Adapting to increasingly severe climate impacts has fallen is not receiving enough attention from governments, according to UNEP | Credit: South Agency Huge shortfall in financing for climate adaptation measures means global efforts to tackle the climate crisis are akin to ‘going into battle blindfolded with one hand tied behind our backs’, UN warns Nature-based […]

UN-backed Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance argues ‘capitalism needs to become more sustainable’ as group sets out plans to slash emissions from investment portfolios and step up engagement with carbon intensive sectors More than 30 of the world’s largest investors have committed to setting and reporting on short-term emissions targets for 2025 designed to put […]

McKinsey expects oil demand to peak in 2029 if current trends continue A new report from McKinsey predicts global fossil fuel demand ‘will never return to its pre-pandemic growth curve’, but warns the world is still on track to badly miss its climate goals The impact of the coronavirus crisis on the fossil fuel industry […]

Labour leader promises climate change and the green economy will be central to Party’s plans ‘now and at the next election’ Tackling the climate emergency must be at the heart of the UK’s rebuilding process after the coronavirus crisis, with the green economy boasting the potential to create “huge opportunities for our country”, Labour leader […]

The two firms are drawing up plans to produce hydrogen and capture CO2 at an oil refinery in Ellesmere Port Plans for a major hydrogen production hub are being drawn up in Cheshire, where oil refining firm Essar and technology specialist Progressive Energy are aiming to capture carbon for storage below Liverpool Bay while producing […]

Criticism of banks’ financing of environmentally-destructive industries continues to grow, but a new report argues they could play a critical role in protecting forests and driving climate action Banks have faced increasing criticism in recent years over their ongoing financial support for environmentally-destructive industries, but by tweaking their practices they could become part a critical […]

Media giant to work with UK government as latest corporate sponsor for crucial climate summit, as it also unveiled a clutch of new green broadcasting commitments Sky is to take a leading role at November’s UN climate change summit in Glasgow, announcing today it has struck a deal with the UK government to be the […]

Wind and solar capacity worldwide continued to grow in 2020 despite the Covid-19 pandemic UK government to also host joint clean energy summit with International Energy Agency in March in order to drive green momentum ahead of COP26 The International Energy Agency (IEA) is drawing up the “world’s first” comprehensive roadmap for the global energy […]

Heir to the throne touts ‘comprehensive roadmap’ for sustainable recovery to 2030 backed by Unilever, BP, BlackRock, Heathrow Airport, and others The Prince of Wales has today launched a 10-point pandemic recovery charter that challenges businesses to “put nature, people and the planet at the heart of global value creation” over the next decade, in […]

The survey points to bullish confidence in the resilience of green energy to the disruption of the pandemic Survey of energy professionals worldwide points to strong confidence in the future resilience of the fast-expanding renewables sector Renewables industry professionals around the world appear to be broadly unfazed by the impact of the coronavirus crisis on […]

Wildfires burning north of Beaumont in California in July 2020 | Credit: Brody Hessin Insurance giant warns ‘it is time to act’ in order to curb growing costs of climate change Natural disasters caused $210bn of damage worldwide in 2020, racking up significantly higher losses than the previous year amid devastating floods in China, a […]

ExxonMobil latest climate goals have received short shrift from climate scientists US oil major insists it has ‘a well-established and rigorous’ climate risk oversight process in place ExxonMobil has for the first time disclosed the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated from the use of its oil and gas products, as well as detailing its […]

The funding could see all buses in one of the cities switch to run on electric power | Credit: travellinglight Up to 500 buses could be replaced with all-electric versions as part of government competition Coventry and Oxford are vying for up to £50m of funding to help switch their entire bus fleets to run […]

Does the UK-EU trade deal deliver a ‘green Brexit’? On Christmas Eve the UK and EU averted a damaging no-deal scenario, but the resulting trade deal still leaves many outstanding questions about the UK’s environmental policy prospects unanswered Since the Brexit referendum in June 2016 the process of exiting the European Union has been nothing […]

Business Secretary offers to leave departmental role in order to concentrate fully on leading the UK’s climate diplomacy efforts in run up to crucial Glasgow summit Alok Sharma has offered to quit his role as Business Secretary in order to concentrate fully on spearheading the UK’s international climate diplomacy efforts over the coming year as […]

UK’s Planning Inspectorate grants consent for major wind farm despite concerns over potential impact on local seabird populations Ørsted has officially been given the green light to start work on the third phase of its mammoth Hornsea wind farm off the coast of Norfolk, despite concerns raised by conservation groups over the potential impact of […]

Boris Johnson marked the trade agreement by publishing the above photo to the Number 10 Twitter account | Credit: Downing Street Brexit deal finally brokered on Christmas Eve, but big questions remain over long term ramifications for environmental standards and green trade The UK and the European Union have finally come to an agreement on […]

President-elect announces ‘trailblazing’ team to lead his ambitious climate policy from next year including Jennifer Granholm as Energy Secretary Joe Biden has confirmed the key green appointments to his White House team that will lead his ambitious climate agenda after he takes over as President in January, promising the “trailblazing team will be ready on […]

Banks Mining slams ‘outrageous’ decision to reject opencast coal mine project, but decision is warmly welcomed by climate campaigners Proposals for a new opencast mine in Newcastle that would have seen hundreds of thousands of tonnes of coal and fireclay extracted for use in UK steel, cement and brick manufacturing have been unanimously rejected by […]

Hydrogen boilers installed in Spadeadam, Northumberland, as part of a low-carbon heating trial Boiler manufacturers and Energy Networks Association call for sale of greener alternatives to fossil fuel boilers to be mandatory within five years All boiler installations across the UK should be ‘hydrogen-ready’ from 2025, according to a coalition of gas boiler manufacturers and […]

The firm plans to work with hydrogen-electric aircraft developer ZeroAvia at the new facility | Credit: ZeroAvia Electric motor technology specialist claims new West Midlands facility will create 60 green engineering jobs to help develop zero emission aircraft Electric motor specialist Aeristech is to establish a “state-of-the-art” test and development facility for electric and hydrogen […]

Studies have shown time spent in nature can improve mental wellbeing | Credit: BackyardProduction Seven projects across England secure funding to test nature-based prescriptions designed to improve mental health and community well-being Research into how connecting people with nature through activities such as walking, cycling, community gardening, and tree planting can help boost mental health […]

Motorsport governing body FIA unveils plans for F1 cars to use greener fuel in next five years, as it sets sights on becoming net zero carbon by 2030 The FIA claims to have developed a “100 per cent sustainable” fuel made from bio-waste which it aims standardise across Formula 1 cars within the next five […]

The Magor turbine has been installed to help power pints in South Wales | Credit: Budweiser One of UK’s largest onshore wind turbines installed to help directly power Budweiser’s Magor brewery in South Wales One of the UK’s largest onshore wind turbines has been installed in South Wales to directly power a nearby Budweiser brewery […]

Time-of-use energy tariffs are becoming increasingly popular as electric vehicle sales surge in the UK Green energy supplier claims its new tariff will offer a longer off-peak charging window than others on the UK market Good Energy is gearing up to launch its first ‘time-of-use’ consumer energy tariff next year aimed at electric vehicle (EV) […]

Treasury publishes interim Net Zero Review outlining approach to estimating costs associated with decarbonising UK economy Delivering a net zero emissions economy by 2050 is “essential” for ensuring long term prosperity in the UK, as the transition will create new jobs and opportunities while helping stave off the “existential threat to humanity” posed by climate […]

Industry watchdog the Oil & Gas Authority submits revised strategy to Parliament that for the first time includes obligation for sector to support pursuit of UK’s 2050 net zero goal The UK’s oil and gas industry watchdog has the first time set an obligation for the sector to contribute to the nation’s 2050 net zero […]

HSBC poll of 1,000 UK businesses indicates operational and supply chain net zero targets are heading into the mainstream A major survey of UK firms has found almost three-quarters of businesses plan to introduce net zero emissions goals covering their own operations and supply chains over the next year, as climate-aligned business strategies head into […]

The smart meter rollout has faced major disruption due to Covid-19, but installations are on the up again and experts believe the technology has the potential to unlock the next wave of the net zero transition Smart meters are set to reach over half of Britain’s homes and businesses next year, as the national rollout […]

Shell, Amazon, and investment groups participate in funding round as ZeroAvia aims for first commercial zero emission flight in 2023 Hydrogen-electric aircraft developer ZeroAvia has secured $21.4m of backing from a raft of major investors, including Amazon and Shell, as the company completed its first fundraising round in support of plans to run its first […]

Property firm to phase out diesel use on its construction sites from 2025 as it sets out plans to align business with 1.5C global warming trajectory Lendlease has announced plans to phase-out the use of diesel across all its European construction sites from 2025, with the property developer shifting instead towards renewable electricity to power […]

The Sealaska forest in Alaska is one of 50 projects developed by Finite Carbon | Credit: Finite Carbon Oil and gas giant ramps up investment in USA’s largest carbon offset developer, as it increases focus on natural climate solutions in support of its net zero targets BP has brought the America’s largest developer of forest-based […]

More than half of pension scheme’s overall portfolio will be within ‘climate aware’ strategies from February 2021 Workplace pension scheme Nest has unveiled plans to ramp up its investment in energy efficiency upgrades, renewables, and green buildings in a bid to slash the carbon footprint of its portfolio and take advantage of “exciting” growth areas […]

US oil and gas major offers ‘respect and support’ for global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, but campaigners remain less than convinced ExxonMobil has unveiled several short term targets to tackle its carbon intensity, methane emissions, and flaring activity in a new climate plan it claims is “projected to be consistent with […]

Long-awaited Energy White Paper set to be unleashed alongside plan to establish domestic UK emissions trading scheme from 2021 The government has unveiled further details of its hotly-anticipated vision for the UK’s net zero transition, signalling a major overhaul of Britain’s energy market to scale up renewables, clean heating, nuclear, energy efficiency, carbon capture, and […]

Survey by Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee reveals ‘poor experience’ among many applicants for the schemes’ vouchers The government’s flagship initiative to help homeowners pay for green upgrades such as insulation, heat pumps, and solar roof panels continues to face major teething problems two months on from its launch, with research suggesting many households are experiencing […]

Chinese premier promises to increase CO2 cuts, forest cover, and renewable energy capacity, as scores of world leaders reassert backing for Paris Agreement at Climate Ambition Summit Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to ramp up climate efforts in the world’s biggest emitting nation over the next decade, announcing new commitments to slash emissions, expands […]

Chinese premier promises to increase CO2 cuts, forest cover, and renewable energy capacity, as scores of world leaders reassert backing for Paris Agreement at Climate Ambition Summit Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to ramp up climate efforts in the world’s biggest emitting nation over the next decade, announcing new commitments to slash emissions, expands […]

Chinese premier promises to increase CO2 cuts, forest cover and renewable energy as scores of world leaders reassert backing for Paris Agreement at Climate Ambition Summit Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to ramp up climate efforts in the world’s biggest emitting nation over the next decade, announcing several new commitments to slash emissions, grow […]

Latest corporate members of 1.5C Supply Chain Leaders group unveiled to mark fifth anniversary of Paris Agreement Food giant Nestlé, telecoms company Telefónica, and waste firm Ragn-Sells have committed to slashing emissions across their global value chains in line with limiting average temperature rise to 1.5C, as they today became the latest corporates to join […]

Two firms to explore potential for shifting away from fossil fuels and harnessing hydrogen to power British Airways’ future fleet British Airways has teamed up with zero emission aircraft developer ZeroAvia for a new project aimed at exploring the potential for shifting away from fossil fuels and towards hydrogen to power the airlines’ future fleet, […]

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to speak alongside a host of heads of state at the virtual summit Scores of world leaders and top business figures are set to unveil new climate pledges at an event marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement this weekend More than 100 world leaders, business figures, faith […]

Net Zero Asset Manager initiative commits firms to setting interim 2030 goals in line with achieving net zero portfolios by 2050 or sooner A group 30 major investors collectively managing over $9tr of assets worldwide have agreed to set interim targets to drive down emissions across their portfolios to net zero by 2050, as they […]

Prince Charles hails ‘bristling’ number of governments and firms announcing net zero emissions targets in foreward to the report A strategic roadmap to aid corporates in plotting their net zero transformation in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement has been launched today by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), bringing […]

UK Green Building Council spearheads drive to develop ‘single, coherent’, science-based roadmap to decarbonise the UK’s entire built environment A “single, coherent” action plan for transforming the entire UK built environment to deliver net zero emissions is to be developed by a host of green building and construction experts over the next year, as part […]

Mayors and council leaders across England and Scotland promise to do ‘everything in our power’ to eliminate CO2 from their communities before 2045 Council leaders from across the political spectrum representing over 20 million people in England and Scotland have today pledged to “do everything within our power and influence” to drive down local emissions […]

The net zero transition is rapidly accelerating and risks leaving laggard industries and governments behind, findings suggest Analysis backed by top green figures indicates net zero transition is set to rapidly escalate in 2020s, leaving carbon-intensive industries looking increasingly uncompetitive Zero emission technologies can “outcompete” older carbon-intensive industries across multiple sectors worldwide within a decade, […]

BusinessGreen rounds up all the crucial findings in the Climate Change Committee’s mammoth 450 page report on how to meet the UK’s carbon targets In what it has claimed as a “world first”, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) today submitted its hotly-anticipated Sixth Carbon Budget advice to the government, setting out how to deliver both […]

Offshore wind will be the backbone of the future UK economy, according to the CCC | Credit: Charlie Chesvick / iStock ‘This investment programme is going to breathe life into the UK economy – it’s as much an economic policy as a climate policy, particularly over the next 10 years as we recover from the […]

A host of leading industry figures five their views on how can firms support and accelerate the transition to net zero buildings From whichever angle you look, net zero buildings offer a compelling vision. They are the homes and offices of the future that promise to keep occupants cool in the summer, warm in the […]