ESG International Weekly News 4/22 -4/28

The LEGO Group officially opened its new LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam facility, its sixth global factory and its most environmentally sustainable to date, following a $1 billion investment.

📌 Key Highlights:

✅ Targeting 100% renewable energy by early 2026
✅ 12,400 rooftop solar panels + Vietnam’s largest battery storage for backup power
✅ Two buildings LEED Platinum certified, three LEED Gold certified
✅ First LEGO site to fully switch to paper-based brick packaging
✅ Zero landfill waste target set for the site

📣 Niels B Christiansen, LEGO Group CEO:
“This state-of-the-art site reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and innovation.”

📣 Carsten Rasmussen, COO:
“The use of battery storage and PPAs is a first for LEGO and a milestone for companies operating in Vietnam.”

The move strengthens LEGO’s renewable energy transition globally while expanding its footprint in the Asia-Pacific manufacturing network.

2.🇺🇸 U.S. Imposes Up to 3,521% Tariffs on Southeast Asian Solar Imports; SolarBank Highlights Supply Chain Strength

The U.S. Department of Commerce has finalized steep tariffs on solar products from Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand after determining unfair trade practices, with maximum combined rates reaching 3,521%.

📌 Key Tariff Highlights:

✅ Cambodia: up to 3,403.96% (CVD) + 125.37% (AD)
✅ Malaysia: up to 168.8% (CVD) + 81.24% (AD)
✅ Thailand: up to 799.55% (CVD) + 202.9% (AD)
✅ Vietnam: up to 542.64% (CVD) + 271.28% (AD)

⚡ Market and Supply Chain Impact:

✅ U.S. solar stocks surged (First Solar, Sunnova Energy, SolarEdge)
✅ Southeast Asian suppliers may shift production to Indonesia, Laos
✅ Module costs in the U.S. expected to rise $0.10–$0.15 per watt

🔍 SolarBank (NASDAQ: SUUN) Response:

• No current imports from impacted countries

• Exploring alternative sourcing from the Middle East and North America

• Anticipates higher electricity costs mitigating project risks

📣 Dr. Richard Lu, CEO of SolarBank:
"SolarBank is well-positioned to manage supply chain risks and capitalize on the growing demand for domestically sourced solar solutions."

📅 What’s Next:
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will issue a final injury determination by May 20, 2025.
 

3.🇨🇦 Canada’s Securities Regulators Pause Sustainability Disclosure Rule Development Amid Global Shifts

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) announced it will pause work on mandatory climate-related and diversity-related disclosure rules to help issuers adapt to global changes, notably delays in the EU’s CSRD and the U.S. SEC’s rollback of climate reporting rules.

📌 Key Points:

✅ Mandatory ISSB-based climate disclosure rules are paused
✅ Companies encouraged to voluntarily follow Canadian Sustainability Disclosure Standards (CSSB)
✅ CSA plans to revisit disclosure rulemaking in future years based on evolving market conditions

⚠️ Criticism from Sustainability Groups:

• Environmental Defence Canada warned that delaying climate disclosures risks leaving businesses underprepared and investors uninformed

• Calls for stronger mandatory climate risk and transition plan disclosures

📣 Stan Magidson, CSA Chair:
“Global conditions have shifted; CSA is prioritizing competitiveness and resilience for Canadian markets.”

📣 Wendy Berman, Incoming Chair of CSSB:
“Demand for credible sustainability information continues to grow, regardless of regulatory pauses.”

The move reflects Canada’s attempt to balance market competitiveness with evolving global sustainability disclosure expectations.
 

4.🇺🇸 Microsoft Buys 1.4 Million Tons of Carbon Removal from Mine Land Reforestation

Microsoft has signed a major carbon removal deal with Living Carbon, agreeing to purchase 1.4 million tonnes of credits from reforestation projects on degraded mine lands across Appalachia. The move strengthens Microsoft’s 2030 carbon negative goal and expands its portfolio of nature-based solutions.

📌 Key Highlights:

✅ 25,000 acres of abandoned mines restored to productive ecosystems
✅ Focused on carbon removal, soil and water health, biodiversity, and rural development
✅ Projects employ tailored species selection and extensive site rehabilitation

📣 Maddie Hall, CEO of Living Carbon:
“Restoring degraded mine lands is one of the most scalable nature-based climate actions in the U.S.”

📣 Brian Marrs, Senior Director at Microsoft:
“Targeted nature-based projects like this tackle systemic challenges while generating positive climate and ecological outcomes.”

📈 Microsoft’s carbon removal portfolio now includes:

• 7M tons: Chestnut Carbon afforestation project

• 3.5M tons: re.green reforestation project

• 10M+ tons: recent BECCS agreements
   

  5.🍏 Apple Cuts Product Manufacturing Emissions in Half Since 2020, Accelerating Toward 2030 Net-Zero Goal

  Apple announced major environmental milestones in its 2025 Environmental Progress Report, including a near 50% cut in product manufacturing emissions to 8.2 million tons in 2024, down from 16.1 million tons in 2020. Overall supply chain GHG emissions are down over 60% from 2015 levels, moving Apple closer to full carbon neutrality by 2030.

  📌 Key Achievements:

  ✅ 50% reduction in product manufacturing emissions in 4 years
  ✅ 18.9 GW of renewable energy capacity in supply chain, up 15% year-over-year
  ✅ 21.8M tons of GHG avoided through supplier renewable energy use in 2024, plus 2M tons via energy efficiency
  ✅ 100% recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries, 99% recycled rare earths in magnets
  ✅ 600,000 tons of waste diverted from landfills via the Zero Waste program
  ✅ New MacBook Air featuring over 55% recycled content

  📣 Lisa Jackson, VP of Environment, Policy & Social Initiatives:
  “As we get closer to 2030, the work gets even harder — and we’re meeting the challenge with innovation, collaboration, and urgency.”
  
  
  Resource:ESG TODAY,Carbon Credit