Google to go plastic packaging free

Google will eliminate plastic from its consumer electronics packaging six months ahead of its self-imposed 2025 deadline. In October 2020, Google pledged to go “plastic-free” and will publish a guide to help other companies achieve this. 

The company’s Pixel 8 smartphone, launched in October 2023, was the first product under this new approach. Google says that sustainability should be a collaborative effort, so it is encouraging companies using the guide to provide feedback.

The key design considerations were ensuring the new paper-based packaging is durable, meets aesthetic requirements, and can be easily recycled. The paper-based packaging is likely to be more expensive than plastic initially, but Google says that this is an investment to improve the consumer experience. The company is willing to absorb the higher costs as part of its sustainability commitment.

The European Union has given final approval for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which will require large companies to identify, prevent and address human rights and environmental risks and impacts in their operations and value chains. The new law aims to hold companies accountable for sustainability practices and is seen as a landmark step in the EU's efforts to promote corporate social responsibility. 

Companies will need to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence, set sustainability targets, and report on their progress, with penalties for non-compliance. The directive is part of the EU's broader sustainability agenda and represents a significant shift towards mandatory corporate sustainability measures.

Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist with a doctorate in energy engineering, has been elected as the new president of Mexico. As mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum implemented climate-friendly policies such as promoting solar power and electric buses. However, she has previously faced criticism for not doing enough to address the city’s serious air pollution problem and for the construction of a bridge in the Xochimilco ecological zone. 

Sheinbaum has said she wants to expand renewable energy infrastructure in Mexico, but she also plans to continue supporting the state-owned oil company, Pemex, which is heavily indebted. This presents a challenge in balancing Mexico’s energy transition and economic interests.  Sheinbaum will have to navigate various challenges, including tight federal budgets, rising energy demands, and the need to address issues such as poverty, migration and organised crime, while also managing relations with the next US president.

The City of Edinburgh council is set to ban out-of-home advertising for fossil fuel companies and several high-emission forms of transport, including airlines, airports, and cruise holidays. The council states this is necessary to uphold the credibility of its climate emergency declaration.

The changes are part of updates to the council’s advertising and sponsorship policy, which were finalised by the policy and sustainability committee. The ban will apply to all adverts on council-owned assets and sponsorship of council events and initiatives.

The council cited the need to align advertising with its policies, values, objectives and strategic goals, including its commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

The International Energy Agency has warned that the world is currently off track to meet the crucial goal of tripling renewable electricity generation by 2030. This target is viewed as vital to enable a swift transition away from fossil fuels globally. A new IEA report shows that global renewable capacity is only expected to roughly double by 2030, falling well short of the tripling target. 

However, there are some promising signs, with record increases in renewable capacity added globally in 2023. Many countries still need to do more, including specific renewable energy targets in their climate action plans. Governments will also need to focus more on upgrading electricity grids, which are currently hindering faster renewable energy deployment in many parts of the world. 

UK opposition Labour party is making climate change a central focus of its UK general election campaign ahead of the poll on 4th July, which it looks likely to win. The party says that pursuing net zero can drive economic growth and reduce the cost of living, especially for lower-income families, through cheaper renewable energy and home insulation. 

Labour has pledged to create a new publicly-owned energy company to invest £8.3bn in renewable energy, as well as a national wealth fund for investment in green technologies. However, Labour has already faced criticism from as the Green Party and climate activists, labelling Labour’s climate change commitments as timid.