The World Trade Organization has approved the first change to global trade rules in years, as well as an agreement to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, in a series of commitments fraught with compromise. After six days of negotiations, the 100 trade ministers adopted seven agreements and declarations just before dawn last Friday.
Polystyrene is one of the most common forms of plastic, and one of the most difficult to recycle. The vast majority of this waste ends up in landfills or in the oceans, where it threatens marine life. Researchers have discovered that “superworms” could be the inspiration for recycling plants that mimic what larvae do – first shredding plastic, then disposing of it.
Tests have shown that tire wear produces almost 2,000 times more pollutant particles than the exhaust fumes of modern cars. Tire particles pollute the air, water and soil, and contain a wide range of toxic organic compounds, including known carcinogens. Other research suggests that these particles are a major source of the micro-plastics that pollute the oceans.
The European Parliament has approved the reduction of new car emissions to zero from 2035. This decision means that all new vehicles sold from this date onwards will have to be electric. This does not apply to combustion-powered vehicles already on the road or used cars. On the other hand, you’ll still be able to buy a thermal luxury car thanks to the “Ferrari” amendment.
But contrary to popular belief, it’s not his plane that pollutes most, but his yacht. According to a study published in 2021, this is the worst asset to own from an environmental point of view. A superyacht with a helipad, submarines and swimming pools emits around seven tonnes of CO2 a year. Bernard Arnault’s club emits 16,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, with its dance floor and golf practice.
Visiting London as part of her “Happier Than Ever” tour, Billie Eilish is organizing a 6-day climate seminar to raise awareness of sustainable practices among her fans. The event will include debates, a clothing swap, a documentary screening and discussions on veganism, as well as appearances by Dame Vivienne Westwood, Yungblud, girl in red and Emily Eavis.
Smartphones, tablets, consoles and other digital cameras to be sold within the European Union will have to be equipped with a single USB-C port. Computers will be affected from 2026, and the text also initiates future standardization of wireless charging. It will no longer be compulsory to purchase the charger with the device.
Since June, more than 60 British companies have been taking part in an unprecedented test of a week consisting of 4 days’ work and 3 days’ rest, with the aim of testing its effectiveness. The trial involves some 3,000 workers, and is a world first in terms of its scale. According to its promoters, this model offers greater flexibility and autonomy, as well as a better work-life balance.
On June 8, the European Parliament rejected three major texts of the “climate package”: the end of free greenhouse gas emission quotas (EU ETS), the introduction of a border tax and a social fund to help individuals change their car or insulate their home. Socialists, ecologists and the radical left accuse the right of watering down the EU’s environmental ambitions under pressure from lobbies.
If measures are not taken against this scourge that threatens the environment and contributes to the collapse of biodiversity, its production could almost triple by 2019, rising from 460 to 1,231 million tonnes, and that of plastic waste from 353 to 1,014 million tonnes, according to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
