Regulation covering the environmental impact of buildings in Europe has been updated to meet new net zero targets. Three years after the European Green Deal prescribed that Europe would become the first climate neutral continent by 2050 and two years after the European Climate Law enacted a precedent to reduce emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030, one of the last acts of the ‘Fit For 55’ package has been ratified by the European Parliament. Revision of the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive updates a 12-year old agreement in...

The Scottish Government lacks a clear delivery plan and explanation for how it will achieve its bold emissions reduction and climate targets. That’s the conclusion of the latest assessment of Scotland’s progress by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC). In recent years, the Scottish Parliament has committed to extraordinary ambition to decarbonise its economy with a focus on a fair and just transition, the CCC says, and that ambition should be applauded if targets are achieved but the integrity of the Scottish climate framework is now at risk.  “In 2019, the Scottish...

The use of renewables in buildings, industry, transport and agriculture is increasing across the world, a new report shows. REN21’s annual Renewables Global Status Report (GSR) Collection for 2023 explores new trends and opportunities for renewable energy deployment in buildings, industry, transport and agriculture across the world. Soaring fossil fuel prices and the risks of energy shortage – combined with stronger climate commitments, targeted policy frameworks and recent technological developments – have been the main drivers for increased renewables use in these sectors, especially of wind and solar energy. Renewables are still...

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...