News

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...

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...

Investments in net zero clean energy must quadruple within the next two decades according to the global Energy Transitions Commission. In its latest report “Financing the Transition: How to make the money flow for a net-zero economy” the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) highlights the critical importance of strong government policies relating both to the real economy and to the financial system if finance is to flow on the scale required. It also identifies “concessional/grant” payments needed to support early coal phase-out, end deforestation and finance carbon removals. Around $3.5 trillion...

Sustainability is not only an imperative for companies it’s also a huge opportunity for green business building. Companies that can innovate and scale during these fast-moving, uncertain times could set themselves up for exponential green business growth, according to a new report from McKinsey. McKinsey analysis shows that growing demand for net-zero offerings could generate $9 trillion to $12 trillion of annual sales by 2030 across 11 value pools, including transport, power, and consumer goods. The transition to net zero is under way but not happening fast enough. Growth in climate...

Ordnance Survey has undergone its latest digital transformation to deliver a range of new environmental and location data. Ordnance Survey (OS) geospatial data plays a vital role in sustainability, supporting critical infrastructure for green transport and electric vehicles, planning renewable energy, managing climate change related flood risk and drought, and improving waste collection and recycling. OS will deliver 70 new data enhancements including building age and building construction material, improved coverage of land use, indicative and average road speeds, and improved consistency of address positioning. This latest investment will enable...

A number of changes have been made to CDP disclosure criteria for 2023 that organisations should consider before reporting. CDP requires reporting around a series of questionnaires covering climate change, water, forests and finance and EcoAct has produced a guide to changes in 2023 disclosures. Climate Change: One question has been removed, 25 modified, and seven new questions added. The new questions include two within the business strategy module, two relating to subsidiary emissions, one on external engagement and two additional biodiversity questions. Some minor changes have been made to...

There is a rising need for Environmental, Social and Governance training as companies seek to address new regulations that require new skills to meet environmental compliance targets. And while some may view ESG as a current tick-box inconvenience, leading organisations are undergoing vital training to meet the demands of tomorrow and to ensure their commercial future.  Knowledge and understanding of sustainability is key to the ongoing viability and profitability of business and industry and, across a workforce, will soon be as important as the ability to read, write and count...