Regarding the federal government's requirement that plastic manufacturers and companies using plastic packaging be responsible for the recycling and reuse of plastic products, Dr. Yu-Chi Tang, a leading figure in Canada's low-carbon economy and hailed as a "low-carbon pioneer," said that businesses are more resourceful than the government, possessing more expertise, skills, and resources to improve efficiency in the recycling and reuse of plastic products. He said, "Humanity does need to do more for our home, including preventing plastic from entering the environment or ecosystem. Limiting or reducing the use of plastic bags is one way." He added, "Researching and producing low-cost alternatives to plastic materials made from biodegradable materials; recycling plastic materials as much as possible; and reducing the use of single-use plastic bags." In Taiwan, eco-friendly paper cups are now widely used. Hsu Hung-Yi, owner of the Green Nest bubble tea chain, pointed out that Taiwan has fully adopted eco-friendly paper cups to replace plastic beverage cups. Straws are made from sugarcane, and the sealing film on the beverage cups is made from corn. He said, "After replacing plastic cups with eco-friendly paper cups, bubble tea served in those cups disappeared, and the trendy cups also vanished. Furthermore, paper cups are prone to leakage and cannot preserve beverages for as long as plastic cups." Hsu Hung-yi stated that although the federal government will ban single-use plastic products by 2021, the company plans to begin using eco-friendly paper cups, straws, and sealing films imported from Taiwan next year. (Source: Ming Pao, 2019/06/)

For the first time, the installed capacity of renewable energy (including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind power) in the United States has surpassed that of coal. According to an analysis by the non-governmental organization Sun Day Campaign, in the first four months of this year, renewable energy accounted for 21.56% of total installed capacity in the U.S., while coal's share fell to 21.55%. Sun Day's analysis is based on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) latest monthly "Energy Infrastructure Update" report. In the four months ending April 30th of this year, 18 wind farms (1545MW) and 102 solar farms (1473MW) were added, along with four new hydropower plants (29MW), bringing renewable energy's share of total installed capacity in the U.S. to 21.56%. In contrast, coal's share fell to 21.55% (down from 23.04% a year ago). According to another report released by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, renewable energy is expected to generate more electricity than coal in April, partly due to seasonal factors. Meanwhile, the U.S. has significantly reduced its demand for coal. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) stated that U.S. coal consumption has fallen by 39% since peaking in 2008, and is now 40% lower than its peak.

Scientists have found a way to convert plastic waste into aviation fuel. A research team led by Lei Hanwu, an associate professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at Washington State University, melted plastic waste with activated carbon at high temperatures to produce aviation fuel. According to recent statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 million tons of plastic were collected in U.S. landfills in 2015. Since January 1, 2018, China has stopped accepting plastic from the United States and Canada for recycling and has banned the import of 24 types of solid waste, including low-density polyethylene (HDPE) used in plastic bottles. China has historically processed at least half of the world's total exports of waste paper, metals, and used plastics, amounting to 7.3 million tons in 2016. Scientists conservatively estimate that at least 4.8 million tons of plastic now enter the ocean annually worldwide. In their experiment, Lei Hanwu and his team tested low-density polyethylene. They mixed various waste plastics, such as water bottles, milk bottles, and plastic bags, and ground them into rice-grain-sized pieces. Next, the plastic pellets are placed in a tubular reactor with a temperature range of 430°C to 571°C, with activated carbon placed underneath. Carbon acts as a catalyst, accelerating the chemical reaction without being consumed by it. "Plastics are difficult to decompose, so a catalyst must be added to help break the chemical bonds. Plastics contain a large amount of hydrogen, a key component in fuels," said Lei Hanwu. Once the carbon catalyst has completed its task, it can be separated and reused for the next batch of waste plastic. The catalyst can also be regenerated after it loses its activity. Testing at different temperatures and several...

British Prime Minister Theresa May, hoping to leave a legacy before stepping down, is pushing for legislative changes to reach a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050, making the UK the first major economy to do so. May introduced an amendment to the Climate Change Act in Parliament on the 12th, which would make the UK the first Group of Seven (G7) country to enshrine net-zero carbon emissions in law. Environmental groups welcomed May's plan but expressed disappointment that it would allow the UK to meet the target through an international carbon credit mechanism. Under this mechanism, countries that exceed their targets can purchase carbon credits from other countries. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond stated that achieving the target would cost an estimated £1 trillion and could result in cuts to public service budgets. Downing Street denied Hammond's claims last week. The 2050 net-zero emissions target will be incorporated into the amendment as a statutory instrument, meaning it does not require a vote by MPs. France introduced a net-zero emissions bill this year, while other smaller countries like Finland have set a target of 2035, and Norway 2030. The UK Climate Change Commission recommends a target of 2050. However, Theresa May rejected the Commission's recommendations regarding international carbon credits, and Commission Chairman John Gummer stated last month that not using international carbon credits is "crucial."

With 2018 set to become the fourth hottest year on record, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned today that the world must take action within the next two years to avert catastrophic consequences of runaway climate change. Speaking at UN headquarters in New York, Guterres stated, "Climate change is a critical issue of our time; we are at a critical juncture." He added, "If we do not change course by 2020, we will miss the crucial opportunity to prevent runaway climate change, which will be disastrous for humanity and all the natural systems that underpin us." World leaders signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, pledging a series of measures to limit global temperature rise to below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) and to below 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.83 degrees Celsius) by the end of this century. However, recent studies suggest that the world is deviating from its original plans and may not be able to meet these targets. Guterres called on politicians, businesses, scientists, and the public to demonstrate stronger leadership to "break the deadlock" and put the world on a path towards a climate-friendly future. He said, "Too many leaders refuse to listen, and too few act on the visions put forward by scientists." In two weeks, world leaders will gather in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly. Source: Worldjounral.com (2018/09/11)

Reducing food waste is an international trend, with governments and retailers in countries like France, the UK, and Japan taking concrete actions to do so. At the recent APEC high-level meeting in Taiwan, participating member states pledged to reduce food waste by 10% by 2020 and by 50% by 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, an estimated 1.3 billion metric tons of food are lost and wasted globally each year, accounting for one-third of global food production. Furthermore, the greenhouse gas emissions from food lost and wasted globally each year exceed those of any single country. France, which wastes as much as 7 million metric tons of food annually, passed historic legislation in 2015 after a petition signed by 200,000 citizens. This legislation prohibits large supermarkets exceeding 400 square meters from discarding near-expiry food, mandates the donation of unsold food to charities, imposes a €75,000 (approximately NT$2.73 million) fine for violations, and sets a national food waste reduction target of halving food waste by 2025. To reduce food waste, the British retail giant Tesco has switched from large bags of vegetable salads to smaller packages, reduced buy-one-get-one-free promotions, decreased the quantity of bread and pastries that easily lead to food waste, and partnered with fruit farmers and consumers to extend the shelf life of fruit. They also promote how to utilize leftover bread that hasn't spoiled. Japan, which used to be a major food waste country, wasting 6.32 million metric tons of food annually, also changed its "best before" labeling method two years ago.