International News. Ikea, London and Samsung make green moves

IKEA Sets Science Based GHG Emissions Target

Global furniture giant IKEA Group has announced its new greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative and will ensure the company’s goal of contributing to reaching the targets set out under the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Science Based Targets initiative is a collaboration between the CDP, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. The initiative is designed to champion and advise companies on setting environmental and emissions targets based on science, in effect going well beyond the politically negotiated Paris Accord requirements.

The three targets for 2030 that have been approved for the IKEA Group by the Science Based Targets initiative are:

• Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from IKEA Group stores and other operations by 80% in absolute terms, compared to 2016.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from IKEA Group customer and co-worker travel and customer deliveries by 50% in relative terms, compared to 2016.
• Inter IKEA Group, the worldwide IKEA franchisor and responsible for the IKEA range and supply chain, commits to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the IKEA value chain by at least 15% in absolute terms by 2030, compared to 2016. This translates to a 70% reduced climate footprint on average per IKEA product.

“Taking action on climate change is not only the right thing to do for people and the planet, it’s necessary for our long-term success as a business. Setting science-based targets will challenge us to find new and better ways, as well as drive innovation and renewal in our business. We encourage other companies to join us in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy, which boosts investment, employment and innovation,”said Pia Heidenmark Cook, Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Group. From an Indian context, with Ikea’s first store in the country weeks away from opening, the learnings from a global chain could be invaluable for local retail too.

London To Source 100% Renewable Electricity For Square Mile

According to the City of London’s governing body, London’s famous Square Mile will source 100% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources by the end of this year.

The City of London Corporation announced that it plans to source 100% renewable electricity from October 2018 onward. The City of London is set to see an increase in solar panels on City Corporation buildings and authorities are planning on investing in installations such as wind and solar farms to power the city.

Members of the City of London Corporation’s Policy and Resources Committee backed proposals that would enable their own sites across London begin to generate their own electricity, and invest in off-site renewable energy projects, as well as buy renewable energy already available on the market. Included in the buildings under the auspices of the City Corporation are social housing across six London boroughs, 10 high-achieving academies, three wholesale markets, and 11,000 acres of green space including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest.

London is already one of the world’s most eco-friendly cities.

Samsung To Go 100% Renewables in China, USA & Europe by 2020

Samsung announced that it was expanding its use of renewable energy in all its operations and intends to transition by 2020 to source 100% of its electricity needs from renewable energy sources in the US, Europe, and China making it the first electronics manufacturing company in Asia to make the move.

The move comes after months of campaigning and global protests calling on Samsung to set a renewable energy goal for its operations and supply chain.

Samsung has 17 of its 38 global manufacturing facilities, offices, and buildings in these three regions. In addition to setting its 100% renewable energy target, Samsung has also committed to seek to further increase its use of renewable energy around the world as a medium to long-term goal, and announced that it was joining the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF’s) Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles and the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Business Renewables Center.

“Samsung Electronics is fulfilling its duty as a corporate citizen by expanding and supporting the use of renewable energy, As demonstrated by our expanded commitment, we are focused on protecting our planet and are doing our part as a global environmental steward,”  said Won Kyong Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Public Affairs, Samsung Electronics

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