May News

Welcome to another monthly news. Here are the ones we thought you should know about.

1. Nebraska-Lincoln Researchers takes a massive step in finding out a way to fully recycle clothes, as they mention "Fibre-to-Fibre".

   
   

   'Textile recycling has vexed researchers and the industry, but it is a problem that must be solved, said University of Nebraska–Lincoln researcher Yiqi Yang. He has developed a first-of-its-kind technology for fibre-to-fibre, or chemical, recycling that successfully removes dyes, separates natural and synthetic blends and creates high-quality fibres.

   
   

   “Dyes are designed to have strong affinity to fibres for excellent colorfastness, so it is difficult to remove the dyes, and what we have done, first in the world, is to find a way to remove the dyes, without damaging the dyes or the fibre polymers,” Yang said. “It not only recycles the fibres successfully, but also recycles the solvents and dyes used in the process.” 

   
   

   

   The researcher Yiqi Yang. Photo taken from Source

   Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln (https://news.unl.edu/article/yang-previews-chemical-recycling-innovation-for-textiles)

2. Trump regime continues

   
   

   DISASTERS DELETED: The New York Times reported that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that it will stop tracking the cost of the country’s most expensive disasters – defined as those that cause at least $1bn in damage. The newspaper described this as the “latest effort from the Trump administration to restrict or eliminate climate research”.

   
   

   MORE TRUMP: The Trump administration also proposed to cut more than $21bn in climate-related funding, including $15bn for carbon capture and renewable energy and $6bn for electric-vehicle chargers, reported Reuters. Elsewhere, two major science unions pledged to produce “over 29 peer-reviewed journals that will cover all aspects of climate change” after the administration dismissed a “key Congress-mandated report on climate”, reported the Guardian.

   
   

   Source: Carbon Brief (https://www.carbonbrief.org/debriefed-9-may-2025-australia-elects-climate-action-spain-committed-to-renewables-taiwans-nuclear-phaseout/)

3. The world’s biggest corporations have caused $28 trillion in climate damage

   
   

   'A Dartmouth College research team came up with the estimated pollution caused by 111 companies, with more than half of the total dollar figure coming from 10 fossil fuel providers: Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, National Iranian Oil Co., Pemex, Coal India and the British Coal Corporation.

   For comparison, $28 trillion is a shade less than the sum of all goods and services produced in the United States last year.

   At the top of the list, Saudi Aramco and Gazprom have each caused a bit more than $2 trillion in heat damage over the decades, the team calculated in a study published in Wednesday’s journal Nature.'

Source: The Associated Press (https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-liability-lawsuits-damage-trillions-5ad21e47b2aa16cc90cb7669f56297f1)

4. Supreme Court won't hear province's appeal in youth-led Ontario climate case

   
   

   Canada's top court has turned down Ontario's request to weigh in on a major challenge to its climate plan brought by a group of young activists.

   The Supreme Court of Canada's decision means the challenge will instead be revived in an Ontario court.

   Lawyers for the seven young people have argued Ontario's 2018 decision to replace its climate target with a weaker one committed the province to dangerously high greenhouse gas levels, in a way that jeopardises their right to life and forces them to bear the brunt of future climate impacts.

   Legal experts say the case could clarify whether governments in Canada have any constitutional obligation to protect Canadians from climate change.

   

   The Young Activists. Photo from Evan Mitsui/CBC

   Source: CBC (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ontario-youth-climate-court-challenge-1.7523634)

5. Australia votes for climate action

   
   

   CLIMATE PROMISE: Australia’s Labor party has secured a second term in power following a landslide election victory, reported CNN. Prime minister Anthony Albanese “reiterated his commitment to climate action” and his government’s target to reach net-zero by 2050, added the outlet. Bloomberg said Albanese’s “next campaign” is to stave off Turkey to secure hosting the COP31 climate summit, along with Pacific nations, in 2026.

   
   

   PUBLIC SUPPORT: The Conversation said that Australia now has “five huge climate opportunities”, including setting an ambitious new international climate pledge for 2035. Columnist David Fickling wrote in Bloomberg that the “historic” victory of the Labor party proved the right-wing opposition party’s plan to replace “renewables-focused climate targets with a switch to nuclear energy” was not widely supported. Guardian Australia’s climate and environment editor Adam Morton said that the country “backed a rapid shift to renewable energy”.

   
   

   Source: Carbon Brief (https://www.carbonbrief.org/debriefed-9-may-2025-australia-elects-climate-action-spain-committed-to-renewables-taiwans-nuclear-phaseout/)

6. CCC: England’s approach to climate adaptation is ‘not working’

   
   

   The “vast majority” of the UK government’s plans to prepare for climate hazards have made virtually no progress over the past two years, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

   In that time, the world has experienced the hottest year on record, while England has seen its wettest ever 18-month stretch between 2022 and 2024.

   (Climate adaptation – outside of some issues such as defence – is mostly a devolved matter, with separate plans in place from the administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.)

   The previous government introduced a new adaptation strategy for England in 2023, covering plans for rising temperatures and more extreme weather in the country.

   However, in its latest analysis of the government’s progress, the CCC states that the current approach to adaptation in England is “not working” and requires “urgent strengthening”.

   The government is failing to make “good” progress in adapting to climate change on any of the 46 outcomes measured by the committee, ranging from better healthcare during heatwaves to preparing financial institutions for climate risk.

7. Why is Marriott Doubling Down on DEI?

   
   

   As many companies scale back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid rising political scrutiny, Marriott International has taken a firm and public stand.

   The company is reinforcing its DEI initiatives as a non-negotiable pillar of its operations and culture. 

   The global hospitality leader used its platform at the 2025 Great Place to Work For All Summit to reassert this position, making clear that inclusivity remains central to its 98-year legacy.

   DEI efforts have come under increasing pressure, particularly in the US following efforts by President Trump’s administration to limit such programmes in federal agencies and contractors. 

   Despite this, Marriott is continuing to uphold its longstanding belief in opportunity for all.

   The company has declared that “we welcome all to our hotels and we create opportunities for all” – reflecting a deeper truth that DEI is embedded in Marriott’s DNA, not shaped by political winds.

   This affirmation was not just a corporate message, it was a clear signal to employees, partners and the wider business community that Marriott will not dilute its values in the face of external challenges. 

   “The winds blow, but there are some fundamental truths for those 98 years,” explains Anthony Capuano, CEO of Marriott International.

   “We welcome all to our hotels, and we create opportunities for all and fundamentally, those will never change. The words might change, but that’s who we are as a company.”​

   The company’s response to current debates on DEI reframes it not as a social programme but as a structural component of business integrity and operational excellence.

   

   Marriott Hotel. Photo from Source

   Source: Sustainability Magazine (https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/this-weeks-top-five-stories-in-sustainability-09-may-2025)