Amazon在23日宣布設立氣候承諾基金（The Climate Pledge Fund），初期將以20億美元的資金來推動各種能夠符合「氣候承諾」的技術與服務。與Global Optimism在去年9月共同發起「氣候承諾」（Climate Pledge），計畫在2040年實現淨零碳（net zero carbon），比《巴黎協議》（Paris Agreement）訂定的2050年目標還早了10年。Amazon創辦人暨執行長貝佐斯（Jeff Bezos）表示，氣候承諾基金將會投資那些有願景的企業家與創新者，讓他們建置能協助企業減少碳排放影響、而且能持久經營的產品及服務。該基金的投資對象涵蓋各個領域，從運輸、能源、儲存、製造與材料、循環經濟，到食物及農業。此外，Amazon也揭露了目前該公司對於改善氣候變遷的成效，表示可能會提前5年，於2025年達到全數使用再生能源的目標。 資料來源：信報財經新聞

英國衛報報導，全世界從武漢肺炎（COVID-19）中復甦之際，澳洲有機會擺脫10多年來氣候留級生的姿態，追趕綠能發展進度。 全世界不論在政治光譜的哪一端，無不在設法加速啟動經濟重建，同時試圖因應氣候挑戰。不只環團和保育團體這麼想，產業界、銀行、能源公司、工會和主要投資者也認同。 各國政府紛紛表示認同綠色振興 主要商業能源巨頭亦然 國際貨幣基金組織（International Monetary Fund）負責人克里斯塔琳娜．喬吉耶娃（Kristalina Georgieva）4月下旬在一年一度的彼得斯堡氣候會談中向30個國家的領導人明確表示，公衛危機和大規模封城措施造成的經濟崩潰，不表示我們應暫停因應氣候危機。 德國政府已呼籲振興計畫應投資在減排等符合未來趨勢的工作，而非回到過去的狀態。英國提議加速採用綠色技術，表示這可能對「社會未來的永續性、韌性以及最終福祉」產生深遠影響。巴基斯坦、葡萄牙、加拿大和阿拉伯聯合大公國等政府認同綠色振興的想法，BP和殼牌等主要商業能源巨頭亦然，世界銀行也在其部落格上發表一系列文章，提出對綠色振興方案的建議。 許多資金也支持這個立場。負責資產超過5

Allbirds, a sustainable casual fashion startup and a B-type company, has been making frequent moves lately. Besides promoting carbon footprint labeling for its products, it has also partnered with global giant Adidas to transform the fashion industry and enable consumers to wear low-carbon, environmentally friendly shoes! Pioneering Carbon Footprint Labeling in the Fashion Industry: Making a Difference for Consumers. According to a global survey of 10,000 consumers, over two-thirds support carbon footprint labeling on products. Therefore, in recent years, Allbirds, a sustainable casual fashion startup, has been vying for market share from industry leaders like Nike and Adidas. Now, this brand, founded only six years ago (with a market valuation exceeding $1.4 billion), is strategically collaborating with rival Adidas. This partnership not only represents one of Allbirds' core missions—transforming the industry towards low-carbon manufacturing—but also highlights the post-pandemic retail market trend. Despite the impact of the pandemic, Allbirds, a B-type company, not only donated NT$10 million worth of 2,000 pairs of wool shoes to frontline medical workers, but also announced in late April the groundbreaking initiative of labeling its products with carbon footprint data, making it a leader in the fashion industry. Allbirds' biggest advantage is that its products are made from natural eucalyptus fiber, merino wool, and sugarcane fiber, making them biodegradable, which is a major reason why many sustainability-conscious consumers are willing to buy them. However, they say... (The sentence is incomplete and ends abruptly.) 

The Guardian reports that new research published in Scientific Reports indicates that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are approaching a peak not seen in 15 million years, possibly for the first time since the emergence of the great apes. Based on the rate of increase before the COVID-19 lockdown, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels would exceed 427 parts per million (ppm) within five years. This figure likely coincided with the peak of warming during the mid-Pliocene epoch 3.3 million years ago, when temperatures were 3°C to 4°C higher than today and sea levels were 20 meters higher. Around 2025, Earth is likely to experience a peak in carbon dioxide levels not seen since the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO) 15 million years ago. At that time, solar radiation levels were similar to today's, and human ancestors diverged from apes to become great apes. A research team from the University of Southampton studied pinpoint-sized fossils found in deep-sea sediments of the Caribbean Sea. Using the boron content of these fossils, they were able to construct a highly accurate record of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels during the Pliocene epoch. The findings echo trends observed in past ice core studies, but the estimates of carbon dioxide levels are more precise. Co-author Thomas Chalk said: "We found that during the warmest period of the Pliocene, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were between 380 and 420 ppm, which is very close to today's levels of about 415 ppm, indicating that the last time the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were high was 380 to 420 ppm.

The Times reported on the 29th that the Department for Transport's Scientific Advisory Committee submitted a report this month recommending a mandatory plastic bag tax-like fee for all online shoppers to mitigate pollution caused by the surge in online delivery. The Department for Transport said it would consider the proposal and may launch a public consultation in the future. The details of the fee and its potential impact are currently unclear. Free delivery or return services have led to a surge in online shopping. For example, during the Black Friday and Thanksgiving holiday in December 2018, total returns reached £2.4 billion. The report urged the Department for Transport to "pass the true costs of delivery and returns on to customers to reduce unnecessary over-ordering," educate consumers about the negative impacts of online shopping, and encourage continued online shopping. Commentators have suggested that such measures will make consumers more cautious when ordering or returning goods, or turn to physical stores. The latest data from the Department for Transport shows that nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks surged by 43% between 2007 and 2017, reaching 99,300 tons. As of the end of March this year, light commercial vehicles, including trucks, had accumulated 81.1 billion kilometers driven in the UK, a 24% increase compared to 10 years ago. E-commerce giants like Amazon have recently shifted to using robots and small self-driving vehicles for delivery. Source: Environmental Information Centre

Climate Home reports that according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy will be the only energy source to meet demand growth in 2020 due to shrinking coal, oil, and natural gas markets. In its first report published since the COVID-19 outbreak, the IEA examined global energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions trends for the remaining months of the year. The report notes that while renewable energy growth may decline this year due to supply chain disruptions and social distancing measures, which have significantly delayed the construction and installation of renewable energy projects, renewable energy has so far been the most resilient energy source to COVID-19 lockdowns, and demand for renewable electricity has been relatively unaffected by the decline in overall energy use. Renewable energy demand grew by 1.5% in the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter of 2019. The IEA previously predicted that solar, wind, and other clean energy capacity growth in 2020 would likely be record-breaking. However, as Climate Home reported earlier, the economic slowdown has severely impacted rooftop solar panels on businesses and homes, which are the main drivers of solar growth, and this may affect the IEA's forecast. The scope and timing of the lifting of social distancing measures and economic stimulus packages around the world will affect how much renewable energy capacity can be added this year. However, the IEA states that the impact of the pandemic on total renewable energy generation this year should be limited. This is due to lockdowns implemented in North America and Europe to curb the spread of COVID-19.

France is a major country with the highest share of nuclear power globally, making EDF (Électricité de France) well-known for its nuclear operations. However, EDF's expansion into the US market is primarily focused on renewable energy. EDF Renewables North America, which owns a significant number of centralized wind and solar farms, is now expanding into the distributed renewable energy market. The US renewable energy market is currently divided into two main sectors: large centralized wind and solar farms, and distributed, small and medium-sized wind and solar farms for residential and commercial use. EDF initially focused on the centralized market in the US, but has since achieved some success in the decentralized market, with its decentralized solutions division reaching 100 megawatts of installed capacity in 2019. EDF is targeting the commercial market. An increasing number of US companies, driven by corporate image concerns and seeking to source their own green energy, are increasingly developing their own renewable energy sources combined with energy storage systems to avoid risk and control by utility companies. Distributed energy has shifted from a money-loser to a profit-maker. In the past, distributed energy was just a theory, and many pilot projects were merely experimental. However, with large players like EDF actively entering the market, the distributed energy market is truly taking off. Source: Environmental Information Center

On May 18, the climate change group Extinction Rebellion neatly arranged over 2,000 pairs of children's shoes donated by Londoners in Trafalgar Square. Under the slogan "COVID Today, Climate Tomorrow, Act Now," they engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience, demanding that the UK government refrain from bailing out carbon-intensive industries that pollute the environment. Activists lined Trafalgar Square with the children's shoes and unfurled a long banner that read, "COVID Today > Climate Tomorrow > Act Now." The group stated that Extinction Rebellion is calling on the government to take action on the climate crisis during the COVID-19 recovery so that children and young people are not further devastated. Trafalgar Square, once a popular tourist destination, is now nearly deserted, leaving the children's shoes neatly arranged in the empty square. The shoes, donated by Londoners, will be donated to the charity Shoe Aid following the demonstration. Extinction Rebellion aims to bring about timely changes to the current political, economic, and social structures of the world to prevent the catastrophes predicted by climate change scientists from becoming a reality. Extinction Rebellion states its intention to use non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to reduce carbon emissions and avoid the resulting famine.

Taiwan's first and second offshore wind turbines were erected in 2016 and officially began commercial operation in 2017, costing a staggering NT$4 billion. Swancor Energy described this project as a "big gamble." Today, Formosa 1, the offshore wind farm, is nearing completion. With 22 turbines (including the two completed in the previous phase), the project cost NT$24 billion, a significant drop in construction costs, a testament to the difficult initial steps. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is promoting offshore wind power with a three-phase strategy: "demonstration first, potential second, and then block-level development." Using the demonstration wind farms as a vanguard, they aim to understand potential development obstacles and serve as stepping stones for later development. Of the three demonstration wind farms, only the offshore wind farm has begun construction and is nearing completion. The offshore wind farm is being developed in two phases. The first phase involved two 4MW turbines, totaling 8MW. Installation was completed in October 2016, and the project began commercial operation in April 2017. These two NT$4 billion turbines, known as "Gui Sang Sang," were installed. The second phase started in May this year, with a total of 20 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 6MW. It is expected that the installation will be completed in mid-October. The total cost of the entire wind farm (including phases one and two) is 24 billion yuan, and the cost in the later stage has been greatly reduced. However, Lin Yongyao, general manager of Shangwei New Energy, reminded that this "cannot" be directly interpreted as "20 billion to build 20 turbines" in the second phase. In addition to the factors of economic scale, the geological survey of the complete wind farm of 10 square kilometers and the substation were also carried out in the first phase, so the cost will be more expensive. Another feature of the second phase is to increase the capacity of the wind turbine installation from 4MW to 6MW. The total installed capacity remains unchanged, but the number of wind turbines is reduced.

Parliament says plastic should be reduced rather than replaced with other materials. [Image: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/0a0548bdceab9c5ada6694cca35b692cce9cf4cc/0_316_4724_2834/master/4724.jpg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=01d1c74172c6b7a346da6d9a07267a8e] Plastic waste floats on the ocean. Members of Parliament have been told that biodegradable cups are just as problematic for marine life as regular plastic cups. Photograph: Paulo Oliveira/Alamy Stock Photo. A UK parliamentary committee warns that compostable and biodegradable plastics could increase marine pollution due to a lack of infrastructure. Plastic alternatives are used by many food and beverage companies, takeaway coffee vendors, cafes, and retailers. However, experts presented evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee indicating that facilities for new packaging are not yet in place and consumers lack sufficient awareness of alternative materials. Many compostable packages produced in the UK market can only degrade in industrial composting facilities, not home composting facilities – but not all of them are sent to such facilities. Environmental groups told the committee that the rapid introduction of this…

Four years after the agreement was reached, Russia formally joins the climate agreement. Russia, the world's fourth-largest emitter, formally ratified the climate agreement, bringing an end to months of international tension over the issue. "The Russian Federation has accepted the Paris Climate Agreement and has become a full participant in this international treaty," Ruslan Edelgeriev, the president's climate advisor, told the UN Climate Summit in New York before outlining the country's climate contributions. "Russia has played a leading role in greenhouse gas reductions, reducing our total emissions by nearly half compared to a 1990 baseline. This is equivalent to 41 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, or the cumulative amount for an entire year globally." This baseline, which corresponds to the collapse of the former Soviet Union and its industry, makes it a relatively easy benchmark to demonstrate success. Edelgeriev stated, "Russia is making another significant, albeit unreflected, contribution to the fight against CO2 and CO2 storage. That contribution is a key factor: Russia's boreal forests." Despite his attempts to send the resolution to Congress, months of lobbying by businesses and representatives swayed President Putin, who bypassed the cabinet and ratified the agreement through a government agreement. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the government decree on the same day. The country's climate commitments are notoriously weak, with the Climate Action Tracker calling them "grossly inadequate." Climate policy observers in the country welcomed the decision. Alexey Kokorin, WWF Russia

The 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25) is in full swing. While parties are still debating how to set carbon pricing, more than 500 B-type companies have voluntarily pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, hoping to cool down the overheated planet. The 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25), currently being held in Madrid, Spain, will conclude today (December 13, 2019). The two-week conference focused on blue oceans and carbon pricing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated: "This is not a climate dialogue summit, we have had enough dialogue; this is not a climate 'negotiation' summit, we cannot negotiate with nature, this is a climate 'action' summit." [Image source: United Nations Climate Change] Even before COP25, global B-type companies had appealed to and urged CEOs of the Business Roundtable to "not just talk the talk, but walk the walk," inviting them to participate in "Let's Get to Work!" Companies made voluntary commitments to reduce emissions.

According to a United Nations report released today, global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record high last year, and if countries fail to take necessary action, global temperatures this century will reach 3.2 degrees Celsius, more than double the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set by the Paris Climate Agreement. The "Emissions Gap Report," released today, is one of several studies released ahead of the UN climate summit in Madrid, Spain, next week to urge world leaders to curb climate change. The Emissions Gap Report calculates the necessary reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions to meet the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned last year that failing to meet the target could lead to significant global changes, including the loss of nearly all coral reefs and most Arctic sea ice. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) pointed out in its summary of the "Emissions Gap Report" that according to the emission reduction targets currently pledged by countries, "global temperatures are expected to rise by 3.2 degrees Celsius this century, triggering widespread and devastating climate shocks." John Christensen, the lead author of the report, said at a press conference: "As grandfathers, we don't want to pass on this problem to our grandchildren.

The 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be held in Madrid, Spain, in early December. With the Trump administration's recent formal letter to the UN announcing its intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas reduction to mitigate climate change is expected to be a major focus of COP25. The Legislative Yuan's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee reviewed the Environmental Protection Administration's budget today (December 18th). Legislators Wang Yu-min, Chen Yi-min, and Wu Yu-chin, among others, offered suggestions regarding Taiwan's greenhouse gas reduction policies. Wang Yu-min pointed out that nearly five years after the enactment of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, the government's reduction strategy has not been proactive enough. "Last year's Control Yuan report also pointed out that the reduction effect was not significant, yet the Environmental Protection Administration has not revised or reviewed its related measures." Therefore, he proposed reducing the "Climate Change Response Plan" portion of the Greenhouse Gas Management Fund by NT$1 million and freezing NT$6 million. In response, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Director-General Chang Tzu-ching acknowledged that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act does indeed require review after its implementation. "The EPA will take responsibility for supervising the effectiveness of carbon reduction measures implemented by various ministries and will begin to review and revise the future direction of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act." The 2015 Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted the Paris Agreement, reaching a consensus among countries on greenhouse gas emission reduction practices. Each country is responsible for its own implementation, with emission reduction efforts reviewed every five years, and pressure exerted on countries with insufficient carbon reduction efforts through negotiations. Although Taiwan is neither a UN member nor a party to the Climate Convention or the Paris Agreement, it is committed to aligning with international practices and fulfilling its responsibility as a global citizen.

If windows of the future could capture sunlight to generate electricity, businesses and homes could potentially save significant costs. The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has developed transparent solar panels with a 12% conversion efficiency. In the near future, windows could become solar panels, transforming entire buildings into power plants. Unlike rooftop solar systems, which face aesthetic considerations, regulations, and permits, fully transparent glass solar panels could be an entry-level option upon commercialization. Consequently, many research institutions have recently begun exploring glass solar panels or integrating window and solar technology. However, existing technologies face numerous challenges. First, conversion efficiencies fall below the 20% of conventional solar panels. Furthermore, because they need to absorb a wider range of sunlight wavelengths, the technologies being developed primarily rely on emerging materials like dyes and polymers, often with brown and blue hues, and are still some time away from commercialization. Therefore, the UNIST team is looking to adapt common silicon-based solar cells, potentially opening up new opportunities for the solar market. In their research, UNIST first punched countless tiny holes in a 1-square-centimeter silicon solar cell. The holes, about 100 microns in diameter, are as thin as a human hair. This design allows 100% of sunlight to pass through, allowing the cell to absorb the light without changing its color. Ultimately, the team developed a semi-transparent silicon solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 12%. While this still falls short of 20% and the 15% threshold for commercialization, it's already superior to other transparent cells.