollution and emission reporting breaches, there have been exciting developments in the environmental news world to give us more insight into the climate change issue at large.
We have selected and summarized the top three sustainability related new-stories for you that have emerged this week.
#1 The United States has officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement
President Joe Biden has signed executive orders for the U.S to enter back into the international climate pact that was designed to tackle global warming and the climate crisis.
The president signed a letter on his inauguration day declaring that the U.S would start the formal 30-day process of recommitting to the climate accord after having been pulled out of it in 2016 by the previous administration.
The Paris Climate Agreement is an international treaty created in 2015 with a goal of addressing the climate change issue on a global scale. The specific goal outlined in the accord is to “limit the global warming well below 2, preferably 1.5 celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels”. 196 countries have signed this agreement with a commitment to curb carbon emissions, in order to help achieve this global warming reduction goal.
Why this matters: The U.S rejoining this accord is a positive sign that the new Biden administration is prioritizing environmental efforts. After four years of lackluster environmental policy, the initiation of this undertaking is a hopeful signal that the U.S will be back on track with its own climate change agenda.
Read the full story here
#2 A new study finds that greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S dropped 10% in 2020
According to a recent study published by the Rhodium Group, greenhouse gas emissions went down by 10% in the last year due to the temporary changes in travel caused by the pandemic. With reduced activity in commutes, air travel, and a general halt to normal travel cadences, emissions were dramatically less in 2020, with the decline being cited as the largest annual drop since World-War II.
Although the curb of emissions suggests that there was a positive impact on the planet, the implication remains that this was a short-term benefit, with little indication of there being further reductions in the coming years.
Why this matters: This study shows that the U.S can reduce overall carbon emissions and make a significant impact towards the climate change agenda. However, it highlights the need for a structural shift and long-term motives to truly reach a stage of lasting benefits and improvement. Otherwise, emissions are expected to rise back to normal levels.
Read the full story here.
#3 Toyota to pay a $180 million fine for violating the Clean Air Act
Toyota Motor Company is expected to pay a $180 million fine for violations against the U.S’s Clean Air Act, due to breaching federal emissions reporting requirements. The violations cover the company’s failure to report defects that hindered their cars’ ability to control emissions, a standard policy in place to protect the general public’s health and environment from harmful pollutants.
The findings show that the general managers knew about these defects and the lack of accurate reporting, but decided to be noncompliant. This is currently the largest civil penalty for breaching federal reporting laws in the car and motor industry.
Why this matters: The discovery of this breach has implications of tighter environmental policy for automakers in the future. Considering that transportation vehicles account for about 28% of greenhouse gas emissions, heavier emphasis on climate change policy and regulation for automakers is an important avenue for environmental protection.
Read the full story here.
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