The US considering social costs, the EU cleaning up fashion and positive tipping points
Happy New year! Kick it off on a positive note.
US Government Introduces the ‘Social Cost of GHGs’
This actually happened back in September, but old news can still be good news! Last year the Biden-Harris administration announced that they would be expanding the use of the Social Cost of GHGs (SC-GHG) across US agencies. Overall this policy shift puts the societal devastation caused by excessive resource extraction, burning fossil fuels, pollution etc on the table, meaning that key government decisions must now account for these previously ignored impacts. The two most significant benefits can be seen in budgeting and procurement:
Budgeting must now acknowledge and account for the damage that GHGs cause to society, thus across agriculture, public health and other sectors, budget formation will now include the measurement of emissions and thus value spending with projects that cut carbon.
In terms of procurement, the world’s largest single purchaser will now incorporate the SC-GHG into decision-making, procuring more energy-efficient, durable products and systems to reduce cost and climate impact in the long run.
We’re now seeing the results of this legislation, with the Environmental Protection Agency already using the SC-GHG as a basis to introduce new rules that will cut methane emissions by an estimated 58 million tonnes over the next 14 years.
EU clamps down on dirty practices in fashion
The EU finished 2023 on a positive note, having banned brands from destroying unsold clothes or footwear. Some of the sector’s biggest retailers, particularly the high-end brands, have long been known to burn unsold goods to prevent them from entering the second-hand market and becoming less exclusive, and thus less expensive. However, MEP Alessandra Moretti has introduced legislation which sounds like the death knell for this wasteful practice, aiming to end the model of “take, make, waste” which has driven excessive consumption for decades. The legislation will hopefully encourage manufacturers to shift to a more circular model, making and selling fewer, high-quality items, in line with, and not exceeding demand.
Positive tipping points
Tipping points are critical thresholds in Earth systems, beyond which runaway impacts can occur. At COP-28 a report was released, warning that several tipping points are close to being surpassed by global heating, with severe impacts if they are. However, the report also shed light on some positive tipping points, which if exceeded could unlock the rapid transformations needed to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change. These tipping points can exist in technological systems, such as the rapid decline in the cost of renewable energy or advances in shipping technologies. There are also political and social tipping points, such as a shift in behaviour and social norms, e.g. seeing people adopt more low or zero-carbon transport alternatives. These shifts can spread rapidly once they reach the critical threshold, so keep travelling and consuming consciously and don’t forget to shout about it!