iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences’ Post

Climate change is rapidly impacting our world, and the pharma industry is stepping up to reduce its CO2 emissions. In a recent open letter, top pharma CEOs outlined eight key sustainability targets for CDMOs, including switching to 80% renewable power by 2030. Curious how the industry is tackling these challenges? Click below to learn more. #Sustainability #PharmaIndustry #SingotaSolutions #ClimateAction #CDMO

🌏 Urgent Call for Methane Mitigation: A Key to Climate, Health, and Air Quality Benefits Thank you Swaniti Global, Sandeep Pai, Joey James and Vidyapati Bajpai for inviting me to this insightful discussion…!!! In the urge for accelerated climate actions, addressing low-hanging fruits that offer the most significant benefits through targeted actions, Methane (CH4), particularly from the energy sector, stands out for its untapped potential for swift, impactful mitigation. The energy sector, encompassing fossil fuel production (oil, gas and coal), processing, and distribution, is an important source of methane emissions (although contributing quite lesser relative to the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Waste sectors). These emissions not only exacerbate global warming but also contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, an air pollutant with detrimental health effects. Challenges and Opportunities: The roundtable discussion initiated by Swaniti Global highlighted both challenges and opportunities. Key challenges include the need for: 1. Robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms (both bottom-up and top-down mechanisms) to accurately identify and quantify sources of methane emissions from the energy sector. Great inputs from Bandish Patel. 2. Financial and technological investment to develop and deploy methane capture and utilization technologies. Conversely, the compelling opportunities are: 1. Immediate climate benefits due to methane's short atmospheric lifetime. 2. Improved air quality and health outcomes from reduced ozone formation. 3. Enhanced energy efficiency and potential revenue streams from the captured methane. A Call to Action for Indian States: Despite the significant role of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), including methane, in climate dynamics, their mitigation is often underrepresented in state action plans on climate change (SAPCC) across Indian states. This oversight presents a critical gap in our collective efforts to combat climate vulnerabilities and protect public health. As stakeholders in this global endeavor, we must advocate for the integration of methane mitigation strategies into broader climate action plans, emphasizing the multi-faceted benefits of such initiatives. #climateaction #methanemitigation #airquality #publichealth #sustainableenergy #climatechange #sustainability #sapcc #netzero #ipcc

Comment: To solve the climate crisis, we need to live in a less material world. Anders Wijkman on the toll the 106 billion tonnes per year of global material use is taking on the planet. International Resource Panel (IRP) #materialextraction #climatecrisis #consumerism #overconsumption #fossilfuels #materialfootprint #globalresources #foodwaste #fastfashion #electronics Terry Slavin, Liam Dowd, Ed Long https://lnkd.in/d8qbV4ZS

New Opinion Article by Professor Isabel Sá-Correia in Jornali https://lnkd.in/dB7WS7Pr "Microbial oils: an alternative to accelerate the energy transition and waste recovery?" Various microorganisms can accumulate high concentrations of lipids presenting a fatty acid profile very similar to that of vegetable oils used in biodiesel production. In the aftermath of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28), a clear idea emerges - it is no longer possible to ignore the serious global crisis, well expressed in the climate crisis, and an economy based on fossil fuels must be abandoned. The world is today extremely dependent on oil, coal, and gas, for mobility (aircraft, merchant and passenger ships, trucks and automobiles), industrial activity and air conditioning, responsible for the vast majority of global greenhouse gas emissions with transport being the biggest source. See more https://lnkd.in/dB7WS7Pr

The need to mitigate climate change’s impact has grown dire. As the earth warms, communities are facing rising sea levels, increasingly deadly natural disasters, destroyed habitats, and depleted natural resources. In response, the pharma industry is assessing how to reduce their CO2 emissions to minimize their contributions to global warming. In 2023, CEOs across leading pharma companies released the Open Letter on Supplier Targets from Members of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force. The letter details eight sustainability targets for CDMOs to reach in the coming decade, including a call to switch to at least 80% renewable power by 2030. For more on this, click below. Singota Solutions Sitav E. Anna Benefiel

Are plant-based plastics the future of #sustainability? Earlier this month we publish a blog post exploring its benefits and challenges. Learn how bioplastics could be a game changer for climate action. Read more: <https://hubs.la/Q02DJP2l0 #ClimateChange

Look at these smiles! Not only does Sonoco ThermoSafe have fun people to partner with, we have outstanding market-leading thermal packaging technology to show you. Come meet and learn at booth #101 at LogiPharma Lyon! Take a short Sustainability 🌳 quiz at booth #101 to win the latest Bose speaker! Easy peasy 😉 1.     What does LCA stand for? 2.     What Scope Emissions does your packaging get calculated into? 3.     What phase of the life cycle of reusable temperature-controlled containers typically has the highest impact? 4.     Early LCA results prove the Global Warming Potential of the Pegasus ULD are lower than that of active RKN units. True/False? 5.     Circle each one that is correct. Pegasus is a: TCC, ULD, Passive, Active, Reusable container. #Logipharma #thermalpackaging #sustainability Federico Lupp Alison Crawley Bourji Mourad Becca Sellers Andrew Heholt

06-10 May, 2024. Air Quality Awareness Week -Air Quality Air quality is the measure of the level of pollutants in the air, such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. These pollutants can cause health issues like respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Air quality can be measured by the Air Quality Index (AQI), which categorizes air quality as good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy or hazardous. -Chemistry of Air Quality The chemistry of air quality includes the composition of clean, dry air and the sources of air pollutants: - Composition of clean, dry air: approximately 78% nitrogen (N2), 21% oxygen (O2), and the remainder as a mixture of noble gases and carbon dioxide (CO2) - Sources of air pollutants: - Carbon dioxide (CO2): complete combustion of carbon-containing fuels - Carbon monoxide (CO) and particulates: incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels - Methane (CH4): decomposition of vegetation and waste gases from digestion in animals - Oxides of nitrogen (NOx): car engines - Sulfur dioxide (SO2): combustion of fossil fuels containing sulfur compounds The adverse effects of these air pollutants include: - Carbon dioxide (CO2): higher levels contribute to global warming and climate change - Carbon monoxide (CO): toxic gas - Particulates: increased risk of respiratory problems and cancer - Methane (CH4): higher levels contribute to global warming and climate change - Oxides of nitrogen (NOx): acid rain, photochemical smog, and respiratory problems - Sulfur dioxide (SO2): acid rain Strategies to reduce the effects of these environmental issues include : - Climate change: planting trees, reducing livestock farming, decreasing fossil fuel use, and increasing use of hydrogen and renewable energy sources like wind and solar power - Acid rain: using catalytic converters in vehicles, reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by using low-sulfur fuels, and flue gas desulfurization with calcium oxide

🔥 Using the power of methane-eating microbes to reduce methane emissions? Is it possible? Yes, it is! Methane-eating microbes utilize a process that allows them to consume methane as their primary source of energy and carbon. These microbes are found in environments where methane concentrations are naturally high, such as wetlands, or where methane is a significant byproduct, like agricultural sites and landfills. The microbes oxidize methane into carbon dioxide, which, while still a greenhouse gas, is significantly less potent than methane in terms of global warming potential. The potential of this biotechnology could be a game-changer for industries like agriculture and energy, where methane release is substantial. By integrating these microbes into emission-heavy processes, we can make a significant impact on our planet's health. This is a brilliant example of how innovative science is leading the way in sustainable practices. #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Innovation #EnvironmentalScience #GreenTech

Given the impact #climatechange has on #health, there is every reason for #lifesciences - dedicated to improving human life - to encompass addressing climate change in its mission, too. Maria Cheryl Fernandez, Claudia von Hammerstein, and Robin Nuttall discuss. #COP28 #netzero https://lnkd.in/ePJztirQ