archiveOctober 2, 2023

Sophie Haas, head of sustainable investing at JP Morgan explains the need for incentives and investments into both mature and innovative solutions to achieve net zero The planet is in a critical phase and will require radical reform if we are to remain below the 1.5⁰C warming threshold. Decarbonisation must happen at an accelerated pace, and this will once again be a hot topic at COP27 as world leaders seek consensus on getting closer to achieving net zero. Decarbonisation is the process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and it usually...

The 2000 Olympics in Sydney was promoted as the world’s first ‘green’ games, writes Nick Gibson. What was the impact of the 2000 Olympic Games and did it begin world sport’s path to an eco-friendly future? Marie Sallois, Corporate & Sustainable Development Director at the International Olympics Committee, charts the progress of world sport’s net zero journey and the positive steps being taken by the Olympics to promote environmentally-friendly sporting events. “The Olympics’ sustainability journey actually started at the Lillehammer winter games in 1994, the first to put sustainability at...

Low carbon industry represents a new market opportunity for providers of alternative energy solutions in the journey to a net zero future. Low carbon industry is the goal of the world’s manufacturers and major fossil fuel consumers as the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions increases. Making the change to low carbon industry is a major challenge but also represents a significant market opportunity because the volume of emissions is so large. A study by Aurora Energy Research estimated the global market for industrial heat could be worth more than...

The role that natural gas will play in the energy transition is complex, with multiple and diverging contributions that even now draw vastly different opinions. Some see it as another fossil fuel whose use needs to be eradicated, while others see it as a crucial bridging fuel to the zero-carbon future that has a role beyond that initial transition. It is easy to see why gas is such an attractive option. It is a versatile fuel of growth in fast-growing markets, and an enabler for reducing emissions when used as...

If new North Sea gas fields were halted, gas production in 2030 would be equivalent to that produced by one offshore wind farm. The new analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) is based on statistics from the industry regulator the North Sea Transition Authority (NTSA), and found that installing electric heat pumps in all new homes built from now to 2030 would avoid half as much gas again. New offshore wind farms generate electricity much more cheaply than gas power stations. A 2.7GW wind farm would generate...

Carbon offsetting, compensating for emissions by investing in schemes designed to make reductions elsewhere, has been hailed by many as the be-all and end-all when it comes to businesses addressing their carbon footprints. But, while offsetting is a necessary part of the puzzle, Mauro Cozzi, co-founder of carbon management specialist Emitwise, believes it is not all that it is cracked up to be, and suggests where business focus should be instead. We are seeing businesses proclaiming that they are net zero because they have invested heavily in carbon offsets, Cozzi...

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen are pioneering technology that can store renewable energy as green hydrogen within depleted oil and gas reservoirs. This innovative approach not only contributes to Scotland’s net-zero goals but also positions the country to potentially become a hydrogen net exporter. It offers a promising future for previously exhausted oil and gas reservoirs, aquifers, and associated infrastructure like pipelines and wells. One notable benefit of this technology is its ability to address the challenge of excess electricity generation from wind farms. By converting surplus electricity into...

Fifteen million fans attend UK Premier League football matches every year generating 20 million car journeys while UK teams travel over 300,000 miles by air to play overseas matches. It all adds up to vast amount of energy use and thousands of tons of carbon released into the atmosphere. And that doesn’t include the carbon footprint of millions of fans watching football on TV at home. News reports that highlighted carbon emissions of UK football clubs revealed that top clubs playing at European matches produce over 165,000 lbs of Co2...

Creating a sustainable product involves every part of the item’s design, material sourcing, manufacture, distribution, sale and end-of-life. The process requires materials and resources, transport, energy and heat that all have a major environmental impact – and it all costs money. Design is key to sustainability, regulatory compliance and cost savings. Up to four-fifths of a product’s lifetime emissions are determined by decisions made at the design stage and with sustainability now at the heart of the entire product lifecycle ensuring that products are fully aligned at the design stage...

ISB Global and SAP aim to digitally transform waste management with a focus on recycling, sustainability and zero waste across global supply chains.  At present, a lot of waste management providers still use legacy IT systems, making it extremely difficult to track where waste is going, and in most cases, more recyclable waste is sent to landfill as a result. ISB Global is already a certified SAP partner and global application development partner for Waste & Recycling One (WR1), ISB Global’s flagship integrated software platform. WR1 brings together specialist, integrated...