Green Top 10 – May 2022

1. Blue tires are now the new symbol of sustainability

Walking through the streets of Europe, you may have run into many bikes on your way. And some perhaps have caught your eye by the color of their tires. Blue tires are cycling the continent and are becoming more popular than ever. Swapfliets, a Dutch company renting out bicycles with blue tires, is constituting an example of the circular economy. There are 270,000 members riding the same bicycle model, and with the popularity of the iconic blue tires, these bicycles have become the new symbol of sustainability and responsibility.

source: The Next Web

2. Greta Thunberg to release a new book this autumn

The 19-year old climate activist is set to release a “go-to climate book” this autumn with the assembly of more than one hundred contributors including many economists, scientists and novelists. This book is taking a holistic approach to climate, ecological, and sustainability crises.  Since 2018 Greta Thunberg has been the face of the environmental movement and has previously published three books with the help of her parents and sister.

source: The Guardian

3. Netherlands needs 7 more Netherlands to sustain itself

Netherlands is on the verge of a progressively increasing economic distress with its limited biological resources and continuously increasing consumption. Netherlands’ resource insecurity is one of the biggest threats in their efforts for a sustainable future. The food consumption itself requires more than double the size and resources that Netherlands can offer. If 7.9 billion people lived like the Dutch, it would take 3.6 Earths to support them.

source: overshootday

4. Starbucks to become the charging station of the future

With 15.000 locations across the United States, Starbucks bets that, it can be the perfect place for EV owners to charge their cars. In 10 years, the number of electronic vehicles in the market is expected to hit 26 million, and the need for charging stations to increase tenfold. Starbucks claims that it can be the charging station of the future. In a trial run, Starbucks has partnered up with Volvo and Chargepoint, to set up 13 charging spots in their parking lots from Denver to Seattle.

source: CNBC

5. Global Banks’ Green vs. Fossil Financing

Since the announcement of the Paris Agreement in 2015, this year, the green bond sales and loans have outpaced fossil investments. With these statistics, there seems to be a transformation among the largest banks in the world, catching up to the environmental movement. Since the start of 2016 producers of renewable energy have raised almost $160 billion, this is nowhere near what the non-renewable producers have raised ($3.6 trillion). But this is an important turn in the road for a sustainable high finance sector.

source: Bloomberg

6. Goldman Sachs Completes $1.9 Billion Acquisition of ESG-Focused Asset Manager NN Investment Partners

Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment management firm, has completed the €1.7 billion acquisition of NN Investment Partners. NN IP has a specialised agenda of sustainable investing and ESG integration. With the acquisition of NN IP, Goldman Sachs seeks to complement existing investment processes and deepen sustainable strategies to deliver long-term value to its clients and shareholders.

source: ESG Today

7. Dell going to net-zero

Since 2002, Dell has been sharing their greenhouse gas emissions data and has been committed to adapting new measures to face the climate crisis for decades. It recently revealed its ambitious 2030 emissions goals and net-zero GHG emissions targets by 2050, throughout its facilities, supply chain, and product energy intensity. Dell aims to cut down their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and to use 100% renewable-sourced energy by 2040, reducing emissions to nearly zero.

source: Sustainability Mag

8. Sahibinden.com transforms its fleet for a “greener future”

Aiming to decrease its carbon footprint, sahibinden.com signed a new deal to convert its 204 vehicle company fleet to a hybrid fleet. These hybrid models cut down fuel consumption and carbon emissions by using electric engines. By transforming 79% of its vehicles into hybrid models, the company has already cut down more than 300,000 kg of its yearly carbon emission.

source: teknotalk

9. A new CSGC of Natural History is to be launched

British Department for Education confirms a new curriculum for GCSE, putting an emphasis on battling climate change. The DfE aims to teach students about the environment and organisms, as well as climate change and sustainability issues to better prepare them for “the biggest challenges facing mankind”

source: Business Green

10. Japan giants facing activist climate votes

Climate activist groups in Japan are standing up to Japan’s top firms such as SMFG, Tepco, and Mitsubishi in an effort to call for a stronger commitment to combating climate change. In a joint statement, five climate activist groups have announced that they have submitted shareholder resolutions in an attempt to drive companies away from investing in, or financing fossil fuel projects.

source: Reuters