Pontiff yesterday warned leading investors and energy giants that climate change ‘threatens the very future of the human family’ “Time is running out” to avert catastrophic levels of climate change, Pope Francis warned on Friday at a Vatican summit with leading global investors and business leaders, warning the crisis “threatens the very future of the […]

SSE will close its last coal-fired power station early next year, to leave just five coal plants left on UK grid The UK’s journey away from fossil fuels gathered steam yesterday with SSE’s announcement of plans to close another coal-fired power station, leaving just five coal plants operational across the country. SSE said it will […]

New report from the Institution of Engineering and Technology concludes there is ‘no reason’ why hydrogen can’t safely be used in the UK gas grid There is “no reason” why hydrogen can’t be used instead of natural gas to be used for heating and cooking in people’s homes, engineering experts have concluded. Experts from five […]

Solar continues to employ the most people, with growth into new markets through 2018 | Credit: Siemens The number of people employed in renewable energy jobs worldwide rose to eleven million in 2018, their highest ever level, according to the latest analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). That’s up from 10.3 million the previous year, […]

Plans to build the Carmichael coal mine have faced years of opposition from environmental campaigners | Credit: Takver Australia approves Adani coal mine  Australia’s government this week granted final approval to the controversial Carmichael coal mine project, to be built in Queensland by Indian company Adani.  The project has been subject to years of delays […]

A major link in the circular economy: DIY fixes. A major kink in the transition to a circular economy: lobby efforts against DIY fixes This article was adapted from the newsletter VERGE Weekly, running Wednesdays. Subscribe here. During the latest state legislative cycle — which is mostly wound down for this year — lawmakers considered…

A pioneering ag-tech company is working to tackle one of the world’s biggest sources of emissions In 2009, Arkansas farmer Adam Chappell had a pigweed problem. The large, aggressive weed had invaded his 8,000-acre farm in Cotton Plant, and he was spending more than $100 per acre to fight it. “That weed was singlehandedly putting […]

Former Energy and Climate Change Secretary Lord Greg Barker makes the case for low-carbon aluminium in a low-carbon world Last month, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) delivered a report to the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments on how the UK can achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It comes at a vital time – […]

Unilever brand debuts new wrapper-less lolly packaging designed to cut plastic waste by 35 per cent As summer beckons Unilever has debuted its latest packaging innovation, which promises to cut plastic packaging for one of its leading ice cream brands by over a third. The consumer goods giant this week announced the launch of its […]

A Paris-compliant business strategy is the only smart move in the face of the rising climate change threat, argues ClientEarth’s Stephanie Morton For a long time, climate change was seen purely as an environmental and social threat by the business world. Now we are finally seeing a growing awareness of the financial ramifications of a […]

A ‘risk averse culture’ is preventing the UK energy system from benefiting from a data revolution Government and Ofgem must prioritise collection and publication of energy data to usher in low-carbon energy revolution, says taskforce The government’s plans for a net zero grid are being hindered by “poor quality” and “inaccurate” data on the UK […]

World famous race meeting to introduce ‘Re-Cup’ re-use initiative in bid to slash plastic waste The re-use revolution is going to the races next week, after Royal Ascot announced it is to replace disposable plastic glasses with re-usable alternatives that will collected, washed, and re-used each day. Ascot Racecourse announced it has set a target […]

Business is being urged to take more ambitious action to cut carbon | Credit: Dennis Schroeder / NREL Open letter to chief executives of major corporates calls for more firms to set science-based targets in line with 1.5C trajectory The UN has today urged business leaders to step up efforts to slash carbon emissions as […]

Shadow Chancellor tells the FT climate science suggests 2050 net zero target date may have to be pulled forward Labour has signalled it could pull forward the new 2050 target date for the UK to deliver a net zero emission economy, arguing the latest climate science suggests an earlier date may be required. In an […]

BP warns of a ‘growing divergence’ between demands for climate action and pace of emissions cuts, as extreme weather pushes up global fossil fuel use Carbon emissions from the global energy industry rose at their fastest pace in seven years last year, according to new data released this week by oil giant BP which provides […]

Government urged to overturn effective ban to help meet ambitious climate targets Government ministers face rising calls to lift their block on onshore wind farms to help meet the UK’s ambitious climate targets while reducing home energy bills. Some of Europe’s largest energy investors have urged the government to overturn an effective ban on new […]

Carbon capture and storage and carbon dioxide-free hydrogen figure prominently in roadmap to become carbon neutral soon after 2050 Japan’s cabinet has adopted an ambitious emissions reduction strategy, which aims to harness innovative technologies to ensure the country becomes ‘carbon neutral’ soon after 2050. The strategy outlines how the country will reach its Paris Agreement commitments […]

Firm teams up with Seven Brothers brewery to make beer from discarded Coco Pops and Rice Krispies Could ‘snap, crackle, and pop’ take on a new meaning? Cereal giant Kellogg’s has this week unveiled two new products that turn its waste cereals into beer. The company teamed up with Salford-based Brewery Seven Bro7hers to turn […]

Around $7.5bn set to be divested from 150 oil and gas firms, with a further $7.5bn drawn out of coal companies following crucial parliamentary vote The Norwegian parliament yesterday voted to instruct the country’s trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund to ditch more than $13bn in fossil fuel stocks, in what experts estimate may be the world’s […]

A decent job is one of the main aspirations for people around the world, bringing with it the promise of economic security, a sense of pride and community, and a route to a better life for oneself and one’s family. But in the age of a ‘climate emergency’, the sense of what constitutes a decent […]

India’s governments must focus on education to kickstart the country’s battle against plastic waste, argues Link Legal’s Sidhartha Srivastava Images of turtles caught in plastic bags, seals trapped in plastic rings, birds making nests with plastic straws. They’re not nice to see, but they’ve been incredibly effective at finally getting the general…

New investments to focus on firms at the cutting-edge of energy and information technology Sound recognition, decision analytics, and AI are among the latest technologies to receive financing from National Grid, as the firm’s investment and innovation arm this week added four new companies and two new strategic fund investments to its portfolio. The investments were […]

UK industry must prepare for the radical supply chain changes deep decarbonisation will bring, argues Victoria Sinclair of ScottishPower Renewables It’s 2019 and environmental interests are having a moment. There is a surge in public interest for fighting climate change, and a socio-political movement that is getting serious about combating rising…

Net Zero Now campaign to continue, as attention turns to how to deliver on the UK’s historic emissions goal BusinessGreen, the UK’s leading title for sustainability executives and green policy-makers, has won its year-long fight to persuade the UK government to adopt a net zero strategy immediately. The Incisive Media-owned brand celebrated victory for its […]

From re-writing carbon budgets to Treasury reviews into decarbonisation costs, BusinessGreen walks you through the next steps for the UK’s historic net zero strategy Yesterday, in genuinely momentous news for the UK economy, the government set the wheels in motion to upgrade the country’s legal climate targets to a net zero emissions goal for mid-century. Such […]

The adoption of a net zero target is a genuinely historic breakthrough that promises to define the UK’s eventual post-Brexit revival It was the US comedian Eddie Cantor who first declared that “it takes 20 years to make an overnight success”. He was talking about showbiz, but he inadvertently provided the defining motto for breakthrough […]

Business in the Community announces new task force featuring top executives from Drax Group, Sky, Aston Martin, EDF Energy, the Environment Agency, and others Business in the Community has today launched a new Net Zero Taskforce to support the private sector’s transition to a zero carbon economic model. Timed to coincide with the UK government’s confirmation […]

Government will accept CCC advice to review how the remaining costs of achieving net zero emissions can be managed in a way that is fair for consumers and businesses The Treasury will launch a review exploring how the costs of delivering a net zero emissions goal should be shared across the economy, Business Secretary Greg […]

Ed Davey calls for the disclosure of climate-related risks to be made mandatory, to help investors assess companies’ preparedness for the low-carbon transition Lib Dem leadership contender Ed Davey yesterday set out detailed proposals to make disclosure of climate-related risks mandatory for UK companies and investors, echoing similar calls from rival candidate Jo Swinson. Speaking at […]

Consumer goods giant confirms its green-focused brands are growing 69 per cent faster than the rest of its business Anyone looking for an explanation of why consumer goods brands are so interested in strengthening their environmental credentials need look no further than the latest update from multinational Unilever. Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Global Consumer […]

First ever financial study stresses need for investment in face of climate crisis Flood damage estimated at £1.1bn a year is being prevented by the UK’s network of river barriers and defences, according to research. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says it is the first time the financial contribution of river defences has been […]

BusinessGreen Leaders Summit 2019 The BusinessGreen Leaders’ Summit will bring together some of the UK’s top green executives, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, campaigners, and politicians to explore how the pace, reach, and adoption of green business innovation can be accelerated, and the barriers to adoption overcome. Date: 23 Oct 2019 The Crystal One Siemens Brothers Way […]

Pret’s director of strategy and sustainability talks teleportation, nuclear fusion and carbon taxes for food BusinessGreen’s In the Green Room series asks leading sustainability executives about the events, issues, and trends that have shaped their careers.   Name: Laura Gutowski   Job Title: Director…

Consumption-based emissions in rich cities like New York will have to fall by as much as two thirds to put world on track for 1.5C target Consumption levels in cities must be cut in half by 2030 to keep 1.5 degree target alive, according to C40 Cities research City dwellers around the world are making […]

Government hopes extra cash will keep the UK ‘at the forefront’ of electric car development amid bleak news for country’s auto industry The government has awarded an extra £23m in funding to help accelerate the development of electric batteries in the UK, as it battles to keep the country’s auto sector at the cutting edge […]

BREAKING: Days before leaving office, Theresa May moves to secure climate legacy by amending legislation to deliver historic and world-leading net zero emissions target In one of her final acts as British Prime Minister, Theresa May will tomorrow move to enshrine a net zero emissions target into UK law, setting a goal to effectively end […]

‘UK business stands squarely behind the government’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050’ The government will tomorrow lay a statutory instrument before Parliament that will amend the Climate Change Act and introduce a legally-binding net zero emission target for 2050. The move makes the UK the first G7 economy to adopt a net […]

Committee on Climate Change said Wales should target 95 per cent cut in emissions by 2050 – but Welsh government says it would rather go net zero The Welsh government today announced plans to back a net zero emissions target for 2050, in a bid to make history as the first UK government to go […]

Greenpeace estimates 50 million hectares cleared by 2020, warning companies must evolve to prevent ‘climate breakdown’ An area twice the size of the UK has been destroyed for products such as palm oil and soy over the last decade, according to analysis by Greenpeace International. In 2010, members of the Consumer Goods Forum, including some […]

Pioneering French company announces it has secured €20m of EU funding to support cutting-edge FARMYNG project Plans for a new factory have officially launched in France today, with the company behind the cutting-edge project declaring the proposed site in Amiens will deliver the first “fully automated industrial facility to produce premium insect protein”. Fresh from […]

Supermarket giant plans to grow leafy greens in urban farms next to its distribution centres Online supermarket firm Ocado yesterday revealed plans to invest up to £17m in vertical farming ventures, in a bid to become a leader in the emerging agriculture industry. Vertical farming allows a variety of crops – typically leafy greens and herbs – […]

As speculation continues over whether Theresa May will deliver a new net zero goal for the UK economy, all the candidates to replace her – bar one – publicly back new 2050 target All of the frontrunners to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister have publicly confirmed they would introduce a net zero emission target […]

Scottish government has approved ScottishPower’s plans to install a massive 50MW battery on the Whitelee wind farm near Glasgow The UK’s largest wind farm is set to have a ‘super battery’ installed next year, transforming the site into a major new energy storage facility for the UK.  Yesterday the Scottish government approved plans for ScottishPower’s Whitelee wind […]

The 3R initiative aims to harness private sector determination to tackle the plastics crisis 3R initiative launched today by Danone, Veolia, Nestle and Tetra Pak will promote market-based systems to tackling waste A coalition of leading consumer goods brands will today launch a new packaging waste initiative designed to leverage market-based solutions to the global […]

The children of today will live until the end of the century – they will know whether we have succeeded in the climate fight, says WWF’s Gareth Redmond-King I don’t have kids and that’s partly because I don’t think I have the temperament to cope with them. They’re fascinating and entertaining, to be sure. Nephews […]