ENVIRONMENT
Chimney soot and newspaper could boost Kenyan crops
A low-cost sensor system to detect nutrients and improve soil fertility aims to tackle food insecurity in Kenya.
The project takes inspiration from ancient art and design-based printing processes such as wood blocking, combined with local natural materials like chimney...
Planet-saving reasons we should fight our fear of bugs
By the end of the century, up to 40% of the world’s insect species may be extinct, so it’s critical to appreciate how conserving creepie-crawlies and their ecosystems is paramount to our own survival, says environmentalist Ed Crowther of...
Nature recovery mapped out with location data
Ordnance Survey (OS) data has helped map out a major nature recovery strategy for Manchester.
The city is one of five pilot areas chosen by DEFRA to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy to help reverse urban nature decline.
The local...
Conservation covenants ‘a new legal tool for landowners’
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has appointed a new ‘responsible body’ to advise on conservation covenants.
Ecological consultancy RSK Biocensus – and specifically its biodiversity net gain (BNG) team RSK Wilding – is one of the...
The water industry is ripe for reform: The next government will be ready to intervene
The sustainability of the UK’s existing water infrastructure is under serious pressure and enormous challenges lie ahead, says Yännick van den Nieuwendijk, Managing Director of Amiblu, UK and Ireland.
Public trust in the ability of water companies to deliver on...
Create more leaders, not victims, in climate change fight
Alex Ritchie, UK Chief Executive of GlobalGiving, argues the case for a climate resilience approach to corporate philanthropy.
The need
Ongoing geo-political crises around the world have left whole regions unstable, and there is huge pressure on the humanitarian system to...
Built environment has work cut out to meet 2030 goals
Without consistent measurement, the built environment will fall behind in the race to net zero, says Nigel Tonks, Director, WLC Transformation Lead, Arup UKIMEA.
The need for all sectors to lower their emissions has never been clearer, with 2023 marking...
Total honesty is the way forward for brands
You may have to focus less on profits to build a company for the future, says Sally Tarbit, director at brand consultancy The Team.
Creating a sustainable brand is becoming more attractive to consumers and adopting more environmentally friendly practices...
innocent Drinks £1m boost for regenerative farming
innocent Drinks is offering up to £1 million in grants through its enhanced Farmer Innovation Fund.
The aim is to invest more in protecting the long-term supply of fruit and veg through regenerative agriculture, as part of the plan to...
Pork labelling schemes not helping buyers make informed choices
Farmers don’t have to choose between lowering environmental impact and improving welfare for their pigs. A new study has found it is possible to do both. But this is not reflected in the current food labelling schemes relied on...
New campaign to drive change in food systems
A campaign to promote wider citizen participation in food systems and offer greater transparency over food sources has been launched by Inclusive Food.
This new movement for collective action is spearheaded by UK researchers, Dr Anne Touboulic and Dr Lucy McCarthy,...
Top firms write open letter urging ACTION ON FOOD WASTE
Anti-food waste organisation Too Good To Go, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium, has published an open letter signed by over 30 leading companies from the UK’s food, retail, and manufacturing sectors, advocating for mandatory public food waste...
Beyond the Pledge: Why Our Natural World Needs Urgent Action
John Pagano, Group CEO at Red Sea Global, discusses why businesses must act now to help ensure the planet’s long-term viability.
The Paris Agreement of 2015 was a turning point in the history of our planet. It united businesses and...
Estate shares pioneering Biodiversity Project experiences to help others
A family run farming and environmental business in Essex is one of five national case studies published by Natural England, showing how to create biodiversity gain on private land.
Having worked on their nature recovery, beaver-led flooding reduction and sustainable...
Tree-mendous giveaway by National Highways
National Highways is appealing to landowners and organisations to help plant an additional 3 million trees by 2030.
The government-owned organisation only has enough room for less than 10% - or roughly 300,000 trees - across its estate.
So it’s donating...
Seashell concrete: holding back the tide
The seaside town of Blackpool becomes UK’s first test site for a ‘groundbreaking’ sustainable, seashell concrete.
Seashells and concrete are converging to create a’ porous paradise’ in Blackpool, where a local arts company has become the UK’s first test site...
Don’t fall foul of waste laws
Business owners need to be aware of ongoing changes to waste management laws and regulations. Scott Hawthorne, founding director of Skips & Bins, explains new policies around packaging waste, the withdrawal of RPS 250 and control of persistent organic...
Toying with our future: the scandal of electronic waste
Electronic toys are an often-overlooked aspect of the growing issue of electronic waste and its detrimental impact on the environment and society, warns Emma Armstrong, Sustainable Electronics Ambassador for sustainable electronics campaigner In2tec.
A staggering nine billion kgs of ewaste is...
Biodiversity Net Gain can be more than ‘glorified offsetting scheme’
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a planning principle which seeks to ensure that, following development, the natural environment is left in a measurably better state than it was in before.
It will be mandatory for all local planning authorities in...
Amazon summit highlights protection vows – but tougher action still needed
While Brazil has taken initial steps to curb deforestation, data suggests it’s merely a start, say Marion Messador and Antoine Halff, of environmental intelligence experts Kayrros.
Some 150 billion tonnes of carbon are stored in the Amazon rainforest.
Trees covering nearly...
Fight steps up against waste crime
DEFRA has announced plans to step up the fight against waste crime and introduce a mandatory digital waste tracing service across the UK.
The raft of reforms are a welcome boost to drive up standards in the waste management sector,...
Improving illiquidity: Reducing your water footprint
Natalie Stafford, ESG Director at S-RM and Markus Korhonen, Senior Associate, Strategic Intelligence, at S-RM, discuss how businesses can navigate the water crisis.
The UN’s first global Water Conference in almost 50 years underscored how global access to essential freshwater...
Do or dye: synthetic colours are a global threat
The ecological and health threats of synthetic dyes in wastewater systems have led to calls for new laws on water management, and urgent investment in new sustainable treatment processes.
A new study reveals that billions of tons of dye-containing wastewater enter...
Making connection between severe weather and climate change is ‘crucial’
Severe weather events like floods are no longer a rare occurrence, yet many people remain unprepared when disaster strikes. Aaron Gardner, of Lloyd’s Register Foundation, and Professor Wändi Bruine de Bruin, of the University of Southern California, assess World...
Durrell charity reveals major Scottish rewilding project
An 18,500-acre estate in Perthshire is the new home of an ambitious 100-year rewilding project.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, founded by conservationist and writer Gerald Durell, has secured the lease for Dalnacardoch Estate.
The estate, which sits within...
Could AI help ‘pollinate’ £150bn food sector?
Dwindling populations of vital pollinator insects are a threat to global food production, but AI, IoT hardware and robotics could provide long-term solutions, says Ali Al Suhail, Associate at DAI Magister.
The populations of pollinator insects are facing an alarming and unsustainable...
New dish of the day: sustainable spuds
The humble potato is an enduring foodie favourite… but its carbon footprint is a stomach turner. Andrew Blair, field technical manager at the UK’s largest potato supplier Branston, explains how an Innovate UK funded project is examining the potential...
Protecting sea life from the perils of shipping
Up to 20,000 whales are killed every year by ships. Tech company Orca AI uses advanced military techniques to help keep global waterways - and potentially marine life - safer and sustainable.
Founders Yarden Gross and Dor Raviv became friends...
EU’s Deforestation & Labour Crackdown: A Game-Changer for Business & Technology
Tobias Grabler, chief operating officer, Topo, explains the impact of this major new law on both EU and UK business, and how technology can help support a smoother transition for supply chains.
The European Union (EU) has recently adopted a...
The year ahead: predictions for environmental claims
Regulatory lawyer Bill Dunkerley, at Pannone Corporate, looks at the practical steps that businesses can take to future-proof themselves against this growing area of compliance.
The Environment Act 2021 is a massively wide-ranging piece of legislation which touches upon numerous...
