Learn about the week's critical sustainability news with our clear and concise summary.
07/04/23
This past week was filled with interesting sustainability and climate news, we’ve summarised the top stories below.
New study shows that higher levels of forever chemicals increase infertility in women
A new study has found that high levels of "forever chemicals" in women's blood reduce their chances of conceiving by 40% within a year of trying,
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, have been detected in nearly all individuals subjected to testing.
PFAS are water and oil-resistant chemicals used in various products, from non-stick cookware to clothing, due to their non-degradable nature. They're known as forever chemicals, as they're slow to break down and widely present in water and soil.
These chemicals are commonly associated with adverse health effects, such as cancer, as well as damage to the liver, kidney, and thyroid.
Researchers involved in the study have urged regulation of the entire group of chemicals of which there are over 12,000 with only some of them prohibited.
In the study, PFAS have been identified in cord blood, placenta, and breast milk, making it crucial to prevent exposure to safeguard the health of women and their offspring.
The UK’s once-extinct bird experiences a successful breeding season
The UK has experienced a bumper breeding season for one of its rarest birds, the bittern.
Bitterns are a notoriously elusive bird species, and they are among the UK's loudest birds.
Their population was once critically low, with only 11 males remaining in the country in the 1990s.
Thanks to conservation efforts, the bittern population has gradually increased over the years, with 228 booming males recorded during the last breeding season.
The bittern's success story is attributed to wetland restoration, predator control, and favourable weather conditions.
While the bird's population has increased, it remains a species of conservation concern and requires ongoing conservation efforts to ensure its survival.
Britain sets out plans to become the world's first net-zero aligned financial centre
Britain has unveiled its roadmap to green its financial system, including a plan to require companies to disclose their exposure to climate change risks to prevent greenwashing.
The roadmap aims to make the UK the world's first net-zero-aligned financial centre.
A public consultation on a sustainable investment guide for investors - a taxonomy - will be held in the UK later this year, following a pause earlier this year to learn from the EU's taxonomy.
The UK government will also consult on the requirement for the largest companies to disclose their net-zero carbon transition plans, if they have one.
UK regulators will consider whether investment firms' fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of their customers could be clarified to include non-financial factors related to the transition to a net-zero economy.
PwC has warned that a voluntary approach to taxonomy may result in companies either aligning to the EU taxonomy or not complying with it at all.
Stricter carbon credits regulations to increase credibility
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market has released a disclosure framework and core quality principles to tighten regulations surrounding carbon credits, which have come under scrutiny for being sold without proper verification and for a lack of an overarching governance system.
Carbon credits are tradable permits that allow companies and countries to emit a certain amount of greenhouse gases, with the aim of reducing overall emissions.
The assessment framework demands transparent disclosure by programs on how projects calculate and measure their emissions impact, their assessment of additionality, as well as social and environmental impacts.
The rules will also require regular monitoring and reporting to ensure that the carbon credits are still valid over time (permanent) and counted only once.
Programs issuing carbon credits must follow good governance practices to ensure high-quality credits, use a registry to track each credit's unique identification from issuance to retirement, and have their emissions reductions and removals verified by independent third-party experts.
The tightening of regulations is seen as a positive development for the carbon offset market, which is expected to grow as companies and governments look for ways to achieve their net-zero targets.
