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Articles by Robert Hii
Opinion: Malaysia’s sustainability standard can clean up murky supply chains
The oleochemical sector produces high value materials from oils and fats. It has made huge contributions to the use of palm oil in product manufacturing. Oleochemicals are incredibly useful as, for example, additives, emulsifiers and thickeners in food, skincare and paint. But as a recent report from China Dialogue highlighted, the complexity of oleochemical supply chains may be hampering progress on sustainable palm oil.
MEPs were quick to respond to European Commission proposals labelling gas and nuclear energy as ‘green’
The leaked plans, covering the so-called ‘EU Taxonomy’, classify environmentally sustainable economic activities. Gas and nuclear have reportedly been added to that list as “transitional” sources of energy deemed essential for meeting the EU’s climate goals.
Policy Focus: Europe’s offshore energy Strategy
Europe is surrounded by water: the North, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the Black Seas as well as the Atlantic Ocean. Offshore renewable energy is also more than just windfarms and includes tidal and wave power, floating solar panels and algae biofuels. But what future role can offshore renewable energy play in securing the EU’s energy supplies and in helping the Union deliver on its ambitious climate objectives?
40 years of HIV pandemic: key learnings for the future of global health
Last 1st of December, World AIDS Day marked a rememberable 40-year milestone of fighting the AIDS/HIV pandemic on social and healthcare grounds. These years have seen significant changes in the way we approach patients, in their access to treatment and in the quality of their care. Several initiatives at international level, such as UNAIDS, Global Fund, UNITAID and MPP (Medicines Patent Pool) were activated to support this fight.
EU Regulation on Deforestation: The Case for National Certification Programs
Days after COP26, where more than 100-world leaders committed to reverse deforestation, the EU published its long-awaited proposal to help reduce the deforestation footprint of its citizens. This is a crucial commitment since the European Union is responsible for a hefty 16% of global deforestation linked to its imported goods. Moving millions of EU citizens to vote in favour of a new legislation to ensure that the products they consume do not cause deforestation.
EU Energy Policy: Practice, not theory
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is not a bad thing in theory, but for a number of reasons it risks becoming one, believes Karen Melchior. Press Association By Karen Melchior Karen Melchior (DK, RE) is a member of the Parliament's JURI and FEMM Committees 18 Aug 2021 @karmel80 The first thing to note is that the European Union lacks a geostrategic energy policy. This is because we cannot distinguish our energy policy from our foreign policy.
Offshore Energy: all of Europe should benefit from offshore generation capacity
There are few things in life that are constant. Wind is one of them; it has a huge impact on our lives. Every single day. While we cannot tame it, we must take full advantage of wind so that we can pass on a greener planet for the coming generations. Therefore, I am in favour of the European Commission’s proposal of creating 340 GW of offshore energy by 2050. One of the great aspects of wind power is that the technology is already proven.
Offshore Energy: we need a strategy to fill the sails of offshore energy generation
Offshore energy is set to play a crucial role in the fight to fulfil the EU’s climate objectives. I cannot see a way for us to get to where we want to get without tapping into the huge potential of offshore renewable energy. With the European Parliament’s report on a strategy for Offshore Renewable Energy, I have sought to deliver an ambitious response to the European Commission’s proposal. That said, it is of course a given that the Strategy represents only the starting point.
Can the Gulf diversify from oil?
Economic diversification has been the goal of all Gulf economies since they began pumping oil out of the ground. Despite the enormous riches ‘black gold’ provides, successive Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) governments have long been aware that oil wealth cannot last forever. The Covid-19 pandemic has given them the first glimmer of that future, with prices dipping to unimaginably low levels as the global lockdown took hold.
Powering the recovery
Can the Fit for 55 Package put the EU on a path to meeting its climate targets? The launch of the Fit for 55 Package is an important milestone. And in these challenging times, the concept of ‘Union’ within the European Union is more important than ever. The EU is showing strong global leadership and is taking decisions in the right direction, but we will only succeed in the fight against climate change if we act together.
India’s move towards sustainable palm oil usage
With the entire world reeling under the pandemic and people adjusting their day-to-day lives with various degrees of restrictions across the globe, talking about World Environment Day and the restoration of ecosystems might sound a bit off the track. Yet, as the world struggles to contain SARS-CoV-2, its suspected transmission from wild animals to humans is a reminder of the inextricable link between the health of nature and humans.
The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification is redefining the responsible supply chain
A new UN report entitled, "Making Peace With Nature”, finds that nearly 90 percent of all known species are threatened by climate change. Another UN report warns the world is “nowhere close” to fighting climate change. Unsurprisingly, panicked governments are adopting short-sighted solutions, and in the process are missing important templates for slowing, and even reversing, climate change.
The Case for Global Sustainability Standards for Vegetable Oils
Robert Hii explores ongoing efforts to reconcile the livelihoods of rapeseed and palm oil farmers with threats to biodiversity and climate change. A new United Nations report warns 12.5% of all plant and animal species face extinction because of a systemic failure to address climate change. A separate report from the UN flatly stated that nations are “nowhere close” to the level of action needed to fight global warming.
China’s market influence can make or break green supply chains
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The EU is walking back from anti-palm oil bigotry
Since first banning palm oil for biodiesel in March 2019, this change in the EU’s own language has come in a matter of just 19 months - a short period of time given the EU’s bureaucratic inertia. Of course, it will take some time before this new commitment filters down into formal concrete legislative and policy changes. However, this signals a new era in the EU’s relations with Southeast Asian palm oil producers.
LETTER | Agriculture in M'sia must be included in national policies on climate change
LETTER | Malaysia is missing out on one of the hottest topics on fighting climate change. While the EU, UK and North America are embracing agricultural products from beef to soy as a major stakeholder in the fight to keep global temperatures from spiking, Malaysia has not picked up on this important issue. This must be corrected quickly as the UK, which is hosting the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), has laid out world-leading ambitions to reduce its emissions.
Joe Biden: Talking about my generation
A few years ago at some boring international politics conference held at Lake Como, I skipped the five-course lunch to go for a swim. There at the infinity pool, I found Joe Biden, looking neat and trim in his swim shorts. He is a modest and easy man to talk to – and his life story is as “1968” as they come. His political awakening was as a student and young political activist in campaigns against the Vietnam War, for civil rights, against both Presidents Lyndon B.
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