Latest news with #climatecommitments
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Microsoft Inks Record Carbon Removal Deals as Emissions Rise
Five years ago, Microsoft Corp. set a goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030 and removing all its historic emissions from the atmosphere by 2050. But the company's artificial intelligence investments have made meeting those targets harder —by a lot. Today, Microsoft's total planet-warming impact is 23% higher than it was in 2020 in part because of its vast expansion of emissions-intensive data centers, according to its 2025 sustainability report. Despite its actions, Microsoft says slashing carbon remains a priority. Bloomberg Businessweek spoke with Brian Marrs, the company's senior director of energy and carbon removal, about how the tech giant plans to meet its climate commitments. Like many things involving AI or climate goals, the answer isn't entirely clear. 'It is important to recognize we're at the very beginning of generative AI and what it will look like,' Marrs says. 'Servers and data centers will evolve and do more with less.' The following conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Arab News
08-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
GCC exceeds global average in 2024 Carbon Circular Economy Index
RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council countries have outperformed the global average in the 2024 Carbon Circular Economy Index, scoring 41.5 points, latest data showed. Released by the Gulf Statistical Center, the index serves as an assessment tool to evaluate the progress of 125 nations toward achieving net-zero emissions through a balanced approach that incorporates mitigation technologies and enabling tools. It also measures their transition to a carbon-neutral future based on circular economy principles, the Oman News Agency reported. The GCC's performance highlights its growing commitment to sustainable energy and carbon reduction strategies. Its push toward a circular carbon economy aligns with broader economic diversification goals, as the region seeks to reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons while tackling environmental challenges. 'The contribution of the design capacity of renewable energy plants in the GCC countries to the total design capacity of renewable energy plants worldwide also increased, reaching 0.43 percent in 2024, compared to 0.03 percent in 2015,' the ONA report stated. This expansion reflects increased investments in solar, wind, and other clean energy projects across the region. With some member states ranking among the world's highest per capita emitters, the shift to sustainable practices — such as waste recycling, renewable energy development, and carbon capture — aims to balance continued energy leadership with climate commitments. According to the Jeddah-based Gulf Research Center, rapid urbanization and resource-intensive consumption patterns have further driven the need for circular solutions, particularly in water and waste management, as the GCC works to mitigate its ecological footprint while fostering green investment and job creation. Currently, the GCC operates three commercial carbon capture and storage facilities, with a combined capacity of 3.8 million tonnes of CO2 per year. These facilities play a crucial role in reducing industrial emissions, the ONA report noted. Looking ahead, the region is projected to capture and store up to 65 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2035. CCS technology is a key component of the GCC's strategy to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. GCC's leadership During its G20 presidency in 2020, Saudi Arabia introduced the Circular Carbon Economy Framework, which was endorsed by G20 leaders as a sustainable and cost-effective approach to tackling climate change while ensuring energy security. Building on this momentum, the Kingdom launched its CCE National Program in 2021, focusing on emissions reduction through four key strategies: reduce, reuse, recycle, and remove. Saudi Arabia has since implemented over 30 CCE initiatives across its energy sector, aligning with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's 2021 pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. The UAE has also emerged as a regional leader in circular economy policy. Its Circular Economy Agenda 2031 serves as a national blueprint, outlining 22 policies across four key sectors — manufacturing, food, infrastructure, and transportation — to drive advanced recycling, economic growth, job creation, and resource efficiency. As host of COP28, the UAE reaffirmed its global sustainability commitment, leveraging its strengths in green finance, clean energy, and climate innovation.
Malay Mail
06-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
TotalEnergies on trial: Greenwashing claims could set legal precedent in France
PARIS, June 6 — Environmental groups took TotalEnergies to court yesterday in a landmark Paris trial, accusing the French oil and gas giant of misleading consumers with ads that overstate its climate commitments and fossil fuel transition. It is the first such case in France targeting a major energy company and could set a legal precedent for corporate environmental advertising, which is starting to face tighter regulations in the European Union. The civil case stems from a March 2022 lawsuit by three environmental groups accusing TotalEnergies of 'misleading commercial practices' for saying it could reach carbon neutrality while continuing oil and gas production. The plaintiffs took that legal route as 'greenwashing', or the act of claiming to be more environmentally responsible than in reality, is not specifically covered under French law. Starting in May 2021, TotalEnergies advertised its goal of 'carbon neutrality by 2050' and touted gas as 'the fossil fuel with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions'. At the time, the company had changed its name from Total to TotalEnergies to emphasise its investments in wind turbines and solar panels for electricity production. The plaintiffs allege that TotalEnergies made around 40 'false advertisements' in their lawsuit. 'For the average consumer, it is impossible to understand that TotalEnergies is actually expanding fossil fuel production,' said Clementine Baldon, a lawyer for the NGOs. The company's strategy 'will not help the energy transition', Baldon told the court. 'It delays it, even prevents it, and it contributes to putting the objectives of the Paris accord at risk,' she added, referring to the international agreement aimed at curbing climate change. TotalEnergies maintains it has not engaged in misleading commercial practices. 'Greenwashing would be to promise that the petrol sold in service stations is carbon neutral,' said the company's lawyer, Francoise Labrousse. TotalEnergies had 'never said its products are good for the climate', she added. TotalEnergies also insisted that the messages are part of its institutional communications regulated by financial authorities and not consumer law. It also argued the NGOs are misusing consumer protection rules to challenge its corporate strategy, and that no consumer organisation is party to the case. The NGOs want the Paris court to rule on the legality of ads presenting natural gas as essential to the energy transition. Climate experts say methane leaks from the gas industry have a powerful warming effect on the atmosphere. But TotalEnergies noted Greenpeace Belgium had previously considered natural gas useful for the energy transition and noted the group still uses fossil fuels in its boats. Correcting ads Environmental groups in recent years have turned to the courts to establish case law on companies misleading consumers by appearing more eco-friendly than they are. In Europe, courts ruled against Dutch airline KLM in 2024 and Germany's Lufthansa in March over misleading consumers about their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of flying. In Spain, utility Iberdrola failed to secure a conviction against Spanish oil and gas company Repsol over similar allegations of 'false' environmental claims. A greenwashing case against Australian oil and gas producer Santos, challenging its claim to be a 'clean fuels' company, has been ongoing since 2021. Other fossil fuel companies, under pressure from advertising regulators or legal complains, have had to scrap or correct ad campaigns. Shell, for example, received a warning in the UK and had to stop promoting 'carbon-neutral' gasoline in several countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Canada. New European laws now ban vague, generic environmental claims such as 'green' or '100 per cent natural' product, and aim to require brands to more strictly substantiate environmental claims on labels and in advertising. TotalEnergies has said it plans to show that its messages 'about its name change, strategy and role in the energy transition are reliable and based on objective, verifiable data'. At the end of the hearing, the judge said a ruling would be given on October 23. — AFP
ABC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
PM defends North West Shelf gas extension to 2070, as critics warn about net zero commitment
The prime minister has defended a decision to allow Australia's largest gas project to run until 2070 as necessary to ensuring stable power supply with coal plants due to close in a matter of years. Environment Minister Murray Watt gave provisional approval for Woodside's North West Shelf to operate for another 40 years, extending its environmental approval beyond the previous end date of 2030. It has prompted a furious reaction from environmental groups who say it will lead to higher emissions and threaten Australia's climate commitments. Consideration of projects under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act does not allow the minister to consider the climate impacts of a project. Speaking on ABC Brisbane, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on the whole the government was still progressing its aim to cut emissions by 43 per cent by the end of this decade. "When we look at the overall issue, if you take a step back, we are already more than halfway to delivering on our commitment of 82 per cent renewables by 2030, we're up to 46 per cent as we're speaking here now," he said. "In order to get that investment in renewables you do need firming capacity, whether it be batteries, hydro or gas, and that is what will encourage that investment and the transition to occur. In Western Australia they are closing their last coal fired power station at Collie in 2027. They are moving to renewables backed by gas, and that will be a really important part of the transition that will occur." The approval given to Woodside allows it to operate until 2070, but the company could decide to close the plant sooner — and it will remain subject to increasingly stringent requirements to cut emissions over time, or face penalties. However while the approval is not an expansion of the North West Shelf's footprint, it does open the door to future expansion. Celebrating yesterday's approval, Woodside chief executive Meg O'Neill said the company was eyeing a new gas field in the region, Browse, for which a project proposal is already under consideration by the government. "Browse of course is important, particularly in the 2030s and '40s for domestic gas and energy security in Western Australia," she said. "We will continue to work with the state's [Environment Protection Agency ... and Commonwealth environment department on those Browse approvals." Woodside has proposed developing 50 production wells in the Browse basin, which would be connected to the North West Shelf processing plant in Karratha through a 900 kilometre pipeline. Like the NWS proposal given approval yesterday, it has sat under assessment for six years. Greens leader Larissa Waters said the NWS proposal, which was twice-delayed before the election, had been pushed back for political reasons. "This is a dangerous decision. And how cynical that they postpone this decision until after the election, knowing full well that people would be horrified that they have approved fossil fuels out to 2070," Senator Waters said. While the Greens say the new Environment Minister Murray Watt has "failed at the first hurdle" in his first major decision in that portfolio, there remains an optimism that this term of government will see progress on environmental reform, particularly to the ageing EPBC Act. Independent MP Allegra Spender told Sky News the NWS approval proved the laws were not working. "We know that we have to get to net zero by 2050, this is four decades of go-ahead on gas, and there's no accounting for the impact of climate change on the environment when this decision was made," Ms Spender said. "Our environmental laws don't take account of climate change ... it sends very mixed messages to say we're committed to net zero, we're committed to real climate action but let's approve this for the next 40 years, well beyond the timeline of net zero." Meanwhile, the Coalition is reviewing its own commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a promise it signed up to in late 2021 under former prime minister Scott Morrison. Nationals deputy leader Kevin Hogan said he and his party would approach that review with an open mind. "We haven't had a serious discussion about this for four or five years. We will look at it, we're going to do a study into it, the economic ramifications, new technologies, what we maybe can look at that we haven't looked at as solutions before," Mr Hogan said. A handful of major countries have not adopted net zero emissions targets by 2050 including Iran and Indonesia. China and Russia have committed to net zero emissions by 2060, though a number of others with 2050 targets are not on track to meet them. The only countries that have not ratified the Paris Agreement to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius are Iran, Libya and Yemen, though United States President Donald Trump has also announced his intention to again withdraw from the agreement.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ireland's energy and climate plan far from sufficient, EU Commission finds
Ireland's current National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) remains far from sufficient to meet its climate commitments, an assessment by the European Commission has found. Although investment needs of €119 billion - €125 billion are outlined in the plan, 'there is no explanation of how this will be funded or whether a financing gap exists', it concludes. Ireland remains off course for its 2030 climate targets , with its NECP projecting a 25.4 per cent emissions reduction, well below the legally binding 42 per cent target under the EU's key 'effort-sharing regulation'. This sets national climate targets for emissions in road transport, buildings, agriculture, waste and small industries. The NECP outlines each EU member state's strategy to meet its climate and energy targets for 2030, including emissions reductions, renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency. READ MORE The commission's assessment evaluates whether these plans are sufficient and credible, offering guidance on gaps, shortcomings and areas for improvement. It plays a critical role in holding governments accountable and ensuring collective progress toward EU climate goals. Its assessment was released on Wednesday, the same day the Environmental Protection Agency published updated emissions projections for achieving Ireland's 2030 climate targets – 'which together offer a stark and urgent warning about the widening gap between Ireland's climate commitments and actual delivery', according to Environmental Justice Network Ireland (EJNI). [ Ireland's emissions trend 'alarming and shocking, with actions reset required' Opens in new window ] Ireland is projected to achieve a reduction of just 23 per cent in total greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared with a national target of 51 per cent. EJNI director Dr Ciara Brennan said: 'This is another clear signal that Ireland's climate plans are not on track. The commission's assessment confirms what Irish civil society has been saying for some time. Ireland is still far from meeting its 2030 climate and energy targets, and its NECP has missed a critical opportunity to make necessary course corrections.' The commission noted Ireland's renewable energy target was raised, but short-term delivery lags. 'While the 2030 target was increased to 43 per cent, interim milestones for 2025 and 2027 fall short.' The plan lacks specific targets for buildings and district heating, 'with many measures relying on speculative technologies and unclear timelines', it finds. Agriculture measures, it says, fall short on ambition and feasibility. 'The plan leans heavily on technologies still in development and lacks incentives for uptake. Crucially, it avoids deeper reforms such as reducing dairy herd size or diversifying agricultural systems.' Land-use emissions are rising, with Ireland projected to miss its target by 1.36 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. 'The plan lacks robust monitoring and credible data, undermining the reliability of projected [carbon] removals,' the commission concludes. The Government is criticised for having no clear plan to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. Its assessment may not compel an immediate revision of the NECP, but reinforces legal concerns already raised by EJNI and others, Dr Brennan said. The persistent delivery gaps, especially in agriculture, energy efficiency and land use, leave the Government exposed to potential infringement procedures, she warned. The findings have consequences for Ireland's social climate plan, due by June 30th, which must be consistent with the NECP to unlock EU funding. In November 2024, EJNI joined a coalition of NGOs from other EU states to call on the commission to take legal action against what they identified as noncompliance EU laws in the updating of NECPs. The action highlighted widespread deficiencies in NECPs from France, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Why is Ireland so far off its climate targets? Listen | 21:07
