PoliticsGermany

Germany updates: Merz backs not flying rainbow flag

Kieran Burke with dpa, AP, AFP, ReutersPublished 07/02/2025Published July 2, 2025last updated 07/02/2025last updated July 2, 2025

Germany’s chancellor supported the move not to fly the rainbow flag on the Reichstag building, saying "the Bundestag is not a circus tent." Meanwhile, Germans try to keep cool amid heatwave conditions. DW has more.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmJCThe German chancellor supported the decision made by the president of Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, not not to fly the flag on the ReichstagImage: Jörg Carstensen/dpa/picture allianceAdvertisementSkip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said only the national flag and the European flag could be flown on the building housing Parliament and that people could fly whatever flag they wished on their own doorstep.

A few days ago, conservative Bundestag President Julia Klöckner announced the flag would not be flown on the Reichstag building to mark Pride celebrations.

Meanwhile, Germany along with other European countries, is bracing for more extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach 40-degrees in some parts.

Below, you can catch up with the latest mix of news, analysis and background articles that has Germany talking on Wednesday, July 2.

Skip next section Dozens rescued from German train07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Dozens rescued from German train

As Germany and Europe grapple with a days-long heat wave, some 48 passengers had to be rescued from a train in the town of Elsfleth in northern Germany on Tuesday evening after it became stuck on a rail bridge.

The train was forced to make the unplanned stop due to a technical fault, which also caused the air conditioning to work at limited capacity.

As the carriages became hotter and hotter, the passengers called the local emergency rescue services, who were able to extract them from the bridge.

State police and ambulances rushed to the site to attend to the passengers and crew. Two teenage passengers had to be taken to a local hospital but no one was seriously hurt.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmUHSkip next section Wednesday expected to be hottest day of the year in Germany07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Wednesday expected to be hottest day of the year in Germany

Extreme heat warnings have been issued for parts of the country by the German Weather Service (DWD) with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

“It is quite possible that we will locally reach 40 degrees,” A DWD spokesman said.

As a result of the high temperatures, the risk of forest fires would rise on Wednesday, the DWD said, however, that would drop on Thursday, when cooler weather was expected.

According to the DWD, it is not just the heat that is cause for concern; thunderstorms are also expected in parts of the south by midday.

Health experts have cautioned that young children and older adults are particularly vulnerable to higher temperatures.

Europe bakes under ‘heat dome’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmLiSkip next section Merz supports not flying rainbow flag on German parliament during Pride07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Merz supports not flying rainbow flag on German parliament during Pride

Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz has supported a move not to fly the rainbow flag — a symbol of the LGBTQI+ community — on the Reichstag building in Berlin during Pride celebrations.

Days ago, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) announced that the rainbow Pride flag would not fly from the parliament building, the Reichstag, on Christopher Street Day on July 26, as it has done for the past couple of years.

Klöckner also decided that LGBTQ+ members of the Bundestag administration were not to attend the CSD parade in an official capacity.

The decision not to raise the flag at parliament was criticized by opposition parties the environmentalist Greens and the socialist Left Party, among others.

When asked about that decision, Merz told German public broadcaster ARD on Tuesday that “the Bundestag is not a circus tent” on which flags can be hoisted at will.

“On all other days, the German flag and the European flag are flown on the German Bundestag, and no others. And this decision is the right one,” Merz said.

Everyone can fly whatever flags they want on their own doorstep, said the chancellor. “But we’re talking about the German parliament here, and in the German parliament, we don’t fly any flags every day, but the German national flag and the European flag,” he said.

While you’re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmKVSkip next section Germany’s Daimler Truck planning vehicle assembly operation in Senegal07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Germany’s Daimler Truck planning vehicle assembly operation in Senegal

Commercial vehicle manufacturing giant, Daimler Truck, announced that it had signed a letter of intent to have lorries from various Mercedes-Benz series assembled in the West African country of Senegal. 

The manufacturer said it is supporting the establishment of an assembly plant in the West African state and will then supply components that will be assembled there.

“With this project, our vehicles will enter the Senegalese market in close coordination with the German Federal Government. The delivery of CKD kits for on-site assembly, the transfer of know-how and comprehensive technical advice are our contributions to a successful, partnership-based cooperation,” said Franziska Cusumano, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.

The plant is intended to supply special vehicles for defence, disaster relief and municipal tasks for the Senegalese market. 

Daimler Truck currently has locations on the continent in South Africa and Kenya.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmQASkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Kieran Burke with dpa, AP, AFP, Reuters | Zac Crellin Editor

Guten Morgen from a sweltering Bonn.

In today’s coverage from Germany you can read more about the decision not to fly the rainbow flag on the Reichstag building in Berlin.

With severe weather warnings in place for much of the country, we’ll be keeping track of how people are coping as the mercury looks set to hit the 40 degree mark in some parts.

For all of the latest news from Germany, stay tuned here.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmJVKieran Burke News writer and editor focused on international relations, global security and law enforcement.Send us your feedbackYour feedback

---

Sursa: DW

ClimateGlobal issues

Extreme heat’s hidden health and economic toll

Sam Baker07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Heat waves are deadly. As they grow more intense and frequent, their toll is mounting, from overwhelmed hospitals to lost labor hours. But countries can adapt to protect lives and the economy.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wS3JOutdoor workers in India are exposed to dangerously high temperatures and humidityImage: Satyajit Shaw/DWAdvertisement

In a country of 1.4 billion people — where at least half of the labor force works outdoors and only 10% come home to air conditioning — heat is more than a discomfort. It’s a threat to the economy, livelihoods, and health.

“Heat waves have been increasing in India, spreading into new geographies and occurring earlier than expected,” said Purnamita Dasgupta, Chair Professor of Environmental Economics at the University of Delhi. In such heat waves,  temperatures can exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). 

As temperatures rise, productivity falls. In 2023 alone, India lost 182 billion potential labor hours to extreme heat, according to the Lancet, a medical journal. By 2030, it could lose the equivalent of 34 million full-time jobs.

Agriculture and construction will be the hardest hit, but the risks go beyond outdoor work. Poorly ventilated homes in densely populated areas trap heat, making it difficult for anyone to recover from the day’s high temperatures.

Some local authorities in India are introducing rules requiring employers to provide shade, breaks, and water in hot weather Image: Priyanshu Singh/REUTERS

Governments are beginning to respond. Some local authorities are issuing rules requiring employers to provide shade, breaks, and water. A few employers are acting independently to restore lost productivity.

“But the reality is that in most cases, productivity does fall,” said Dasgupta. At 35 degrees Celsius, a worker “operating at moderate work intensity loses about 50% of his or her work capacity.”

When scaled across an economy, that decline becomes a massive economic drag.

The global toll of heat on growth

In 2021, heat caused income losses of roughly $159 billion across sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, services, and construction — 5.4% of India’s GDP, according to advocacy group Climate Transparency. Similar losses are projected for countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Pakistan by 2030.

These losses are particularly threatening for developing nations with ambitious growth targets, like India’s goal of becoming fully developed by 2047.

And the problem is global. Heat-related economic loss is already costing the US about $100 billion a year. That figure is expected to reach $500 billion annually within 25 years, according to US think tank the Atlantic Council. In Europe, heat waves have already shaved 0.3 to 0.5% off GDP. That may not seem like much, but if efforts to adapt to heat lag, losses could increase fivefold by 2060.

Heat and health: A silent emergency

Heat doesn’t just harm economies — it endangers lives. A single day of extreme heat across India leads to an estimated 3,400 excess deaths. A five-day heatwave pushes that number to about 30,000, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, is already experiencing deadly consequences. In summer 2022 alone, high temperatures led to 61,000 excess deaths, many among the elderly.

“We all think of heat exhaustion and heat stroke — see that person collapsing at the end of a long run on a hot day — and those are the obvious ones,” said Dr. Sandy Robertson, an emergency physician in the UK. “But actually, the biggest part of the illness that we get is a couple of days after.”

In India, Dasgupta said low-income workers she interviewed often don’t even make it to a doctor for heat-related illness because they don’t realize they need help. During heat waves in the UK, Robertson sees a spike in stroke victims, respiratory issues, heart attacks — even assault injuries, as violence tends to rise with temperatures. Prolonged heat exposure is also linked to kidney disease, poor mental health, and impaired cognitive function.

Health workers aren’t immune to the heat, either. Many UK hospitals lack air conditioning. When temperatures inside wards exceed 26 C, it leads to overheating events that compromise patient safety, strain staff, and cause equipment failures, including fridges that store lifesaving medicine.

A heat stroke patient undergoes treatment in Chennai, IndiaImage: Pugazh Murugan/ Matrix Images/picture alliance

“We’ve seen hospitals have their IT systems completely crash because they’ve overheated,” said Robertson. “If you’re also facing a busy department and the heat itself, and it’s already a stressful day, the systems that you rely upon to look after your patients going down makes it even more difficult and kind of more chaotic. It turns into a perfect storm.”

Robertson recommends simple protective steps when it gets hot, like checking if medications affect the body’s heat tolerance, looking in on elderly neighbors, and cooling homes by ventilating at night and closing blinds by day.

Designing cities to mitigate the health impacts of heat waves 

Stifling, dangerous temperatures that cause emergency departments to fill are more likely in cities. Asphalt, concrete and other urban infrastructure absorb and release heat much more than natural spaces like woodland. In particularly dense cities with few green spaces, this urban heat island effect sends daytime temperatures soaring by up to 7 F (3.9 C) compared to outlying areas.

One way to combat heat’s deadly effects is air conditioning, which can be essential, particularly for vulnerable populations, like the elderly. But if AC runs on electricity from fossil fuels, it contributes to the greenhouse gas emissions heating the planet and worsening the heat waves in the first place. AC also worsens the heat island effect, raising nighttime outdoor temperatures by about 1 C.

Instead, smart design for heat that incorporates lots of green space and other simple hacks are important on the city level, said Nick Rajkovich, an architect and associate professor at the University of Buffalo.

In Seville, Spain, narrow streets create shade and keep temperatures down. Los Angeles has painted its streets white to reflect the heat. In Xiamen, China, green roofs have lowered city temperatures by nearly 1 C.

“We used to plant trees along the streets because it kept horses cool as they pulled wagons,” noted Rajkovich.

Another thing that can help is rethinking building design. Like with city design, looking to the past.

“Before the advent of air conditioning in particular, we did rely a lot more on natural ventilation for buildings,” said Rajkovich.

In the arid southwestern US, Pueblo Indians pioneered a style of architecture with thick walls made of adobe. The mix of mud or clay, sand, and straw absorbs heat by day and releases it at night. The buildings’ flat roofs also collect rainwater. In Burkina Faso, double roofs separated by an air cavity help heat escape and provide shade to entire buildings.

“These are all strategies that we can use to be a lot smarter about how we cool buildings,” said Rajkovich.  

Edited by: Jennifer Collins 

Charli Shield also contributed reporting to this article.

Could Chennai become a green city by 2050?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

For more on this topic and on the costs of climate change, check out our Living Planet podcast series. This story is part of ‘The 89 Percent Project,’an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now.

Sam Baker Audio reporter, editor and presenterSend us your feedbackYour feedbackAdvertisement

---

Sursa: DW

LiveClimateEurope

Europe heat wave intensifies as fresh warnings issued

Elizabeth Schumacher | Amy Stockdale AP, AFP, dpa, ReutersPublished 07/01/2025Published July 1, 2025last updated 07/02/2025last updated July 2, 2025

Record-setting temperatures have forced school closures across Europe, with Spain and Portugal bearing the brunt of the heat wave. At least four people have died amid the extreme weather.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wkoAEurope has been suffering from a heat wave for the past daysImage: Jerome Gilles/NurPhoto/picture allianceAdvertisementSkip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

• German schools seek protection as temperatures set to reach 40 C 
• French and Spanish authorities have each reported two deaths related to the weather conditions
• Spain and Portugal report record heat in June
• UN climate agency warns heat waves will become more intense

Here are the top headlines regarding the heat wave in Europe on Wednesday, July 2:

Skip next section Deutsche Bahn announces nationwide disruptions07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Deutsche Bahn announces nationwide disruptions

Germany’s national railway operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) has announced nationwide disruptions due to heat.

Across the country, rail lines that had been due for maintenance could not be repaired due to unsafe conditions for workers.

DB also announced line closures in the country’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia due to the weather.

Many DB-operated bus lines were also down, the company said, due to lack of air conditioning and other risks to equipment due to extreme heat.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmi0Skip next section Eiffel Tower closes viewing deck07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Eiffel Tower closes viewing deck

Tourists would not be able to visit the viewing deck at the summit of the Eiffel Tower in Paris until Thursday at the earliest, city officials said, saying the decision was for “everyone’s comfort and safety.”

The Ile-de-France region, which includes the capital and its surroundings, said it had received at least 900 calls on the heatwave emergency hotline.

Some 300 people had been treated by local hospitals for heat-related illnesses, officials said.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmZwSkip next section Major Italian cities see power cuts due to air conditioning07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Major Italian cities see power cuts due to air conditioning

It appeared that the power grids in several Italian cities were not equipped to handle the increased demand for climate control on Wednesday — leading to black outs in Rome, Florence, Milan, and Bergamo.

Air conditioning in homes is not the norm for Italy, even in the summer, but due to increasing heat waves, more and more people are buying units for their houses and apartments.

In Florence, some people got stuck in elevators and traffic lights stopped working across the city as the power went out.

Europe swelters as heatwave pushes into mid-40s

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmaGSkip next section Dozens rescued from German train07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Dozens rescued from German train

Some 48 passengers had to be rescued from a train in the town of Elsfleth in northern Germany on Tuesday evening after it became stuck on a rail bridge.

The train was forced to make the unplanned stop due to a technical fault, which also caused the air conditioning to work at limited capacity.

As the carriages became hotter and hotter, the passengers called the local emergency rescue services, who were able to extract them from the bridge.

State police and ambulances rushed to the site to attend to the passengers and crew. Two teenage passengers had to be taken to a local hospital but no one was seriously hurt.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmTfSkip next section Wildfire kills two in Spain07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Wildfire kills two in Spain

A wildfire that broke out in Spain’s Catalonia region due to the extreme heat and dryness has killed at least two people, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

The blaze began in Torrefeta on Tuesday afternoon, and has destroyed large swaths of farmland.

“The fire was extremely violent and erratic due to storms and strong winds, generating a convection cloud that complicated extinguishing efforts,” the local fire department said in a statement.

Some 14,000 residents had been warned to stay inside their homes. However, the blaze was largely contained by Wednesday and the area was awaiting thunderstorms that were expected to further extinguish the fire.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmPLSkip next section Thunderstorms forecasted to bring relief to France, Germany07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Thunderstorms forecasted to bring relief to France, Germany

Meteorologists in France and Germany have predicted that the continent’s deadly heat wave will likely break overnight on Wednesday, as rain and thunderstorms roll in from the Atlantic.

“Our latest forecasts confirm the arrival of cooling from the west on Wednesday, which will quickly affect the northwest of the country,” Meteo-France said, expecting thunderstorms near the German border.

Germany’s national weather service (DWD) said that while the mercury could hit 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country on Wednesday, the average was expected to fall to 27 by Thursday.

In Spain and Italy, which have seen the most extreme temperatures at up to 46 degrees Celsius or 114 Fahrenheit, the weather is expected to cool by the weekend.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmKdSkip next section 2 dead as France marks second-hottest June on record07/02/2025July 2, 2025

2 dead as France marks second-hottest June on record

French scientists have said that June 2025 was the second-hottest for the country since it began keeping records in 1900.

“June 2025 has become the second hottest June since records began in 1900, behind June 2003,” French Ecology Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said on Wednesday morning.

Later on Wednesday, Pannier-Runacher said that “more than 300 people have been taken into emergency care, and two have died as a result of heat-related illnesses,” in the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron has attempted to enact climate protections, such as banning domestic flights, to varying degrees of success. However, some initiatives have resulted in major discontent from voters, including a fuel tax that led to the Yellow Vest protests that lasted from 2018 to 2020.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmJmSkip next section EU green transition chief accuses political leaders of cowardice07/02/2025July 2, 2025

EU green transition chief accuses political leaders of cowardice

Teresa Ribera, who heads up the European Commission’s green transition team, has accused the bloc’s political leaders of being too scared to address climate change as life-threatening temperatures cripple Europe.

Speaking with the British newspaper The Guardian, she said that Wednesday’s forecast showed “absolutely terrible temperatures that have a very serious impact on ecosystems, on the economy and on health. And I think that there hasn’t yet been a real shift from the headlines about extreme meteorological phenomena to preparing people and understanding what needs to be done in the case of certain events.”

In light of this, she said she could not understand why many major political parties “continue to insist, quite vehemently, that climate change does not exist.”

Ribera said she believes that fear of how much it will cost — politically and financially — to address the climate emergency is driving much of the inaction, but warned that allowing climate breakdown will be much more costly in the long run.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmJBSkip next section Extreme weather warnings across northern Europe07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Extreme weather warnings across northern Europe

National weather services across central and northern Europe have issued warnings over excessive heat in many of the continent’s largest cities, according to aggregator MeteoAlarm.

Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Paris, and Budapest are all expected to see temperatures of at least 35 degrees Celsius, or 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Drink water several times a day. Continue to eat normally. Wet your body several times a day using a spray, a washcloth or by taking warm showers or baths,” read a warning issued by France’s meteorological service. “Do not go out during the hottest hours.”

Parisians found new was to cool off during the heat waveImage: Jerome Gilles/NurPhoto/picture alliance https://p.dw.com/p/4wmHDSkip next section Welcome to our coverage on Wednesday07/02/2025July 2, 2025

Welcome to our coverage on Wednesday

Elizabeth Schumacher with AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa | Zac Crellin Editor

Europe continues to suffer under a brutal early summer heat wave on Wednesday, with temperatures in southern Spain expected to read 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Further north in Paris, temperatures are expected to drop slightly, but still hover around 35 degrees Celsius. 

Meteorologists predict that rain and thunderstorms overnight should break the heat in many places by Thursday.

Schools remained closed in many cities, including in Italy and France, due to the weather — intensifying debate as to whether the school year needs to be adjusted to reflect the changing climate.

The heat has also affected cultural events and sports, with the Wimbledon tennis tournament in the UK, which continues on Wednesday, recording its highest-ever temperatures.

Europe bakes under ‘heat dome’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmFISkip next section Germany records highest temperature of the year — so far07/01/2025July 1, 2025

Germany records highest temperature of the year — so far

The German Weather Service (DWD) recorded the highest temperature of the year so far — 37.8 degrees Celsius (100.04 degrees Fahrenheit) — on Tuesday evening in Kitzingen, Bavaria.

The record, however, isn’t expected to last long as it could be surpassed on Wednesday, with temperatures expected to get even hotter.

“Then the peak will be reached, and it is quite possible that we will locally reach around 40 degrees,” a DWD spokesperson told the DPA news agency. That’s 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

From Thursday, it is expected to cool down slightly.

The all-time heat record for Germany was recorded on July 25, 2019, when 41.2 degrees was registered at the DWD weather stations in Tönisvorst and Duisburg-Baerl, both in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Fire crews in Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, are on alert for wildfiresImage: Julian Stratenschulte/dpa/picture alliance https://p.dw.com/p/4wm47Skip next section Italian cities face power outages amid heat wave07/01/2025July 1, 2025

Italian cities face power outages amid heat wave

Several Italian cities, including Florence and Bergamo, were hit with power outages on Tuesday amid a blazing summer heat wave.

The power grid was also overloaded near Milan.

The outages affected private homes as well as businesses and even traffic on the streets as traffic lights stopped working in some places.

Energy supplier Enel said it was working to restore power. The outages could be “related to the heat, which led to overheating and expansion of the power cables,” the company said.

Italy has been experiencing sizzling heat for days, with heat alerts having been issued in over a dozen cities, including Rome.

Heat alerts have been issued in over a dozen Italian citiesImage: Remo Casilli/REUTERS https://p.dw.com/p/4wm44Skip next section WATCH: Europe bakes under ‘heat dome’ 07/01/2025July 1, 2025

WATCH: Europe bakes under ‘heat dome’

This June, many parts of Europe sweltered under the highest temperatures ever recorded for the summer month. Scientists say these extreme conditions are caused by a familiar weather pattern exacerbated by global warming.

Europe bakes under ‘heat dome’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

https://p.dw.com/p/4wm2ySkip next section How hot were different European cities on Tuesday?07/01/2025July 1, 2025

How hot were different European cities on Tuesday?

 

https://p.dw.com/p/4wm2xSkip next section Brussels’ Atomium cuts hours as heat wave bites07/01/2025July 1, 2025

Brussels’ Atomium cuts hours as heat wave bites

The Atomium is a popular location in Brussels Image: Werner Lerooy/Zoonar/picture alliance

The Atomium, one of Brussels’ top tourist draws, is closing early on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the heat wave, the monument’s management said on its website.

The landmark features nine stainless steel spheres linked by narrow steel tubes, forming a giant cube balanced on its tip.

Inside, the spheres hold exhibitions and a restaurant, with visitors moving between them by stairs and escalators.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wldKShow more postsElizabeth Schumacher Elizabeth Schumacher reports on gender equity, immigration, poverty and education in Germany.Send us your feedbackYour feedback

---

Sursa: DW

PoliticăFiji

Premierul Fiji spune că prezența militară a Chinei în Pacific nu este binevenită

John Silk AFP, Reuters07/02/20252 iulie 2025

Sitiveni Rabuka a declarat că influența Chinei în Pacificul de Sud nu este binevenită din perspectiva sa. Însă nu toate națiunile din regiune sunt pe aceeași lungime de undă, deoarece Beijingul continuă să investească masiv.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmQvPrim-ministrul Sitiveni Rabuka spune că influența Beijingului în Pacificul de Sud nu este binevenită din perspectiva FijiImagine: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty ImagesPublicitate

Prim-ministrul Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, a declarat miercuri că se opune obținerii de către China a unui punct de sprijin militar permanent în regiunea Pacificului de Sud.

„Dacă vor să vină, cine i-ar primi? Nu Fiji”, a declarat Rabuka reporterilor în timpul unui discurs la Clubul Național de Presă din Australia.

„Și cred că China înțelege bine acest lucru.”

De ce este Fiji împotriva prezenței Chinei?

China a exercitat ani de zile influență în Pacific, dar Rabuka a spus că Pacificul de Sud ar trebui să fie un „ocean al păcii” fără a se înghesui națiuni care se amestecă.

„Nu vrem ca rivalitățile dintre superputeri sau dintre marile puteri să se desfășoare în Pacific”, a spus Rabuka.

„Participarea Chinei la dezvoltarea noastră nu ar trebui să afecteze modul în care interacționăm cu Australia, Noua Zeelandă și America.”

„Liderii din Pacific, în toate discuțiile lor recente, au încercat să adopte politici prietenoase cu toții și dușmane cu nimeni – și este un curs destul de dificil de urmat, dar este posibil”, a adăugat el.

China încearcă să creeze alianțe prin investiții

Beijing a cheltuit sute de milioane de dolari pentru a construi stadioane sportive, birouri guvernamentale, spitale și drumuri în țări din Pacific, cum ar fi Insulele Solomon și Vanuatu.

Ofensiva farmecului a dat deja roade, Kiribati, Insulele Solomon și Nauru rupând legăturile diplomatice de lungă durată cu Taiwanul în favoarea Chinei.

China consideră Taiwanul, care este guvernat independent, ca o țară separatistă provincie.

Insulele Solomon sunt considerate un aliat deosebit de apropiat al Beijingului. Națiunea a fost de acord cu un pact de securitate cu China în 2022, ceea ce a stârnit îngrijorări că China ar putea încerca într-o zi să folosească arhipelagul ca bază militară.

Editat de: Zac Crellin

John Silk Redactor și scriitor pentru știri în limba engleză, precum și pentru Birourile de Cultură și Asia.@JSilkTrimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.Feedback-ul dvs.Publicitate

---

Sursa: DW

SportElveția

Campionatul feminin Euro 2025: Toleranță zero pentru discriminare

Stefan Nestler07/02/20252 iulie 2025

Organizatorii Campionatului European de Fotbal Feminin Euro 2025 din Elveția vor pune un accent deosebit pe drepturile omului, bazându-se pe experiențele acumulate de UEFA la Campionatul European masculin din 2024 din Germania.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wVpaCampionatul feminin Euro 2025 va fi găzduit de Elveția în perioada 2-27 iulieImagine: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty ImagesPublicitate

Vara trecută, organizatorii al Campionatului European masculin din Germania a convenit să acorde o atenție deosebită respectării drepturilor omului în timpul turneului de o lună.

UEFA, organismul de conducere al fotbalului european, Asociația Germană de Fotbal (DFB), guvernul german și statele și orașele germane unde s-au desfășurat meciurile s-au angajat să acorde prioritate „democrației, respectului, egalității și promovării și protejării drepturilor omului” în timpul Campionatului European 2024.

În această vară, organizatorii Campionatului European feminin din Elveția intenționează să intensifice astfel de eforturi.

Guvernul elvețian și celelalte asociații și instituții care participă la turneu au semnat o declarație în martie prin care s-au angajat să promoveze „diversitatea, egalitatea de șanse și incluziunea în și prin sport”, așa cum a spus ministrul elvețian al sportului, Viola Amherd.

Profitând de pe urma Campionatului European 2024

Consiliul consultativ pentru drepturile omului pentru turneul feminin este modelat după cel utilizat în Germania, fiind reprezentate și organizații neguvernamentale.

„Bazându-se pe experiențele Campionatului European UEFA „În cadrul Consiliului Consultativ din 2024, am implicat și reprezentanți ai autorităților (Consiliul Europei și Departamentul Elvețian pentru Afaceri Externe) pentru a asigura o abordare mai cuprinzătoare a drepturilor omului”, a declarat UEFA pentru DW într-un comunicat.

Expresii de discursuri instigatoare la ură pe rețelele de socializare sunt de așteptat în timpul turneului. Imagine: David Catry/Sportpix/Imago

Fosta alergătoare de demifond Sylvia Schenk de la Transparency International Germania a fost membră a consiliului respectiv.

„A fost doar începutul”, a declarat Schenk pentru DW. „Dar a fost important. Am luptat pentru asta ani de zile.”

Anul trecut, lucrurile au fost puse la punct în ultimul moment, dar, așa cum a remarcat Schenk, nu este cazul de data aceasta.

„Consiliul consultativ pentru drepturile omului a fost convocat abia în mai (anul trecut), iar prima întâlnire a avut-o în iunie [Campionatul European a început pe 14 iunie]. Pentru Campionatul European feminin, organismul a fost format la începutul anului.”

„Un pas în direcția corectă”

Organizatorii au implicat Consiliul consultativ în evaluarea riscurilor de încălcare a drepturilor omului la Euro 2025. UEFA, Federația Elvețiană de Fotbal și cele opt orașe gazdă au ajuns să implementeze unele dintre sugestiile consiliului în planificarea lor.

Oricine se simte amenințat sau discriminat pe stadioane poate raporta acest lucru folosind un cod QR afișat vizibil pe afișe. „Echipe de conștientizare” vor fi disponibile pentru a răspunde incidentelor de pe stadioane.

Reclamațiile privind încălcarea drepturilor omului pot fi, de asemenea, depuse la UEFA prin intermediul aplicației turneului sau al site-ului web. Un organism juridic independent va evalua reclamațiile, acolo unde este cazul, și le va transmite autorităților.

„Chiar dacă acestea sunt mai puțin cuprinzătoare decât se dorește, această abordare este un pas în direcția corectă”, a declarat pentru DW Lisa Salza, șefa departamentului de sport și drepturile omului la Amnesty Elveția.

„În cele din urmă, este important, de asemenea, ca regulile de conduită pentru acest turneu să fie clar vizibile pe stadion, în zonele pentru fani și în locuri sensibile, cum ar fi gările”, a spus ea. Mesajul este „toleranță zero pentru discriminare, rasism și violență sexuală”.

Firmă de avocatură externă evaluează rapoartele de încălcare

În timpul Euro 2024, firma de avocatură din Frankfurt angajată de UEFA pentru a evalua astfel de rapoarte a gestionat aproape 400 dintre acestea. Majoritatea acestora au fost de natură politică, cum ar fi declarații, gesturi sau simboluri naționaliste, de dreapta, atribuite jucătorilor sau fanilor. Au fost raportate doar un număr mic de cazuri de hărțuire sexuală și discriminare rasială.

Un alt punct de interes este combaterea hărțuirii cibernetice. La turneul de anul trecut, au fost monitorizate conturile de socializare a aproximativ 700 de jucători, antrenori și arbitri. Potrivit UEFA, 666 de postări jignitoare au fost raportate pe platformele sociale numai în faza grupelor. Marea majoritate a postărilor au fost îndreptate împotriva jucătorilor, 90% au implicat discursuri instigatoare la ură. UEFA a estimat proporția insultelor rasiste la aproximativ 5% și a declarațiilor homofobe la 2,5%.

Imaginea a fost destul de diferită la Campionatul European Feminin din Anglia din 2022, când UEFA a făcut pentru prima dată din combaterea hărțuirii cibernetice o prioritate – lucrând în cooperare cu META, X și TikTok. În timpul finalei dintre Anglia și Germania, au fost semnalate 189 de postări. Puțin peste jumătate dintre acestea au fost clasificate drept discurs instigator la ură în general, iar 45% ca sexism. Cazurile de rasism și homofobie au reprezentat fiecare câte 2%.

Platformele de socializare se angajează să coopereze continuu

META și X și-au modificat politicile corporative în urma realegerii președintelui SUA, Donald Trump, anul trecut și iau acum mai puține măsuri împotriva discursului instigator la ură. Cu toate acestea, UEFA nu se așteaptă ca acest lucru să aibă un impact semnificativ asupra luptei împotriva hărțuirii cibernetice la Euro 2025.

„Companiile de socializare și-au reafirmat angajamentul de a colabora cu UEFA și de a continua să sprijine eforturile de protejare a jocului”, a declarat UEFA.

Marc Cucurella din Spania (stânga) a fost subiectul unor discursuri de ură după ce atingerea mingii în careu a împiedicat un gol al Germaniei. Imagine: Bernd Weißbrod/dpa/picture alliance

Schenk nu se așteaptă ca sexismul să fie o problemă mai mare la turneul feminin din această vară decât la cel masculin de anul trecut – cel puțin nu pe stadioane.

„Nu în zonele pentru spectatori, nu cred, pentru că amestecul este diferit. Este mai mult o atmosferă de familie acolo”, a spus ea. „Ar putea juca un rol mai important în comentariile instigatori la ură online.”

„Resurgența” discursului instigator la ură

Cu toate acestea, Salza percepe un „risc de violență verbală sau fizică sexualizată, atât în ​​zonele fanilor, cât și pe stadion, împotriva fanilor și jucătorilor. Discursul instigator la ură și violența emanată de mișcările extremiste de dreapta nu pot fi ignorate, având în vedere renașterea acestor forțe.”

Un exemplu în acest sens a venit la Concursul Muzical Eurovision găzduit de Basel în luna mai, când o organizație extremistă de dreapta a încercat să incite la ură împotriva refugiaților și a altor migranți.

„Având în vedere multiplele crize la nivel mondial și riscul ca acestea să se agraveze în următoarele săptămâni, se poate presupune că vor exista și alte proteste și exprimări de opinie în interiorul și în afara stadioanelor (Euro 2024)”, a avertizat Salza.

„Va fi datoria organizatorilor să protejeze în mod adecvat libertatea de exprimare și de întrunire, chiar și în această situație excepțională.”

Acest articol a fost publicat inițial în germană.

Stefan Nestler Reporter și editorSpringinsfeldTrimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.Feedback-ul dvs.Publicitate

---

Sursa: DW

ClimateEurope

UE propune un obiectiv climatic pentru 2040, cu alocație de credite de carbon

Kieran Burke cu dpa, AFP, Reuters07/02/20252 iulie 2025

Comisia Europeană a propus stabilirea anului 2040 ca obiectiv pentru o reducere cu 90% a emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră. UE dorește să fie neutră din punct de vedere al emisiilor de carbon până în 2050.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmiqUniunea Europeană își propune să devină neutră din punct de vedere climatic până în 2050, ceea ce înseamnă că nu se generează mai multe emisii de gaze cu efect de seră decât pot fi absorbite Imagine: Michael Probst/AP/picture alliancePublicitate

Comisia Europeană a propus miercuri o reducere cu 90% a emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră până în 2040, comparativ cu nivelurile înregistrate în 1990.

Comisia a declarat că propunerea se va baza pe obiectivul obligatoriu existent de reducere a acestor tipuri de emisii cu cel puțin 55% până în 2030.

„Pe măsură ce cetățenii europeni simt din ce în ce mai mult impactul schimbărilor climatice, aceștia se așteaptă ca Europa să acționeze. Industria și investitorii se așteaptă la noi pentru a stabili o direcție previzibilă de deplasare”, a declarat președinta Comisiei Europene, Ursula von der Leyen.

„Astăzi demonstrăm că ne menținem ferm angajamentul de a decarboniza economia europeană până în 2050. Scopul este clar, călătoria este „pragmatică și realistă”, a adăugat von der Leyen.

Care este amendamentul propus?

Amendamentul propus ar oferi o „modalitate mai pragmatică și mai flexibilă” de atingere a obiectivului, a susținut Comisia, care ar atenua obiectivul de emisii de 90% pentru industriile europene.

În conformitate cu planul, statelor membre li s-ar acorda mai multă flexibilitate pentru a atinge obiectivele climatice. În prezent, au putut lua în considerare doar reducerile interne de gaze cu efect de seră, dar din 2036, propunerea permite ca creditele de carbon din țările din afara UE să conteze până la 3% din reducerea totală de 90% față de nivelurile din 1990.

Cum amenință compensările de carbon ale marilor companii tehnologice păstorii din Kenya

Pentru a viziona acest videoclip, vă rugăm să activați JavaScript și să luați în considerare actualizarea la un browser web care acceptă videoclipuri HTML5

„Nu alegem între economie și agenda verde, le alegem pe amândouă. Europa își reafirmă angajamentul față de o tranziție verde echitabilă, ambițioasă și competitivă”, a declarat vicepreședinta Comisiei UE, Teresa Ribera.

„Acordul asupra obiectivului climatic de 90% ne oferă un far clar care să ne ghideze acțiunile viitoare”, a adăugat ea.

Ceea ce a dus la acest

Comisia a declarat că propunerea se bazează pe o evaluare detaliată realizată de Grupul interguvernamental de experți privind schimbările climatice și de Consiliul consultativ științific european privind schimbările climatice.

A declarat că aceasta a urmat unui dialog cu diferitele state membre, părțile interesate, societatea civilă și cetățenii, printre altele.

Cei care se opun ambițiilor de acțiune climatică ale blocului susțin că măsurile împiedică progresul economic.

Europa se înăbușă pe măsură ce valul de căldură ajunge la mijlocul anilor ’40

Pentru a viziona acest videoclip, vă rugăm să activați JavaScript și să luați în considerare actualizarea la un browser web care acceptă videoclipuri HTML5

Polonia și Republica Cehă și-au exprimat în mod regulat îngrijorarea cu privire la obiectivele climatice, invocând considerații economice și de securitate energetică.

Altele, inclusiv Italia și Ungaria, sunt îngrijorate de impactul pe care îl va avea decarbonizarea industriei grele într-un moment în care Europa lucrează pentru a-și consolida industria în contextul unei concurențe acerbe din partea Statele Unite și China.

Propunerea va fi acum prezentată Parlamentului European și Consiliului spre dezbatere și adoptare în conformitate cu procedura legislativă ordinară.

Editat de: Zac Crellin

Kieran Burke Redactor și editor de știri specializat în relații internaționale, securitate globală și aplicarea legii.Trimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.Feedback-ul dvs.Publicitate

---

Sursa: DW

FotbalGermania

Euro 2025: Cum se prezintă Germania?

Dave Braneck Zürich | Matt Pearson07/02/20252 iulie 2025

O eliminare șocantă din faza grupelor de la Cupa Mondială din 2023 și o serie de retrageri înseamnă o nouă înfățișare a Germaniei. Germania se confruntă cu primul său test important la Euro 2025. Germania este cea mai de succes echipă din istoria Campionatului European, cu opt titluri.

https://p.dw.com/p/4wmRTLea Schüller este probabil principala amenințare a Germaniei la Euro 2025Imagine: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/picture alliancePublicitate

Care este moralul în lotul Germaniei pentru Euro 2025?

Noul antrenor Christian Wück conduce echipa în primul său turneu major și a stârnit deja nemulțumiri. Wück s-a confruntat cu critici din cadrul echipei pentru comunicarea deficitară, în timp ce le-a dat afară pe fundașa veterană Felicitas Rauch și pe atacanta de la Frankfurt, Nicole Anyomi. În ciuda problemelor, se pare că lucrurile au fost mușamalizate, iar Germania intră în Elveția cu o dispoziție bună.

„Suntem atât de încântați să fim aici”, a declarat mijlocașa Linda Dallmann la sosirea lotului la începutul acestei săptămâni. Echipa este deosebit de mulțumită de o altă schimbare față de turneele recente. — Tabăra Germaniei se află la o aruncătură de băț de centrul orașului Zürich, o abatere de la abordarea anterioară de a înființa un complex izolat, departe de orice distragere (sau lucruri de făcut).

„Este întotdeauna grozav să fii bine conectat și să ai câteva oportunități pentru ca echipa să iasă în oraș. Acest lucru este foarte important pe parcursul unui turneu, așa că cred că aceasta este o locație perfectă”, a continuat Dallmann.

„Este minunat — este plăcut să avem propriul nostru spațiu, dar este și bine că nu este doar fotbal, fotbal, fotbal și să vedem doar exact aceiași oameni tot timpul, chiar dacă prețuim timpul petrecut împreună ca echipă. Este întotdeauna bine să poți ieși în oraș”, a spus fundașul Rebecca Knaak, care se pregătește pentru primul ei turneu major.  

Există probleme în afara terenului?

O altă schimbare față de meciul Germaniei la Campionatul Mondial din 2023 ar trebui să atragă imediat atenția fanilor. Banderola de căpitan a Giuliei Gwinn va arăta diferit de cea a lui Popp: ea va purta o banderolă curcubeu, care a fost interzisă de FIFA în Australia și Noua Zeelandă.

„Este minunat că vom putea purta banderola curcubeu. Dacă vom avea ocazia să o purtăm când jucăm, schimbarea ei cu altceva nu este niciodată de discutat”, a spus Gwinn.

Banderolele căpitanului care susțin în mod explicit mândria LGBTQ+ au un trecut controversat în fotbalul german. Pe lângă faptul că FIFA nu le-a permis să participe la ultima Cupă Mondială feminină, ele au fost interzise și la Cupa Mondială masculină din 2022, din Qatar.

Alexandrei Popp nu i s-a permis să poarte banderola curcubeu la Cupa Mondială. Imagine: DAN PELED/REUTERS

Echipa Germaniei a protestat împotriva acestei decizii înainte de meciul de deschidere al turneului, declanșând o furtună mediatică care a pus rapid presiune suplimentară asupra lotului. UEFA s-a dovedit mai indulgentă pe această temă decât FIFA în trecut, iar bandoanele curcubeu vor fi probabil o alegere populară printre căpitanii din Elveția.

„Echipa noastră reprezintă atât de mult și este uimitor că ne putem purta valorile pe o scenă atât de mare”, a spus Gwinn.

Cât de puternică este lotul Germaniei pentru Euro 2025?

Pe hârtie, acest lot al Germaniei pare slab în comparație cu echipa care a ajuns în finala ultimului Campionat European. Retragerile din echipa națională a Germaniei, precum Popp, Svenja Huth, Marina Hegering și Merle Frohms, au lăsat un deficit de experiență de top, în timp ce Lena Oberdorf, motorul mijlocașilor Germaniei, nu a reușit să se recupereze după o accidentare de un sezon întreg.

Sjoeke Nüsken va fi probabil titular la mijlocul terenului pentru Germania la Euro 2025. Imagine: Fotostand / Voelker/picture alliance

Rolul lui Gwinn va fi crucial în reunirea noii generații. Sjoeke Nüsken, de la Chelsea, este un alt jucător în jurul căruia Wück va încerca să-și construiască echipa, în timp ce jucători precum Klara Bühl, Dallmann și Jule Brand trebuie să facă pasul de la membri talentați ai lotului la jucători de performanță pentru ca Germania să aibă succes.

Cine sunt jucătorii cheie ai Germaniei?

În ciuda unui palmares excepțional de 52 de goluri în 75 de selecții, Lea Schüller și-a petrecut cariera în Germania în umbră, în spatele lui Popp. Singurele ei goluri anterioare în turnee au fost în victorii importante ale Germaniei împotriva unor adversari mai puțin promițători, dar Schüller poartă acum greutatea așteptărilor pe umeri.

Cu trei goluri în ultimele două meciuri ale Germaniei și un hat-trick în finala Cupei Germaniei, care a completat dubla pentru Bayern München în mai, Schüller sosește plină de încredere.

Cât de puternice sunt adversarele Germaniei din grupa Euro 2025?

Polonia, debutantă în turneu, este prima adversară a Germaniei (4 iulie) și ar trebui să se dovedească ușoară dacă echipa lui Wück își va atinge potențialul maxim. După aceea, urmează Danemarca (8 iulie) și Suedia (12 iulie).

Suedia a eliminat SUA la Cupa Mondială 2023, înainte de a pierde în cele din urmă în fața Spaniei în semifinală. Imagine: IMAGO/Shutterstock

Ultimul meci din grupă pare a fi cel mai dificil, suedezii fiind neînvinși de la înfrângerea suferită în fața Franței în iulie 2024 și după ce au eliminat SUA în cursa spre semifinalele Cupei Mondiale din 2023. Jucătoare precum Magdalena Eriksson (121 selecții), Sofia Jakobsson (165) și căpitanul Kosovare Asllani (199) oferă o experiență vastă, în timp ce atacantul Barcelonei, Fridolina Rolfö, este o jucătoare de top.

Danemarca are și ea una dintre acestea, Pernille Harder, dar pare să aibă un talent mai mic și a avut dificultăți în turneele recente.

Editat de: Chuck Penfold

Dave Braneck Reporter@braneckMatt Pearson Reporter și editor sportiv@thisismpearsonTrimiteți-ne feedback-ul dvs.Feedback-ul dvs.Publicitate

---

Sursa: DW

Colaboratoarea politică CNN Maggie Haberman explică raționamentul din spatele atacurilor lui Donald Trump asupra judecătorului și a familiei sale în timpul unui discurs la stațiunea sa din Mar-a-Lago, după ce a fost pus sub acuzare pentru infracțiuni grave.

---

Sursa: CNN

---

Sursa: CNN

window.CNN.contentModel.leadingMediaType = ‘image’; window.CNN.contentModel.isVideoCollection = false; CNN  — 

The escalating climate crisis is shifting many people’s purchasing patterns and this extends to the $500 billion dollar global beauty industry which is grappling with a range of sustainability challenges across product manufacturing, packaging and disposal.

Related article 'Delay means death': We're running out of ways to adapt to the climate crisis, new report shows. Here are the key takeaways

Strategy and consulting firm Simon Kucher’s Global Sustainability Study 2021 found 60% of consumers around the world rated sustainability as an important purchase criterion, and 35% were willing to pay more for sustainable products or services.

This shift in consumer preferences has propelled many beauty brands to set environmental goals: to move away from single-use and virgin plastics, provide recyclable, reusable and refillable packaging and offer more transparency around products’ ingredients so customers can ascertain how “green” their purchase is.

However, consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products, according to the British Beauty Council. This is because the industry’s clean-up efforts have been inconsistent, and fall short of making a recognizable impact in the absence of collective goal-setting, global strategy and standardized regulations.

Ingredient and branding transparency

There is no international standard for the beauty industry on how much product ingredient information to share with customers — or how to do so. Brands can set their own rules and goals, giving rise to confusion and “greenwashing,” where sustainability claims are often touted but not substantiated.

Companies often use marketing language like “clean beauty” to make it seem like their products are natural, for example, when they may not actually be organic, sustainable or ethically made.

Related article After rebranding in the West, many beauty companies are still offering to 'whiten' skin elsewhere

“The term ‘clean beauty’ has become quite dangerous. It’s used to sell more products,” according to British Beauty Council CEO Millie Kendall, who added that such buzzwords are losing traction in the UK as British customers wise up to their shortcomings. “Customers need better marketing information and certification information.”

In a 2021 report calling on the industry to have “the courage to change” their business practices, the British Beauty Council wrote that, all too often, even natural ingredients involved in manufacturing products give way to “over-consumption, non-regenerative farming practices, pollution, waste and neglect.”

“The only way out of this is transparency,” Kendall told CNN.

Jen Lee, chief impact officer at US-based brand Beautycounter, said she continues to see confusion over ingredients among consumers. (In 2013, the company launched and published “The Never List,” which currently cites more than 2,800 chemicals — including heavy metals, parabens and formaldehyde — it claims to never use in its products.)

“Natural vs. synthetic ingredients has been a conversation. People think natural is safer, but it’s not always the case,” Lee explained. “Natural ingredients formulated in the industry can have toxic load. Heavy metals can occur in natural components of the earth.”

Related article Mother loses peripheral vision from apparent exposure to mercury in beauty creams. Toxic levels in her home put family at risk, say experts

“We used to be more natural and organic,” added Sasha Plavsic, founder of makeup brand ILIA Beauty. “What was challenging is (that) raw materials were difficult to source or would come in inconsistently or products wouldn’t perform.”

Most makeup is created and molded at high temperatures, Plavsic explained. Purely organic materials often fall apart in this heat, leading to inconsistent results and subpar product performance. “Not every synthetic is bad,” Plavsic said. “Sometimes, it helps create the best in class formula.”

Unpacking plastics

The industry’s plastic packaging is a particular sustainability challenge — 95% is thrown away and the vast majority is not recycled, according to the British Beauty Council.

The cosmetics business is the fourth biggest plastic packaging user globally — after food and beverage, industrial packaging and pharmaceuticals — and plastic is about 67% of the industry’s packaging volume, according to Vantage Market Research. Beauty giant L’Oreal used 144,430 metric tons of plastic in its packaging material in 2021, for example, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation (EMF). Estee Lauder Companies reported its brands produced 71,600 metric tons of plastic in product packaging that same year.

And only 9% of the global plastic waste is recycled, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The United States only recycles 4% of its plastic waste.

Related article Single-use plastic is wreaking havoc on the planet. Here's what you can do to minimize your impact

Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. (L’Oreal has set a target of 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025, while Estee Lauder is targeting 25% “or more” PCR plastic — but both are far from achieving their targets.)

“Between 60-70 major global brands have made unprecedented progress” in PCR plastic usage across industries, EMF’s Plastic Initiative Lead Sander DeFruyt told CNN. But DeFruyt stressed that PCR plastic must be adopted in conjunction with brands removing single and virgin plastics from their usage cycles to truly make a difference.

However, PCR plastic is not easy to find — low recycling rates around the world mean there is limited supply. Meanwhile, demand for it is growing demand across industries, DeFruyt said. This competition hikes up its price, which is already higher than virgin plastic.

Hair care brand FEKKAI claims that it used up to 95% PCR content in its packaging, but pricing and supply issues posed a challenge, forcing it to currently aim for containers and packaging that feature at least 50% PCR in its packaging.

“PCR plastic is more expensive than stock plastic. The cost is hard and then sourcing it is too,” founder Frédéric Fekkai told CNN. “PCR is close to our heart, but there is a massive demand, so finding recycled plastic is difficult.”

The weight of retail

Beauty retailers plays a pivotal — and under-utilized — role, with control over stocking decisions and supply chains. But many vary when it comes to the standards they set for brands they sell.

“Smaller businesses do more, full stop,” said Jessi Baker, founder of the technology platform Provenance, which helps brands display their sustainability credentials for customers. “They move more nimbly. Some of them are born-good brands — climate friendliness was part of their setup. They don’t need to restructure their entire supply chain. Their culture already has it compared to the larger brands who need to work hard to change.”

Related article A history of beauty trends — and the standards that shaped them

Sephora launched its “Clean + Planet Positive” initiative in 2021, which labeled products that met its set criteria. (This is separate from the French retailer’s “Clean at Sephora” program, which is currently facing a consumer lawsuit alleging it carries a significant percentage of products understood by customers to be harmful.) Target launched a similar program in 2022, featuring a “Target Zero” icon for both online and in-store offerings that either have reusable, recyclable, compostable or reduced plastic packaging, or feature waterless or concentrated products.

Still, many steps taken by brands and retailers do not even begin to touch on the waste and pollution generated throughout supply chains, manufacturing and shipping, all huge problems for the industry to grapple with.

The missing player

The gaps in standardization in the beauty ecosystem can, to some extent, be filled by certifications such as the US-born B Corporation, or B Corp. This accreditation, one of the most well-known in the beauty space, is issued by the non-profit B Lab, which scores a company on a variety of criteria around ethics and sustainability. However beneficial it may be among eco-conscious consumers, though, it is currently completely voluntary for brands to apply for.

Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a base line for brands to operate from when making sustainability claims would go a long way to making change, many experts and business leaders believe.

Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake beauty brand, says her efforts in Austria would reap better results if more countries around the world had stricter, more uniform garbage disposal laws.

Related article A trash heap 62 meters high shows the scale of India's climate challenge

“I package our product in a recyclable material,” Kaufmann said. (Her products’ packaging, which is refillable and reusable, is made from 75% recycled plastic — and is 100% recyclable.) If I send this to the US, the garbage is not separated… and it’s not recyclable,” she explained, referring to inconsistencies in recycling laws across the United States.

And when it comes to ingredients, the European Chemicals Agency lists 2,495 substances banned from use in cosmetic products marketed for sale or use in the bloc. But the US Food and Drug administration only lists 11, making it more challenging for American consumers to find safer, greener options. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit watchdog, studied lab tests of 51 sunscreen products in 2021 and found that only 35% of products met the EU standard, compared with 94% that passed the US standard.

However, while government can set minimum requirements, Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability and impact at beauty retailer Credo Beauty, says the needle will move in the private sector.

Related article Sustainable ships: The world's most eco-conscious cruises

“Regulation can raise the floor a bit. A person who doesn’t know about any (sustainability issues) should still be able to walk into a bodega and get clean products… But that’s never going to be what the market can do,” she said. “Market leadership is key.”

In the absence of bold regulations or global standards on sustainability practices, this “leadership” — undertaken both by brands and customers in the beauty marketplace — is likely to be the most immediately impactful vector for addressing the industry’s climate shortcomings. It will take continued collective advocacy and initiative to see meaningful climate-conscious change.

---

Sursa: CNN