archiveMarch 2023

The UK’s new Energy Security Plan is a promising start but does not go far enough to support businesses in reaching climate goals. That’s the view of Mark Chadwick, managing director, sustainability solutions UK&I at ENGIE Impact, who says: “’The latest IPCC report confirmed the urgent need for action on climate change, and the UK Government’s new Energy Security Plan is a promising start, but does not go far enough to give business leaders the support they need to reach their goals in the long term. “The decision to delay announcing...

As the UK moves closer to its 2050 net zero target, it is becoming increasingly critical that we accelerate investment into stable, renewable energy solutions. While the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has recently reported that for the first time ever investments in fossil fuel projects have begun to be overtaken by renewable energy sources, there is still a lot of work to be done if the UK is to be on track to achieve carbon neutrality in less than 30-years’ time. The recent energy price crisis, caused by...

The current COP and Presidency leadership process cannot deliver climate action at the speed required, leading experts claim. With an agreement on loss and damage, COP27 marked the end of negotiations on all essential components of the global climate agreement. It is now time to shift gear. The current process cannot deliver climate action at the speed required to avoid the worse impacts of global warming and create a more equal, cleaner world for all. “Without rapid and radical transformation, the COP process will fail to deliver a safe climate...

The Tees Valley project is Western Europe’s most significant economic regeneration development and net zero infrastructure project. At 4,500 acres, it is six times the size of the City of London. Located on Britain’s North Sea coast, the multi-billion dollar development is a global case study for sustainable regeneration. It will see regional business and industry powered by an integrated energy system involving wind, solar, and hydrogen, with a world first carbon capture plant at its core. Energy from the renewables and a new combined cycle power plant will fuel...

German politicians and Deutsche Post are calling for introduction of CO2 labels on parcels delivered by couriers and delivery services. Industry professionals and politicians in Germany are calling for CO2 labels on all parcels, as part of its forthcoming postal law reforms. The labels would reveal the carbon footprint of individual parcels and the move could soon be adopted by other nations where increased emissions transparency is inevitable. “Germany is considering radical postal and parcel reforms, in what is expected to be the biggest shake-up of services in 30 years,”...

Carbon offset projects representing 50m tons of global carbon trade have been established by Carbon Market Exchange. The company, that trades nature-based carbon offsets, has a carbon pipeline that now exceeds one billion tons. Carbon Market Exchange (CMX) offset pipeline should exceed 25 per cent of the world-wide market on a forward basis. The company will trade over 50 million tons of offsets in 2023, which represents over 15 per cent of the expected trade volume worldwide. “We prioritise risk management by maintaining a bio-diverse portfolio and using advanced modelling...

Research shows a third of consumers don’t know what e-waste means, and 18 per cent are unaware of the term altogether. The demand for digital devices and appliances has been growing exponentially as technology advances, leading to an ever-growing influx of returns and repairable items but it is estimated that only 17 per cent of e-waste is recycled. “The environmental benefits of re-selling refurbished electronics are clear and undisputed,” said James Rigg, CEO of Trojan Electronics. “Electronics contain a wide range of materials, from metals to plastics, which take hundreds of years to...

Deforestation is among the biggest contributors to climate change, affecting around ten million hectares of land every year. A new report from Utility Bidder reveals which countries are currently responsible for the highest deforestation rates and the impact of forestry loss on CO2 emissions. Brazil, South America – 1,695,700 hectares of deforestation. With an average deforestation rate of 1,695,700 hectares between 2015-2020, Brazil has lost more forestry than any other country. One of the main contributors to Brazil’s high level of deforestation is climate change, as changes in rainfall and...

Tallinn in Estonia is leading the network of European Green Capitals this year to promote ambitious sustainable urban transitions. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, seeks to establish new forms of urban governance and is looking forward to working with other cities in 2023. Supporting sustainable urban transitions and local green deals is at the heart of its action. “European green capitals must be innovative and take the lead in creating sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities of the future,” said Mihhail Kõlvart, Mayor of Tallinn, in a roundtable in Brussels with former...

The latest IPCC report highlights the need for urgent action on climate change and the many options available to mitigate the global crisis. There are multiple, feasible and effective options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change, and they are available now, said scientists in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits,” said IPCC chair Hoesung Lee. “This Synthesis Report underscores...