States and regions such as California are moving faster to cut emissions than the rest of the world New analysis from The Climate Group and CDP highlights how many states and regions are decarbonising far faster than the global average Progressive state and regional governments are moving faster than the rest of the world on […]

Condé Nast has promised to use all its magazine brands to promote a more sustainable approach to fashion | Credit: Marina Burity Condé Nast signs UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, as it pledges to promote sustainable fashion and clothing re-use to readers Influential fashion magazine Vogue will soon be trying to convince its […]

Patch plasters are fully compostable and organic | Credit: Patch James Dutton started making eco-friendly plasters from bamboo fibre in his kitchen four years’ ago – now the brand is available in 36 countries around the world James Dutton’s decision to start his now multinational green business is perhaps best described as an unhappy accident. […]

The Liberal Democrats would require all new homes to be zero carbon from 2021 | Credit: Sturti The Party is promising to pump ’emergency’ spending into energy efficiency, renewables, electric cars and public transport to drive carbon reduction The five months since June this year have been a remarkable time in British politics. Since the […]

Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust plc publishes Prospectus for proposed LSE floatation Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust has confirmed it is looking to raise up to £250m through a major new initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange, as the company looks to “accelerate the transition to a future powered by renewable energy”. The renewables […]

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaking at the BusinessGreen Leaders Summit last month | Credit: Incisive Business Media Party proposes a ’10 year emergency programme’ to slash emissions and put UK on track for net zero by 2045 The Liberal Democrats have promised a 10-year “emergency programme” of green investment to kickstart immediate and substantial […]

Have cost projections for battery EVs been too bullish? Market forces alone will not be enough to drive widespread adoption of electric vehicles as battery costs unlikely to decline sharply in 2020s, study argues Electric vehicles (EVs) are unlikely to become cheaper than traditional petrol and diesel models any time soon, and could well still […]

They are not going to form the next government, but the Green Party manifesto remains a hugely important document What is the purpose of the Green Party? In an electoral system stacked against them what is the point of a small party that will always struggle to make a meaningful electoral impact? It is a […]

Leonard Pelly, a wealthy Englishman, was so obsessed with salmon fishing that each year in the 1880s he would load his private steam yacht with his household and servants and head for the distant coast of Norway. Mr. Pelly’s entourage was part of a stream of British nobility and landowners who traveled so often to […]

Governments can do much more to curb oil, gas and coal production, UNEP report argues Research led by UN Environment Programme calls for end to coal, oil, and gas subsidy support and increase in climate policy ambition The world is planning to extract more than double the amount of fossil fuels than thresholds for maintaining […]

Environmental issues get only a fleeting mention in largely underwhelming TV debate between the two men vying to be the next Prime Minister The climate crisis received only a brief mention in the first TV debate of the election campaign last night, as just one question on the topic was reserved for the ‘quick fire’ […]

Delos is what’s known as a “wellness real estate” brand. Founded in New York in 2012, it aims to make homes healthier places to live by installing a system that monitors and controls a property’s air and water quality and lighting. Delos introduced the technology, called Darwin Home Wellness Intelligence (Darwin), in Australia last fall. […]

Innovation in battery technology and economies of scale will make Volkswagen’s latest electric vehicle significantly cheaper to produce, company claims Volkswagen’s new ‘people’s EV’, the ID.3, will be 40 per cent cheaper to build than the electric version of its Golf model, the carmaker’s chief executive said yesterday. Speaking to investors, Herbert Diess said the […]

Luxury fashion chief says businesses should pump more cash into conservation efforts Marco Bizzarri, the president and chief executive of luxury clothing firm Gucci, has challenged CEOs of other major corporates to crack down on supply chain emissions.  While many individual companies and industry coalitions have made “commendable commitments” to align carbon reduction emissions with […]

Estée Lauder is aiming for 100 per cent renewable operations by 2020 in North America Cosmetics company inks 22MW Virtual Power Purchase Agreement to supply more than half its electricity needs Estée Lauder is set to source more than half its global electricity needs through a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with a wind […]

AECOM’s Robert Spencer urges business support for an innovative project aimed at curbing waste in the construction industry The construction industry produces a major proportion of the UK’s waste – around 60 per cent of it, in fact – and companies in the sector must therefore work together to encourage greener practices. …

Company says solar can meet up to 40 per cent of power needs across its property estate US retailer Target has met its commitment to install solar panels on 500 store and distribution centre rooftops ahead of its original 2020 deadline, the company announced this week. Following the latest installation on top of its store […]

The Green Party is proposing a massive investment in cycling and walking infrastructure as part of its Green New Deal | Credit: Olaser The Green Party is promising to invest more than any of its rivals in tackling climate change – here’s what you need to know Most of the UK’s politicians, and political commentators, […]

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell speaking at the Labour Party conference earlier this year | Credit: Socialist Appeal Pledge first made by Labour Party in June repeated by Shadow Chancellor on the General Election campaign trail Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has issued a fresh promise to force listed firms to take action on climate change or […]

Tetra Pak’s plant-based polymer packaging will be available from Q12020 Packaging giant says Bonsucro certification scheme provides assurance over the sustainability of its sugar-cane based cartons Tetra Pak is to offer packaging made with fully traceable plant-based polymers, after its supplier achieved certification for all its sugarcane-derived bioethanol.   Labels obtained through the Bonsucro…

Britain leapfrogs Japan into seventh place on EY’s global leadership board for renewable energy investment attractiveness The UK has risen to become the seventh most attractive destination in the world for renewables investment this year, with green energy finance picking up pace despite Brexit casting a shadow of uncertainty over the economy.  While investment in […]

Budget airline will fund forest conservation, renewable energy and community-based projects to offset fuel use EasyJet is to spend £25m a year on offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights, it announced today. Facing mounting public concern over the environmental impact of air travel, Easyjet said the move to […]

Europeans buy 40 per cent more clothes today compared to 1996 | Credit: MM Photography The negative environmental impact of textiles production is beaten only by food, housing and transport, new research reveals Clothes, shoes, and accessories are the fourth largest cause of environmental pressures in the EU, according to new research released today by […]

Party unveils plans for 10 new Bills that aim to put UK on track for net zero emissions by 2030 The Greens will today become the first Party to release their election manifesto, unveiling plans for 10 new Bills designed to “make the whole country carbon neutral by 2030”. A day after Labour confirmed it […]

Carmaker is hoping new Mustang Mach-E will attract new consumers to the electric car market In an attempt to convert a whole new class of consumers to electric cars, Ford Motor Company yesterday unveiled the Mustang Mach-E, an updated version of its iconic American ‘muscle car’. The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) boasts a range of […]

Despite rising levels of renewable energy, the emissions intensity of the global economy is not falling fast enough | Credit: LL28 Annual Low Carbon Economy Index confirms rate of UK decarbonisation slowed to 3.5 per cent last year, well below what is needed to meet 2050 target The UK’s progress towards its decarbonisation goals is […]

Juliet Davenport Better regulation and data are needed to modernise the energy grid for the net zero transition, argues Good Energy CEO Juliet Davenport It’s no secret that Britain’s energy system is changing dramatically. Coal plants are being shuttered; electric vehicles are becoming commonplace; and renewables now supply 33 per cent of our electricity…

For universities, cutting carbon could spell trouble for staff morale, warn Siobhan Wren and Matt Rooney from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Universities in the UK have legally binding targets to reduce emissions by 43 per cent from 2005-2020, which were established to help meet the UK’s carbon reduction commitment set out in the Climate Change…

‘Pledge to Net Zero’ initiative launched by environmental services organisations, including IEMA, EIC, SocEnv, ACE, WSP and AECOM A group of UK green business organisations and leading consultancies have today launched a joint pledge to slash their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, with each promising to set science-based targets in support of the UK’s […]

Negotiators at latest round of shipping industry climate talks ignored calls to impose speed limits that would cut carbon Green campaigners have been left “deeply concerned and disappointed” after efforts to impose speed limits on ships in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions stalled once again last week. Activists said a meeting last week at […]

Labour is promising 320,000 new ‘climate apprenticeships’ in its first term in government Shadow International Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner tells Radio 4 new pledge is to hit 90 per cent renewables in UK energy system by 2030 Labour has shelved a radical plan to deliver net zero emissions by 2030, despite Party members backing the […]

Climate and environmental issues have risen as top issues for voters in the upcoming election British voters view the environment and pollution as more pressing than the economy, education, and housing, groundbreaking Ipsos Mori poll suggests Concern among UK voters about the state of the environment has hit its highest level in several decades, according […]

Offsetting emissions, at least in the short term, is crucial for many hard to decarbonise industries to reach net zero – but the market for woodland and peatland projects remains a nascent one A key part of ‘net zero’, as is often pointed out, is not just the ‘zero’, but the ‘net’. For while rapidly […]

All three main Parties spent the weekend talking up competing plans to accelerate tree-planting programmes, boost public transport, and launch a tax raid on oil industry profits With the first wave of Party manifestos imminent it is already clear the UK is set for the greenest election in British history – a fact that was […]

Fashion businesses need to better communicate their environmental credentials to win over shoppers and prepare for increased scrutiny, argues Kantar’s Glen Tooke The hunt is on for the next throw-away coffee cup or plastic bag. These issues have dominated headlines and the public’s consciousness in recent years, but consumers are now turning their attention…

Fires started by ranchers to clear rainforest land for cattle rearing | Credit: luoman Non-profit warns not enough concrete action being taken by consumer goods giants to tackle deforestation and commodity risk across their supply chains The world’s leading consumer goods giants now face an “impossible” task to meet an industry-wide pledge to deliver zero […]

Offshore wind accounted for 70 per cent of exports from wind and marine energy last year UK is the ‘go-to destination’ around the world for expertise on designing, building, and further developing wind, wave, and tidal energy projects, RenewableUK claims The UK’s wind, wave, and tidal energy sector exports are worth £525m to the economy […]

Wind is now the cheapest form of new electricity generation in the UK Acting on climate change won’t cost us the earth, but inaction will, argues IPPR’s Josh Emden If at any point during this election campaign you hear environmental policies being criticised because of cost, remember one fundamental truth: acting on climate change won’t […]

A cable deal has been signed to enable a floating wind farm to power oil and gas platforms in the North Sea Cable deal signals next step in using offshore wind to power oil and gas platforms A floating wind farm could soon provide power to North Sea oil and gas platforms, after a deal […]

IEMA welcomes ISO 14007 as means of helping create transparent and accurate data to help firms ‘understand value of sustainability’ A new global benchmark for assessing the environmental costs and benefits of a company’s premises, operations, and supply chains has been published by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), in a move seen as part […]

The government wants 85 per cent of homes and businesses to have a smart meter by 2024 Trade body research suggests industry likely to fall short on government’s ambition for 85 per cent of homes and businesses to have a smart meter installed by 2024 The UK energy industry in increasingly sceptical about its ability […]

Labour announces major solar roll out plan for libraries and communities, as Lib Dems pledge £100bn to tackling ‘climate emergency’ and Greens propose Universal Basic Income Labour has announced plans to install thousands of solar panels on libraries, community centres, and other public buildings across the country if its wins the General Election, claiming the […]

It’s not just about growing more food and using fewer inputs – It’s also about creating local, adaptive food systems that can withstand the effects of climate change We’re at a pivotal moment in an important trend for sustainable food systems: the emergence of sustainably grown food in urban environments. As the growth and maturity of […]

Having inked its first major US renewables deal, the fast food giant is now exploring to curb emissions from its thousands of franchises Last week, McDonald’s made headlines when the fast food giant inked its first major renewables procurement deal.  The deal included two virtual power purchase agreements – 220MW of wind and 160MW of […]

It is turning into a ‘climate election’, but as Marc Hudson argues lessons from Australia suggests environmental campaigners may need to be careful what they wish for The UK will go to the polls on December 12 for the third time in four years. Climate change didn’t make waves in previous elections, but this one […]

AI tech reduces fuel consumption by identifying the best routes for ferries, company reveals Ferry giant Stena Line is to roll out a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) system on all its European vessels after a trial found it reduced carbon emissions and fuel use by three per cent. The company tested its AI software, dubbed […]