Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated on March 5th that China will take a firm stance against environmental pollution, aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions intensity by more than 3.1% this year (2015), reduce chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen emissions by 2%, and reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions by 3% and 5% respectively. In his government work report delivered at the National People's Congress, Li Keqiang stated that China will promote new energy vehicles, vigorously develop wind power, photovoltaic power, and biomass energy, actively develop hydropower, safely develop nuclear power, and develop and utilize shale gas and coalbed methane. He emphasized controlling total energy consumption and strengthening energy conservation in key sectors such as industry, transportation, and construction. He also stressed the active development of a circular economy and the vigorous promotion of resource utilization of industrial waste and domestic garbage. The report pointed out the need to win the battle against energy consumption, emission reduction, and environmental pollution. China's energy conservation and environmental protection market has enormous potential, and the energy conservation and environmental protection industry should be developed into a new pillar industry. He further emphasized the need to implement the air pollution prevention and control action plan, implement regional joint prevention and control, promote ultra-low emission retrofitting of coal-fired power plants, and promote zero growth in coal consumption in key areas. In addition to expanding the carbon emissions trading pilot program, it is also necessary to implement an action plan for water pollution prevention and control, strengthen the treatment of pollution in rivers, lakes, and seas, as well as water pollution sources and agricultural non-point source pollution, and implement full-process supervision from water source to tap. Third-party environmental pollution control should be promoted, and legislation on environmental protection taxes should be improved. According to China's key energy conservation, pollution reduction, and carbon emission reduction development plan, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) focusing on developing energy-saving, pollution-reducing, and carbon-emission-reducing equipment and components can also enhance their competitiveness and enter the Chinese domestic market. (Source: ...)

熱愛植栽的民眾應該會發現，我們生活周邊，慢慢的可以看見越來越多的建築外牆或室內牆被多樣的植物覆蓋。甚至有些走在綠色潮流前端的環保人士，在自家牆上種植可食用蔬菜或香草。在過去必須有大片平面土地才能達成的綠色植栽，由於科技的進步，轉變成只需要塑膠容器以及固定支架裝置，就可以在寸土寸金的城市裡，看見大片綠葉，或是呼吸清淨空氣。 植生牆在1930年代就已經被發明，但是，直到最近幾年，由於塑膠的用途多樣化以及民眾與大自然連結的需求增加，才漸漸普及。要建構植生牆，必須從可以盛裝植物、土壤以及水的容器開始。由於塑膠輕量、堅固、不會鏽蝕的特性，因此塑膠成為作成可大可小植生牆架構的最佳選擇。這些塑膠構成的植生牆除了成為我們生活中的小確幸外，同時也可以減少我們的環境足跡。 – 節省用水：塑膠易於塑型的特性，使得植生牆盆栽容器在設計階段，就能夠一併將滴水/澆水系統内建於盆栽容器內，藉由容器上下堆疊的特性，使水可以由上而下的重複利用，減少每次的澆水量。 -節省能源耗用：在城市裡，植生牆可以降低牆面四周的溫度，這個概念可以協助減少夏天家中的冷氣用電量。一家植生牆公司估計，如在室內放置一面大

The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC), a nonprofit organization, and the Sustainability Consortium (TSC) announced on March 2nd a collaboration to develop sustainable agricultural product standards and reporting guidelines. The aim of this collaboration is to standardize agricultural sustainability indicators and reduce the information collection and reporting burden on agricultural stakeholders. TSC has over 90 member companies across various industries, employing more than 8.5 million people and generating over $2.4 trillion in revenue. The Sustainability Consortium is a global organization whose members collaborate to drive innovation, improve the sustainability of consumer products, and lay a scientific foundation. TSC addresses environmental, social, and economic needs by developing transparent methods, tools, and strategies to foster next-generation products and supply networks. TSC also promotes reliable, sustainable, and transparent processes and systems. SISC is a nonprofit organization comprised of farmers, food companies, and other large retailers working together to promote the sustainability of agricultural product supply chains, particularly for non-bulk agricultural products. To encourage the agricultural product supply chain to contribute to environmental protection, SISC published a book on agricultural products.

The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) released its latest Horizon Scan 2015 report. The report shows that cyberattacks have become the number one threat to business continuity, as recognized by businesses. Of particular note is supply chain disruption, which rose 11 places in the threat rankings compared to last year. This annual BCI Horizon Scan report, compiled and analyzed data from 760 companies worldwide regarding their preparedness for business continuity through questionnaires. 82% of companies considered cyberattacks the number one threat, followed by 81% who were concerned about unannounced IT outages, and 75% who feared a data breach like the one experienced by Sony in 2014. A recent industry report further indicates that large multinational corporations spend an average of over $76 million annually on cybercrime, and this figure is increasing at least 10.4% annually. The top 10 global corporate threats this year are as follows: 1. Cyberattacks (Up 1 place) 2. ...

The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), whose members include major international electronics brands such as Apple, Dell, and IBM, recently partnered with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) to promote greenhouse gas reporting and reduction across the electronics industry supply chain. The EICC becomes the first industry coalition globally to collaborate with the CDP supply chain program. The EICC will encourage all companies in the electronics industry supply chain to disclose their own greenhouse gas emissions by completing the CDP supply chain questionnaire. This allows EICC members to identify greenhouse gas emission hotspots in their manufacturing processes and seek measures for emission reduction and environmental improvement. The EICC points out that collaborating with the CDP supply chain will reach the source of the electronics industry supply chain, driving energy conservation and carbon reduction across the entire industry chain. All companies in the supply chain will complete the CDP questionnaire independently, and the final score will be calculated using CDP's scoring methodology. The purpose of the score is to establish an industry baseline and identify leading companies with the best greenhouse gas performance. The CDP questionnaire is open from April 1st to July 31st each year. This year, the EICC and CDP plan to jointly release a report on greenhouse gas trends in the electronics industry and assist EICC members in establishing greenhouse gas inventory lists for their product supply chains. According to the EICC's annual report, as of [date missing], [information missing].

今日，越來越多國家改從生態著手，減少災害風險並建構氣候變遷韌性。 第3屆世界防災大會（DDR）於日本仙台落幕，世界各國200多名代表，在會中承諾以生態防災取向（Eco-DDR）減緩災難風險，並探討生態減災取向的挑戰與機會，以及往後如何加速實踐生態減災、建構全球的災難韌性。 聯合國全球災害風險減災評估報告第15版中記載，解決環境退化問題、重建紅樹林和森林等生態系統以緩衝災害，以及擴大環境衝擊評估，都是2015後的重要減災議題。 強化濕地、海岸功能 國際計畫投入1億美金 「超過95%的災難和水有關，因此可透過永續管理溼地減少災難風險。」溼地國際組織執行長Jane Madgwick說。 海地內政部民防局長Alta Jean Baptiste強調永續管理海岸線的重要性，尤其是海地這樣的發展中島國。海地環境部與聯合國環境規劃署合作，保護海岸和海洋生態系統，透過漁業和海洋觀光業賺取具有永續性的收入，並加強地方的災難韌性。 由世界銀行和聯合國共同管理，全球最大的環境計劃基金──全球環境基金（GEF），更承諾投入1億美金的資金，資助布吉納法索、斯里蘭卡和哥倫比亞的Eco-DRR計畫。GEF執行長Nao

Walmart launched its Sustainability Leaders Shop yesterday (February 24th), offering eco-conscious consumers a wider selection of products. This shop also serves as a way for Walmart to communicate its Sustainability Index to consumers. The Walmart Sustainability Index, developed in 2009 in partnership with The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), is a set of supplier sustainability metrics used to evaluate the overall performance of supplier companies, rather than individual products. The metrics include environmental and social aspects. Previously, these metrics were only used for Walmart's supply chain management; however, with the establishment of the Sustainability Leaders Shop, the Walmart Sustainability Index has become a standard for identifying whether suppliers are fulfilling their corporate social responsibility in both environmental and social aspects. Products listed on the Sustainability Leaders Shop will have a special badge on their photos. Compared to other manufacturers of similar products, manufacturers whose products receive the Sustainability Leaders badge have the highest sustainability index score or at least 80 points (out of 100). However, the Sustainability Leader Label is an affirmation of a product manufacturer's sustainability practices and does not imply that its products are more environmentally friendly than other similar products.

A recent Global Risks report published by the World Economic Forum listed the "Top Ten Threats to Global Stability" for the next 10 years. Many familiar issues are included, such as high unemployment, war, and infectious diseases, with the water crisis being one of the most pressing global crises. California's water shortage threatens global food scarcity. Decreasing water resources and intensifying competition are impacting both developed and developing countries. Regional water scarcity not only directly affects local communities but can also trigger global consequences. For example, water scarcity in the United States could affect global food trade, including grains, fruits, and nuts. The US produces 32% of the world's corn and 31% of its soybeans, both crucial food crops. Therefore, water scarcity in California, the largest agricultural state in the US, could affect global product prices and availability. Rising water prices further attract industrial and energy sectors to compete for water. Whether in the US or globally, competition for agricultural and industrial water is worsening. Factors such as population growth, urbanization, and climate change are driving competition for limited freshwater resources from power generation, chemical production, and oil and gas fields. Power generation is inextricably linked to local water resources and is a highly water-intensive industry. According to the MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Global Sustainability Study, power generation facilities consume 11 times more water than all other industries combined.

In 2015, at least 28 U.S. state governments will promote regulations or policies related to the management of chemicals related to consumer products, according to the latest report by the U.S. environmental group Safer States. As large retail chains in the U.S. such as Walmart have begun requiring their suppliers to disclose and manage substances of high concern (SVHC) in their products, as many as 12 states will consider legislation requiring manufacturers to identify, disclose, and/or eliminate chemicals of concern compared to a few state governments that will set limits on specific chemicals. State governments expected to implement disclosure policies include: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. The specific categories of chemicals that have attracted much attention mostly belong to flame retardants, plastic components and preservatives in cosmetics and consumer goods, such as formaldehyde. 12 state governments Alaska, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Washington and District

Apple recently released its 2015 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, which summarizes 633 supply chain audits completed in 2014, covering over 1.6 million supply chain workers in 19 countries and regions. This represents a 40% increase in the number of audited suppliers compared to 2013. The report details Apple's Supplier Code of Conduct and reveals the results of supply chain audits based on these guidelines. It reveals that 15 factories were shut down for serious violations of Apple's guidelines. Of these, three factories were shut down for repeated violations of environmental regulations or failure to provide formally approved Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Suppliers must obtain new permits from local environmental authorities before resuming operations. Five factories were shut down for directly emitting untreated exhaust gases into the atmosphere. Apple stated in the report that these factories subsequently installed exhaust gas filtration equipment and implemented exhaust gas treatment regulations to ensure that their emissions meet environmental regulations. The other seven plants were found to have discharged untreated wastewater into storm drains and sewage treatment systems. These plants must install wastewater collection and treatment systems before resuming operations. Other environmental audit findings also included...

Ocean enthusiasts and fashion lovers have joined forces for "The Vortex Project," a new opportunity to transform ocean plastic waste into fashionable denim apparel. The project, named after the "Pacific Trash Vortex," known as the world's largest landfill, focuses on recycling plastic waste from coastlines and the ocean, enhancing its reuse to produce yarn, fabrics, and other consumer products. One of the project's sponsoring partners, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, partnered with eco-friendly apparel company Bionic Yarn to launch "The Vortex Project" at the American Museum of Natural History during New York Fashion Week this month. Addressing over 300 fashion industry figures and media representatives, Ocean Keeper's Secretary Paul Watson stated, "Plastic is suffocating the ocean and marine life at an unprecedented rate. Straws, single-use plastic bags, plastic rings from six-pack beverage containers, bottle caps, and other plastic waste either entangle marine life or clog their digestive systems, leading to the death of these beautiful creatures. We hope this project will open up many meaningful opportunities for collaboration in the future." The "Whirlpool Project" will involve Ocean Keeper's Association in collecting, developing, innovating, and advocating for innovation, and will collaborate with Ocean Keeper's Association chapters around the world to launch...

Singapore, Seoul, and Hong Kong ranked among the top 10 most environmentally friendly and economically sustainable cities globally, placing 10th, 7th, and 8th respectively. Arcadis, a Netherlands-based global natural and architectural asset design firm, collaborates annually with the UK-based Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) to assess 50 leading cities worldwide using a triple bottom line—environmental, economic, and social indicators—and publishes the Sustainable Cities Index report. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 cities, besides the three Asian cities mentioned above, are all located in Europe: Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany ranked 1st and 6th respectively, London in the UK ranked 2nd, Copenhagen in Denmark ranked 3rd, Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands ranked 4th and 5th respectively, and Madrid in Spain ranked 9th. Arcadis points out that the triple bottom line, assessing cities' performance across three different dimensions—economic, environmental, and social—is currently the best evaluation method. Through several sub-projects belonging to these three dimensions, each city receives an overall score, allowing stakeholders to understand where the city can further improve. Singapore, for example, scored highly in both the environmental and economic dimensions. The environmental dimension indicators include urban...

China's new energy vehicle industry is expected to enter a period of rapid growth. The Ministry of Science and Technology of China released the "Implementation Plan for the National Key R&D Program on New Energy Vehicles (Draft for Comments)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), which aims to establish a complete electric vehicle system and industrial chain by 2020 and achieve a target of 5 million new energy vehicles. Analysis suggests that China's new energy vehicle market is expected to surpass the US market in the next one or two years, becoming the world's largest. However, the promotion of new energy vehicles still faces significant obstacles in second-, third-, and fourth-tier cities. According to a report by China News Service, data shows that in January of this year, China produced 6,599 new energy vehicles, a nearly five-fold increase year-on-year. Among them, pure electric sedans accounted for 2,108 units, a nearly five-fold increase year-on-year; plug-in hybrid electric sedans accounted for 2,278 units, a nearly seven-fold increase year-on-year; pure electric commercial vehicles accounted for 1,343 units, a nearly six-fold increase year-on-year; and plug-in hybrid electric commercial vehicles accounted for 870 units, a nearly two-fold increase year-on-year. Industry insiders point out that China and the United States have become the world's largest new energy vehicle markets. Although China's new energy vehicle sales lagged behind the United States by 40,000 units in 2014, due to the policy dependence inherent in new energy vehicles and China's uniquely efficient policy system, China's new energy vehicle market will surpass the US market in the next one or two years to become the world's largest. Among consumers in second-, third-, and fourth-tier cities, most believe that the local air quality is currently good, unlike the severe pollution in first-tier cities. Meanwhile, electric vehicles with the same configuration...