Today, the Commission adopted a new Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy, charting a way forward to build a clean, competitive and resilient European economy. By using renewable biological resources from land and sea and providing alternatives to critical raw materials, the EU will move forward towards a more circular and decarbonised economy and can decrease dependence on fossil imports.
Eni, a global energy company, Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, the only one active in all high-tech marine industry sectors, and RINA, a multinational inspection, certification, and engineering consultancy, have signed an agreement to develop joint initiatives for the energy transition. The partnership formalises the commitment to develop joint projects, in line with the partners’ strategies, to decarbonise the maritime sector in the medium to long term with the goal of Net Zero by 2050. Additionally, the establishment of a permanent global observatory regarding future technological, regulatory, and market developments will be evaluated.
Another bad news for the European bio-based economy. Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, today announced its decision to shut down its sunliquid® bioethanol production in Podari, Romania, and to downsize related activities of the business line Biofuels & Derivatives in Germany (Straubing, Planegg and Munich).
Stora Enso has successfully issued two new EUR 500 million green bonds under its EMTN (Euro Medium Term Note) programme. The bonds have 3 and 6.25 year maturities and pay a fixed coupon of 4.00% and 4.25% respectively. The bonds are issued under Stora Enso’s new combined Green and Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework launched in May 2023. The issue price for the 3 year bond was 99.928 equivalent to a yield of 4.026% and Euro Mid-Swaps +65 basis points and for the 6.25 year bond 99.64 equivalent to a yield of 4.32% and Euro Mid-Swaps +120 basis points.
Finnish companies Metsä Group and VR are intensifying their cooperation on sustainability in logistics and have agreed a new joint target to halve emissions from transport covered by their cooperation by 2030. In addition, Metsä Group aims to transfer some of its current road transports to railways. For Metsä Group, the measures would represent a total emission reduction of around 14,000 tCO2e per year, which is equivalent to more than 25,000 average lorry journeys.
Royal DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, pledges to purchase all of its electricity worldwide from renewable sources as well as further reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own operations faster with stringent new 2030 sustainability targets.
Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, aims to halve its 2016 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own operations by 2030. The acceleration of its initial 30% reduction target is based on the strong progress over the past few years. With this step-up DSM continues to be an ambitious climate leader in its sector and the updated target provides a firm foundation for DSM to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Boeing is setting an ambitious target to advance the long-term sustainability of commercial aviation, committing that its commercial airplanes are capable and certified to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuels by 2030. Boeing has previously conducted successful test flights replacing petroleum jet fuel with 100% sustainable fuels to address the urgent challenge of climate change.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I must say how grateful I am to have been invited to be with you here today as we bring together the United Nations and the Commonwealth to discuss what we are calling The Great Reset. I would also like to thank the Permanent Representatives of Canada and Jamaica for convening this meeting and Prime Minister Trudeau for his inspiring leadership on the Green Recovery.
While it may not always seem like it, our world is slowly becoming more eco-conscious. People, and particularly those in younger generations, are recognizing the threats of climate change and looking for ways to contribute to a healing effort. There’s still a great deal of work to be done though, and right now, in the spring of 2020, we may be at something of a crossroads.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 