MoFo’s weekly Climate Links provide the latest industry updates from thought leaders and third-party sources. This week:
Europe Stands Firm Against US-Driven ESG Backlash
- Europe has so far largely resisted the anti-ESG tide, due to greater political and consumer support for greener products and a swathe of regulations that underpin the operations of the finance industry and companies in the real economy.
- The EPA issued a new rule requiring water treatment facilities to remove some specific carcinogenic chemicals, commonly referred to as PFAS or “forever chemicals.” Compliance with the rule will cost about $1.5 billion annually, according to the EPA, but other research suggests compliance could cost closer to $3.8 billion annually.
Sweden will miss its climate goals without policy changes, environment agency says
- The Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement that based on current policies the country will miss both its 2045 net zero emissions target and its shorter-term goals, and will also not fulfill its emission commitments to the European Union.
High seafood diets may come with a hefty side of ‘forever chemicals’: Study
- People who frequently consume seafood may face a heightened risk of exposure to toxic “forever chemicals,” a study has found.
The Olympics are usually a sustainability disaster. Can Paris be different?
- Organizers of the Paris Olympics have pledged that the event will be “historic for the climate,” setting a goal of generating no more than half the planet-warming emissions produced by recent Summer Games in London and Rio.
The week in climate policy: 5 updates you need to know
- The European Commission is launching a probe into five Chinese wind turbine operations in Spain, Greece, France, Romania, and Bulgaria; the Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant rule is going through changes; and more.
ESG & Climate News: Climate Rights are Human Rights
- In a historic ruling, the European Court of Human Rights decided that Switzerland’s failure to act on climate change violates human rights. This was the first time an international court determined that governments are legally obligated to meet their climate targets under human rights law and set a precedent for other cases.