Major international firms set to miss carbon-neutral targets
Amazon, Ikea, Nestle, and Google are just some of the 25 companies which will most likely miss their own carbon neutrality targets, according to new research. Amazon, for instance, has claimed that they will be 100% powered by clean energy by 2025, but the research suggests that these companies will only reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by around 40% on average. Considering these companies collectively account for about 5% of global CO2 emissions, their commitments, if fulfilled, would result in a tangible impact.
China opens first vertical forest
In other news, China has launched the new ‘Vertical Forest City’: tower blocks home to 500 people and 5,000 trees. The vertical forest will absorb an estimated 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide while emitting 10 tonnes of oxygen every year. Architect Stefano Boeri has said that the buildings integrate “plant landscape with the architectural dimension”. The benefits of greenery in our cities have long been proven and include reducing depression and anxiety.
Chinese and Indian Gen Z are more environmentally conscious
With China and India being some of the largest polluters in the world, it could perhaps be expected that their citizens are somewhat indifferent to their environmental damage. However that’s not the case, according to Credit Suisse Research Institute report on 10 countries, 5 developed and 5 developing. For instance, over 15% of respondents from China and India reported that all of their purchases were sustainable. Overall, respondents showed that they recognised the environmental damage from fast fashion, but were still unlikely to take action. However, over half of Chinese respondents said that they would buy less fast fashion.
