ESG International Weekly News 11/25 - 12/1

Resource:ESG NEWS, CARBONCREDIT.com

1.95% of World’s Top 250 Companies Now Publishing Carbon Targets: KPMG Report
全球前250大公司中，95%現已公佈碳減排目標：KPMG 報告
 

KPMG’s 2024 Survey of Sustainability Reporting reveals significant strides in ESG integration among global corporations, with 95% of G250 companies now publishing carbon reduction targets and 56% employing dedicated sustainability leaders. The survey highlights key trends, including a shift towards mandatory sustainability reporting, growing use of double materiality frameworks, and increasing adoption of biodiversity reporting. European companies lead in preparing for regulations like the EU’s CSRD, with many voluntarily adopting ESRS standards. Despite mandatory frameworks on the rise, voluntary standards such as GRI and TCFD remain widely used. Biodiversity reporting has doubled over four years, with 50% of G250 and N100 companies now disclosing related metrics. KPMG emphasizes that proactive ESG reporting positions businesses for long-term value creation and effective responses to global challenges.

KPMG 的《2024年可持續性報告調查》顯示，全球企業在 ESG 整合方面取得顯著進展，95%的 G250 公司現已公佈碳減排目標，56%設有專職可持續性領導人。報告指出，企業正轉向強制性可持續性報告，包括越來越多使用雙重重要性框架以及生物多樣性報告的普及。歐洲公司在應對歐盟 CSRD 等法規方面處於領先地位，許多企業提前採用 ESRS 標準。儘管強制性框架正在興起，但 GRI 和 TCFD 等自願性標準依然流行。生物多樣性報告在過去四年翻倍，50%的 G250 和 N100 公司現已披露相關數據。KPMG 強調，主動進行 ESG 報告能幫助企業創造長期價值，並有效應對全球挑戰。

2.ExxonMobil to Expand Advanced Recycling Capacity to 1 Billion Pounds by 2027
埃克森美孚計劃將其先進回收能力擴展至2027年的每年10億磅
 

ExxonMobil is investing over $200 million to expand its advanced recycling facilities at its Baytown and Beaumont sites in Texas, adding 350 million pounds of annual recycling capacity. This expansion will increase the company's global capacity to 500 million pounds by 2026, with a goal of reaching 1 billion pounds annually by 2027 through additional facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia. Advanced recycling targets hard-to-recycle plastics, converting them into raw materials for new products and promoting a circular economy. Since 2022, ExxonMobil has processed more than 70 million pounds of plastic waste at its Baytown facility. This investment reinforces ExxonMobil’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in addressing the global plastic waste challenge.

埃克森美孚投資超過2億美元，擴建位於德州 Baytown 和 Beaumont 的先進回收設施，新增每年3.5億磅的回收能力。此舉將使公司在2026年實現每年5億磅的全球回收容量，並目標於2027年達到10億磅，計劃在北美、歐洲和亞洲建立更多設施。先進回收技術專門處理難以機械回收的塑料，將其轉化為用於新產品的原材料，推動塑料循環經濟。自2022年 Baytown 設施啟用以來，公司已處理超過7000萬磅塑料廢料。此次投資彰顯埃克森美孚在創新與可持續性方面的承諾，致力於解決全球塑料廢料挑戰。

3.Equinix Raises $1.2 Billion in Green Bonds, Now a Top 5 U.S. Issuer
數字基礎設施Equinix 發行額外 11.5 億歐元的綠色債券，成為美國投資級綠色債券市場的前五大發行者之一
 

Equinix, a leader in digital infrastructure, has issued an additional €1.15 billion in green bonds, bringing its total issuance to $6.9 billion and ranking it among the top 5 U.S. issuers in the investment-grade green bond market. The proceeds will fund or refinance projects under its 2024 Green Finance Framework, including green building development, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and resource conservation. In 2023, Equinix maintained 96% renewable energy coverage, improved power usage effectiveness (PUE) by over 8%, and secured a spot on the CDP Climate Change A List for the second consecutive year. Through initiatives like its Future First sustainability strategy, Equinix continues to lead in sustainable digital infrastructure, aiming to maximize environmental impact while benefiting customers and stakeholders.

數字基礎設施領導者 Equinix 發行額外 11.5 億歐元的綠色債券，使其總發行額達到 69 億美元，成為美國投資級綠色債券市場的前五大發行者之一。所得資金將用於根據其 2024 年綠色金融框架，資助或再融資包括綠色建築開發、可再生能源、能源效率提升及資源保護等項目。2023 年，Equinix 全球能源覆蓋率達 96%，能源使用效率（PUE）提高超過 8%，並連續兩年登上 CDP 氣候變化 A 級名單。透過其 Future First 可持續發展策略，Equinix 持續投資於推動能源效率、可再生能源和熱能出口的創新技術，鞏固其在可持續數字基礎設施領域的領導地位。

4.COP29 Key Outcomes: Milestones, Setbacks, and What Comes Next for Global Climate Action
第29屆氣候大會（COP29）關鍵成果：里程碑、挫折及全球氣候行動的未來發展
 

COP29 in Baku delivered a blend of achievements and challenges, making significant progress in climate finance and carbon markets while deferring crucial decisions on fossil fuel transitions and the global stocktake to COP30 in Brazil. Key highlights include:

1. Climate Finance:

   • Developed nations committed to mobilizing $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035, incorporating public and private funds, but this fell short of the $1.3 trillion demand from developing nations.
   • The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) was introduced, replacing the $100 billion annual target set at COP15. This dynamic, needs-based approach aims to address financing gaps, particularly for developing nations transitioning to low-carbon economies.
   • Contentions persisted over the scope and responsibility for funding, with developed countries pushing for broader contributions, while developing nations insisted on equitable financing and prioritized support for vulnerable regions.

2. Carbon Markets:

   • Article 6 of the Paris Agreement was fully operationalized after a decade of negotiations, enabling trusted international carbon markets.
   • Article 6.2 established bilateral carbon credit trading rules, requiring stringent "corresponding adjustments" to avoid double-counting of emissions reductions.
   • Article 6.4 introduced the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM), a centralized market under UN supervision. PACM includes safeguards like additionality checks and baseline adjustments, ensuring genuine emissions reductions and addressing flaws of past mechanisms like the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
   • A "Share of Proceeds" mechanism was adopted, allocating 5% of transaction volumes and 3% of issuance fees to the Adaptation Fund, supporting climate resilience in vulnerable regions.

3. Adaptation Efforts:

   • The "Baku Adaptation Roadmap" was adopted, focusing on scaling resilience through enhanced governance and financing. However, financial commitments were deferred, and disagreements over "means of implementation" led to procedural compromises.
   • National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) discussions stalled, with substantive decisions postponed to 2025. The adaptation fund received additional pledges but remains underfunded compared to growing demands.

4. Loss and Damage Fund:

   • Operationalized at COP29, this fund aims to support nations affected by climate-induced disasters. Despite pledges totaling $759 million, it drew criticism for insufficient funding compared to projected annual damages of $1.7–$3.1 trillion by 2050. Innovative funding sources, such as levies on fossil fuel exports, were discussed but remain unfinalized.

5. Global Stocktake and Mitigation Work Programme:

   • The global stocktake highlighted progress toward the Paris Agreement goals but faced challenges over fossil fuel transition commitments. Developed nations pushed for stronger language on phaseouts, while some oil-producing nations resisted.
   • The Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) focused on enhancing renewable energy and fossil fuel phaseout discussions but lacked substantial new commitments, with negotiations stalled on integrating global stocktake outcomes.

6. Political Context and Challenges:

   • The re-election of Donald Trump in the U.S. created uncertainty about continued American participation in the Paris Agreement, influencing negotiations.
   • Political tensions and divergent national interests complicated consensus-building on key issues like climate finance and fossil fuel transitions.

Outlook for COP30:
The upcoming COP30 in Brazil will address unresolved issues from Baku, including stronger commitments to fossil fuel phaseouts, adaptation financing, and equitable climate strategies. COP29’s advancements in carbon markets and the operationalization of Article 6 provide a foundation for enhanced global collaboration, but the gaps in ambition and funding will require renewed efforts to align with the 1.5°C target.

第29屆氣候大會（COP29）在巴庫取得了重要進展，但也面臨挑戰，特別是在化石燃料轉型及全球盤點問題上，關鍵決策被推遲至巴西的COP30。以下是主要成果和詳情：

1. 氣候融資：

   • 發達國家承諾到2035年每年向發展中國家提供3000億美元，包括公共和私人資金，但這低於發展中國家要求的1.3萬億美元目標。
   • 新集體量化氣候融資目標（NCQG）取代了COP15設定的每年1000億美元的舊目標，採用動態需求導向模式，旨在解決資金缺口，特別是支持發展中國家向低碳經濟轉型。
   • 關於資金責任的分歧持續，發達國家倡導更廣泛的貢獻，而發展中國家強調公平融資和優先支持脆弱地區的重要性。

2. 碳市場：

   • 第6條全面啟動，建立了可信的國際碳市場機制。
   • 第6.2條確立了雙邊碳信用交易規則，強制實施“相應調整”，防止排放減少的重複計算。
   • 第6.4條設立了《巴黎協定碳信用機制》（PACM），由聯合國監管，確保碳減排項目具備額外性及基線調整等保護措施，以彌補《清潔發展機制》（CDM）過去的缺陷。
   • 採用“交易分成”機制，將5%的交易量和3%的發行費用分配給適應基金，用於支持脆弱地區的氣候韌性。

3. 適應工作：

   • 通過了“巴庫適應路線圖”，專注於提升韌性和資金治理。但對“實施手段”的爭議導致財務承諾推遲。
   • 國家適應計劃（NAPs）討論因分歧拖延，實質決策推遲至2025年。適應基金雖獲得新增承諾，但資金仍不足以應對日益增長的需求。

4. 損失與損害基金：

   • 該基金正式啟動，旨在支持受氣候災害影響的國家，雖籌集7.59億美元，但被批評遠不足以應對每年1.7至3.1萬億美元的損失預估。創新資金來源如化石燃料出口稅討論仍未定案。

5. 全球盤點與緩解工作計劃（MWP）：

   • 全球盤點顯示各國在《巴黎協定》目標上的進展，但在化石燃料轉型承諾上分歧嚴重。
   • 緩解工作計劃強調可再生能源推廣及化石燃料削減，但未能提出新的實質承諾，相關談判陷入僵局。

6. 政治背景與挑戰：

   • 美國特朗普政府的連任可能影響美國對《巴黎協定》的承諾，為談判增添不確定性。
   • 政治緊張和國家利益分歧使關鍵議題的共識建設變得複雜。

展望COP30：
巴西的COP30將重點討論巴庫未解決的議題，包括化石燃料削減承諾、適應資金及公平氣候戰略。COP29在碳市場及第6條啟動上的進展為全球合作奠定了基礎，但實現1.5攝氏度目標所需的資金及行動仍需更多努力。