2Sustain

The world’s highest rates of deforestation, a key factor to rising atmospheric CO₂ levels and subsequent climate change, are occurring in the emerging economies of Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria, according to research released earlier this month by risk analysis and mapping company Maplecroft.

Maplecroft’s new  Deforestation Index concludes that economic growth, poverty, corruption and the rise of biofuels are among the major causes of deforestation in nine countries which Maplecroft now classifies as “extreme risk.”

These endangered nations are:

Rank      Country

1           Nigeria

2           Indonesia

3           North Korea

4           Bolivia

5           Papua New Guinea

6           Democratic Republic of Congo

7           Nicaragua

8           Brazil

9           Cambodia

The report also details specific challenges faced by different countries.

For example, (more…)

Climate change threatens American cities with a variety of water-related risks, ranging from drought to sea level rise and increased rainfall, according to a new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The report, Thirsty for Answers: Preparing for the Water-related Impacts of Climate Change in American Cities, found that climate change will impact water supplies and waterways in communities across the country, with geography often determining the specific effects.

The first of its kind, this peer-reviewed report compiles the results of more than 75 scientific studies, data generated by government agencies and information gathered by other nonprofit organizations. Specifically, it analyzes how climate change will impact water supplies and waterways in 12 target cities:

• Boston, Massachusetts
• Chicago, Illinois
• Homer, Alaska
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida, and the Florida Keys
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• New York, New York
• Norfolk, Virginia
• Phoenix, Arizona
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington
• St. Louis, Missouri

The NRDC says climate change impacts are likely to include: (more…)

Last month, the athletic apparel company PUMA announced its first “environmental profit and loss statement.” PUMA’s CEO Jochen Zeitz explained the decision by insisting that, in order to remain profitable, companies must integrate into their business models the true costs of relying on nature.

PUMA’s move is an example of “corporate ecosystem valuation,” the process of businesses making strategic decisions by assigning a financial price to both ecosystem degradation and the services that ecosystems provide. For example, clean water and forests provide services like erosion control, CO2 absorption, and food.

But, why would companies consider adding a value to resources like water or timber? After all, these are not line items an analyst typically finds on a balance sheet. Data from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) tells part of the story: (more…)

Back in 2007, China earned the dubious distinction of overtaking the US as the world leader in greenhouse gas emissions.

Since then, it seemed there would be “no end in sight.” As China’s economy continues to soar, won’t its energy use and GHG emissions follow the same trajectory?

Surprisingly, a new analysis by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) suggests the answer to that question is a rather emphatic “no.”

According to the research, China’s energy use will level off well before mid-century, even as its population edges past 1.4 billion. Why? Because, somewhere between 2030 and 2035, China will: 1) reach a “saturation” point with regard to consumer goods, and 2) develop alternative energy sources.

For example, the study predicts that before 2050: (more…)

Late last month, The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced a set of five ambitious sustainability goals for the forest products industry.

Published as Better Practices, Better Planet 2020, the AF&PA says these goals are the most extensive and quantifiable set of sustainability goals for any major manufacturing industry in the US. Specifically, by 2020, the AF&PA wants the industry to: (more…)