The European Commission adopted new measures on February 9th under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to prevent the destruction of unsold apparel, clothing, accessories, and footwear, according to Hacker News. This move aims to cut waste, reduce environmental damage, and create a level playing field for companies embracing sustainable business models. Meanwhile, U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, targeting illicit oil connected to Venezuela, as reported by Fortune. Additionally, a top European Union official rejected the notion that Europe faces "civilizational erasure," pushing back against criticism from the Trump administration, also according to Fortune.
The ESPR requires companies to disclose information on unsold consumer products they discard as waste, according to Hacker News. The initiative is designed to address the estimated 4-9% of unsold textiles destroyed annually in Europe before being worn, generating approximately 5.6 million tons of CO2 emissions, nearly equal to Sweden's total net emissions in 2021. The U.S. military's action in the Indian Ocean followed the tracking of the vessel from the Caribbean Sea, targeting a shadow fleet of tankers used to smuggle crude into global supply chains, as detailed by Fortune. President Donald Trump previously ordered a quarantine of sanctioned tankers in December.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference and pushed back on criticism, according to Fortune. She alluded to criticism in the U.S. national security strategy released in December.
In other news, Bangladesh held what observers say is the country's first fair election in nearly two decades, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party emerging with a landslide victory, according to NPR Politics. The winners now face pressure to tackle corruption and a battered economy. Finally, according to Phys.org, nearly every state in the U.S. has dyslexia laws, but research shows limited change for struggling readers. Families with children who have dyslexia have long pushed lawmakers to respond to the issue.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment