Environment
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...
Crown Estate seeks SME partners for Carbon Home pilot schemes
The Crown Estate is launching two pilot housing projects to test different approaches to building net zero homes.
The projects have been identified to explore the opportunities & challenges of delivering industry-leading net zero housing developments. Both will draw on...
Met Office makes climate data more accessible to business
The Met Office’s Climate Data Portal has gone live, offering organisations improved access to climate data and other resources, and allowing them to better understand and respond to climate change.
P
art of the Met Office’s wider strategy to maximise the benefits of...
Reducing flying’s environmental impact: the power of behavioural science
The aviation industry is under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact. Some airlines have made bold claims about going carbon neutral, but the truth remains that achieving complete sustainability is still beyond their reach – and people know this.
Earlier...
Major rewilding plan for Cairngorms
A 2,000-hectare moor in the Cairngorms National Park is being transformed into a natural capital project by the family owned Calthorpe Estates.
One of the largest of its kind in the UK, the project involves peatland restoration, habitat creation and...
Ready for Your ESG Audit?
After 10 or 15 years in which environmental disclosures were first encouraged, then advised, and then demanded, and debated, and debated again, sustainability reports are now on the verge of becoming legally required. Stephen Ferguson of The Hackett Group...
Tackling the concrete conundrum
Chris Clarke, director at public sector procurement authority SCAPE, says the construction industry needs to think differently about concrete.
After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on the planet. Were it a country, concrete would be the world’s...
The positive case for ESG and why the USA is in danger of getting it wrong
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are essential for investors to evaluate a company’s long-term sustainability and potential risks. Despite the recent backlash in some US states, ESG is a vital tool for investors, companies, and society as a...
UK agritech secures £4m to scale up eco-friendly insecticides
A UK agritech specialising in the next generation of green insecticides has secured a further round of investment totalling £4 million to scale up the development of its unique nature-inspired pesticides, the first of their kind in the world.
This...
Navigating greenhushing in 2023
Trying to keep a low profile on sustainability? You could be accused of greenhushing. Mauro Cozzi, CEO and co-founder of Emitwise, says open discussion is the best way forward.
The climate emergency has put sustainability firmly on the corporate world’s...
Finance sector must do more for nature
Protecting biodiversity is set to get the same attention as cutting carbon emissions. The financial sector must be ready to respond, says Jim White, of Nature Positive.
While corporates – including the financial sector– have been keen to shout about their credentials...
Energy efficiency in buildings could be improved by up to 40%
Climate-tech initiative targets ambitious energy savings for commercial buildings.
Manchester Metropolitan University has partnered with climate-tech start-up OakTree Power to develop a Sustainable Energy Management System (SEMS).
The system, which will have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities, will...
Companies invited to partner with communities for conservation
A new environmental charity is providing a valuable link between corporate supporters and communities at the front line of conservation and sustainable development efforts.
Founded by conservationist and leader Rhoda Phillips, Communities for Nature offers corporates the chance to play...