All the green business news from around the world this week Three quarters of cars sold in Norway boast plugs Norway has long been the poster child for the electric vehicle (EV) transition thanks to its generous subsidies and impressive recharging infrastructure, but the latest sales figures from the Nordic nation will still raise eyebrows […]

Civil society, researchers, and business leaders argue that multi-million pound transport industry bailouts must come with climate-friendly conditions attached While the length of the current health crisis is near impossible to predict, debates on the size, shape, and allocation of bailouts to the UK’s transport sector are already in full swing, with many commentators urging […]

Food redistribution charities urged to apply for funding to help prevent 14,000 tonnes of surplus food going to waste amid Covid-19 disruption More than £3m is being offered by the government to help prevent food waste during the coronavirus crisis, with the funding aimed at supporting the redistribution of up to 14,000 tonnes of surplus […]

Green investor Earthworm ups its support for London food technology firm as it eyes significant growth for urban and indoor farming The UK’s nascent vertical farming sector appears to be attracting growing investor interest, with London-based Vertical Future securing an additional £1.1m backing from green impact investor Earthworm. Having already been the lead investor in […]

Leading figures from across the green economy offer their perspectives on how to respond to the Covid-19 crisis BusinessGreen asked some of the top experts from across the green economy how they thought the coronavirus crisis would impact the sector and how businesses should respond. Their many and varied responses make for essential reading.

Biobased materials, particularly in the thorny realm of bioplastics, are a polarising subject. But for as many systemic kinks that their management lays bare, the slew of potential long-term benefits to swapping out petroleum-based products for plant-based alternatives is hard to ignore.  While sugar cane and corn are popular feedstocks, their frequent reliance on synthetic fertilizers, […]

Air pollution impacts how the human body can fight infections and viruses – it is time for governments and businesses to recognise these risks Much has been written in recent weeks comparing the shocking and oppressive impacts of COVID-19 and future effects of climate change. But one of the most important links could be the one right […]

A skyline view of central London from Hackney. Credit: Wikimedia Commons The clean energy milestone comes just weeks after Hackney Council revealed plans to open a ‘library of things’ where citizens can borrow useful items in a bid to reduce household waste. Hackney Council has this week revealed that it is now sourcing all of […]

Water firm plans to convert 2,000 of its fleet vehicles to run on battery power by the end of the decade Severn Trent Water has become the latest corporate to join the ranks of the global EV100 initiative, in a move which follows its pledge to covert its entire fleet of vehicles 2,000 to run […]

The current crisis may shine a light on the government’s unique role in tackling a national emergency, argues Good Energy CEO Juliet Davenport In times of unexpected crisis, it’s difficult to see beyond next week, let alone how we will be affected over the long term. In a time when we are worried about our […]

Nuclear plants, CCS, and whole-building retrofits should not be prioritised over smaller cheaper alternatives, study argues, while acknowledging small scale technologies do not offer a panacea Low carbon technologies that are relatively small in scale, more affordable, and can be mass deployed, are more likely to enable a faster transition to net zero emissions than […]

The world has been turned on its head and a new settlement is needed – can COP26 provide the answer? The UN and the UK government were entirely right to delay COP26, but the planning for one of the most important Summit’s in human history has to start now “We, the delegates of this Conference, […]

Greenhouse gas emissions traded under Europe’s ETS dropped 8.7 per cent overall last year, although many airlines saw their CO2 rise Carbon emissions regulated under the European Union’s emissions trading systems (ETS) fell by 8.7 per cent last year, marking the carbon market’s largest annual CO2 decline in a decade, according to preliminary analysis by […]

The appliance giant intends to source half of its energy mix from renewables by the close of 2020. Credit: Electrolux Sweden’s Electrolux has today revealed that it has reduced absolute carbon dioxide emissions from its operations by 75 per cent since 2005, speeding past its previous target to halve its emissions by 2020. In its […]

Roughly half the UK’s lease fleet is company cars. Credit: Drivers of company cars who opt to go electric will pay no benefit-in-kind (BiK) tax from next week, marking a dramatic drop from the 16 per cent rate in place today The government’s new company car tax regime has the potential to spur a boom […]

The world can emerge stronger from this crisis if we seize the opportunity to collectively chart a course towards the future we want, argues CISL’s Dame Polly Courtice As the world comes to terms with a global pandemic that has threatened and turned upside-down the lives and livelihoods of people across the globe, it is […]

Carbon offsets from peat restoration projects are set to become increasingly popular Think tank argues new oversight body is needed to tackle risk of ‘junk credits’ as reliance on carbon offsets grows The government is today facing calls to move swiftly to establish a new watchdog to oversee an anticipated surge in the development of […]

Once the immediate coronavirus threat has passed, corporates must ramp up their climate efforts, argues WWF’s Seán Mallon The challenge posed in tackling the immediate threat from Covid-19 by now comes as news to no-one. It has forced us to change how we work and interact as a society. Our businesses are changing to adapt…

UK tech start-up gains Innovate UK backing to assess South Africa’s former gold mines for energy storage capability UK tech start-up Gravitricity has unveiled plans to explore the energy storage potential of South Africa’s former mine shafts, thanks to a £300,000 funding boost from government agency Innovate UK. The company’s energy storage technology works by […]

UPS recently put in an order to 10,000 electric delivery vans from Arrival | Credit: Arrival Delivery giant and tech developer team up with UK Power Networks (UKPN), Innovate UK, and Cross River Partnership to optimise EV fleet charging An innovative smart charging project aimed at demonstrating the carbon, cost, and grid benefits associated with […]

The UK had sought to position 2020 as the ‘Year of Climate Action’ ahead of its hosting of COP26 in November All the reaction from politicians, green business, academia, NGOs and think tanks on the momentous decision to postpone this year’s critical UN climate change summit The crucial UN climate change summit due to take […]

BREAKING: With key Glasgow venue set to be turned into a field hospital, UN and UK government conclude crucial climate summit must be delayed until next year The crucial COP26 climate summit in Glasgow will be postponed until next year in response to the escalating global coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations and the UK government […]

Farmers should be rewarded for managing health of their soils, according to the study Royal Society study author argues people ‘should be as appalled’ by badly managed soils as deforestation Growing evidence of the myriad benefits well-maintained soils can deliver by combating climate change, alleviating flooding, boosting crop yields, and supporting biodiversity, has been highlighted […]

Committee on Climate Change chief describes postponement as ‘entirely reasonable in the present circumstances’ The Scottish government has today confirmed it is to delay publication of the imminent update to its national Climate Change Plan in response to the escalating coronavirus outbreak. An update to the country’s decarbonisation plan had been expected by the end […]

Many businesses will conclude that SDG16 is mainly the preserve of governments, but there are tangible steps companies can take to help deliver on its crucial targets SDG16’s vision to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels” obviously […]

The latest forecasts demonstrate the resilience of the wind sector, according to Bloomberg BloombergNEF downgrades its 2020 growth forecasts for global wind power capacity as pandemic disrupts supply chains The global wind power industry looks set for yet another record year of growth in 2020, even taking into account dampened activity and supply chain disruption […]

An analysis by the Environmental Defense fund posits that the new rules will contribute to more than 18,5000 premature deaths by mid-century. California and the Natural Resources Defense Council have pledged to challenge the regulation, which the government is touting as its largest deregulatory initiative to date, in court. The Trump administration formally launched its […]

Research note suggests companies with strong ESG credentials are proving more resilient than their peers to coronavirus turmoil A growing body of research has in recent years highlighted how listed companies with strong environmental credentials outperform the wider stock market, but now HSBC has released evidence that suggests greener stocks’ relatively impressive performance is largely […]

Viki Cooke of Britain Thinks argues that the short term challenges are immense, but the crisis has revealed a strength of community ties that could yet serve the climate movement well The green economy, like every other part of the economy, is feeling shockwaves right now. All sectors are having to demonstrate their agility under […]

Fastned has stations in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands and intends to expand into Belgium, France and Switzerland next.Credit: Fastned Dutch fast charging company delivered nearly 8GWh of electricity to 42,800 customers in 2019, as financial results were overshadowed by coronavirus concerns Fastned’s revenues from its fast charging network grew 175 per cent to […]

SSE announces official closure of energy firm’s last remaining coal plant after 50 years of operation, as RWE simultaneously shutters Aberthaw coal plant in Wales The Fiddler’s Ferry coal-fired power station officially closed its doors in Cheshire yesterday after almost 50 years of operation, as the UK’s shift towards lower cost green energy sources continues […]

Energy Networks Association and National Grid reveal plans to harness green and flexible energy technologies through latest innovation strategies During lockdown, swathes of businesses, industries and services have been forced to adapt to the new reality, and sadly in some cases that has meant scaling down or stopping altogether. And if the scale…

Coca-Cola emerges as the worst plastic offender in Tearfund’s report. Tearfund estimates that the open burning of companies’ plastic products in six focus countries spews roughly 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent into the atmosphere each year. More than half a million tonnes of plastic produced by Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever is being […]

Solarcentury was the subject of takeover speculation in 2019 | Credit: Solarcentury Transaction includes Solarcentury’s partnership with IKEA and is aimed at allowing firm to focus on utility-scale projects Solarcentury has sold its residential business to Swedish installer Svea Solar for an undisclosed sum, with the UK company aiming to increase focus on its global […]

Auto trade bodies call for ‘some adjustment to timing’ of EU CO2 standards, as White House seeks to weaken fuel efficiency rules in US Europe’s car industry body is pushing the European Commission to delay introduction of stricter carbon dioxide standards for new vehicles, claiming the Covid-19 pandemic limits its ability to comply with the […]

Oil and gas giant exits Independent Petroleum Association of America and puts two other lobby groups on notice over climate stance Equinor has become the latest oil major to quit a trade body amid disagreements over climate policy, confirming late last week that it is leaving the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA). The Norwegian […]

UK Director of Sustainability at WSP, David Symons, argues the UK environmental movement has to come out of this crisis in one piece, ‘ready to crack on when the time is right’ Just a fortnight days ago, I was asking my son’s class for their ideas to deliver a zero carbon world. That seems a […]

Dr Ben Caldecott argues the clamour for green strings to be attached to bailout packages could be misguided – could government take a long term stake in struggling companies instead and demand bolder climate strategies as a shareholder? There are growing clamours to attach all manner of terms and conditions to Covid-19 induced government bailout […]

Demand for beef, soy and palm oil has spurred a growth in deforestation in some regions of the world Global Resource Initiative (GRI) taskforce also says UK has ‘unpatrolled opportunities’ to green its supply chains as it seeks new global trade deals The UK should set a legally-binding target to end deforestation across its food, […]

Old Hammer Pond on the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, a pioneering rewilding estate comprising 1400 ha of former arable and dairy farm land. Credit: Marathon New charity Heal plans to raise £7m to buy and rewild 500-acres (200ha) of land in southern England within two years, before replicating the project further afield. A new […]

In 2017, Stafford Sheehan handed a friend an unusual bottle of booze. He had made it himself — but not the usual way. A chemical physicist, Dr. Sheehan had invented a process to make alcohol from carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas associated with climate change, not cocktail hour. “I said, ‘Hold on, you made this […]

Japan becomes first major economy to submit updated national climate action plan to UN, but campaigners are left outraged by ‘shameful’ lack of ambition Japan today became the first major economy to submit its updated national climate action plan under the Paris Agreement ahead of a 2020 deadline, but observers would be forgiven for missing […]

The 10MW turbine will be mounted on a semi-submersible floating concrete structure based on the OO-Star Wind Floater. Credit: Iberdrola FLAGSHIP consortium is banking on using a €25m grant from the European Commission to mount a turbine in Norway’s North Sea that will help drive the LCOE of floating offshore wind to €40-60 per MWh […]

But roughly $150bn of subsidies, carbon pricing and more supportive policies may be needed for green hydrogen to reach full decarbonisation potential, finds analyst A major rollout of green hydrogen technologies could offset up to one third of global greenhouse gas emissions produced by fossil fuels and industry by 2050, according to a new report […]