The need for urgent action on climate change made the headlines last month, as environmental protesters disrupted cities across Europe. In May, a report by the UK's Committee on Climate Change urged the government to accelerate its target - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050 - to net zero. Meanwhile, eight member states have called on the European Union to allocate a quarter of its budget to tackling climate change, insisting on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The publication of Energy UK's Future of Energy report has also focused attention on creating a sustainable energy strategy - and the waste industry's role in that. The changing energy picture will affect the sector's development and deployment of technologies such as energy-recovery facilities and energy from waste. Meanwhile, using animal and waste by-products to generate energy will become increasingly popular as many sectors look to decarbonise (see page 36). Tackling ocean plastic is another part of the jigsaw to redress the damage society has wreaked upon the natural world, and major brands - including Nestle Waters and PepsiCo - are investing in bringing breakthrough recycling technology to market (see page 9). Consumers must also do their part, however. On page 16, we explore the ways in which local authorities can improve domestic waste disposal, through campaigns such as South Oxfordshire District Council's Binzone smartphone app, which informs residents about what thev can recycle.
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