NET ZERO
The £100bn handbrake holding back climate progress
Can you invest in Coca Cola and still be ethical? Green finance experts say yes – if you look carefully at your fund manager of choice. Almost £88 billion of UK pension value is invested in fossil fuel exploration,...
Powering a greener Europe with record €100 billion
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group says it is deploying full firepower to support European competitiveness, security and strategic autonomy – including sustainability - with a record €100 billion in annual financing.
The results from the EIB Group’s activity in...
Climate change ‘reshaping how companies do business’
Firms quietly respond to climate risk by diversifying customers, new research claims.
Climate change is not only disrupting supply chains and asset values, but also quietly reshaping companies’ choice of business partners.
New research based on nearly two decades of data...
Brighton & Hove Invites Partners to Help Shape the City’s Sustainable Future
Investors and partners are invited to help shape Brighton & Hove’s proposed Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) and deliver low carbon, affordable energy across the city.
The Brighton & Hove’s SEP prospectus sets out the opportunity for a new kind of...
Why 2026 is going to be a big year for sustainable packaging
By Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at packaging sustainability consultancy Aura.
Both in the UK and globally, the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation is one of the biggest transformations to hit the packaging industry in decades. Every UK organisation...
£2m fund launched to encourage youngsters into green careers
Young people risk being locked out the growing green economy, as research highlights significant barriers to accessing green skills and careers, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The findings were highlighted at the launch of Co-op’s £2m Green Opportunities Fund,...
New Sustainability Academy LAUNCHES flagship courses
BSI and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) have teamed up to launch an online Sustainability Training Academy.
The courses will equip leaders, managers, and sustainability practitioners with the skills, strategic insight, and practical tools needed for organisations to adapt...
Major industries ranked for net zero readiness
Retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies lead the way in net zero readiness, compared to logistics and hospitality industries, which trail behind.
Research by Carbon Neutral Group focused on decarbonisation progress across five major industries: hospitality, FMCG, manufacturing, logistics and...
Why many importers are being overly cautious under CBAM
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is designed to create a fair competitive environment between EU-produced goods and imports – and comes to the UK in 2027. Nicolas Endress, ClimEase, explains what importers should do now to avoid locking...
The Impact of Water on Economic Growth
The government can set ambitious housing targets, roll out renewables and make moves into the data economy, but little of this can come to fruition if the water system cannot supply, move and treat water to the extent that...
Geothermal pilot aims to unlock heat beneath our feet
Researchers exploring Aberdeen’s potential for geothermal heating have begun deploying a city-wide network of seismic nodes that will be used to create a 3D subsurface map.
T
he University of Aberdeen secured a £1m grant late last year for a feasibility...
Net Zero 50 2025 Celebrated at the House of Lords
Leaders from business, policy, and innovation gathered at the House of Lords on 28th November 2025 to celebrate the Net Zero 50 Awards, honouring individuals, organisations, and projects showing outstanding leadership toward a sustainable, carbon-neutral future.
Hosted in one of...
Government steps up security for green economy
The northwest of England is the chosen location for a government-backed initiative to secure critical infrastructure and the green economy.
The 10 North West SMEs which have joined the region’s Cyber Runway: NW Net Zero programme were chosen to help...
Growth without compromise: supporting the UK’s sustainable exporters
Government support is available to businesses of all sizes looking to export sustainable goods, says Tim Reid, Chief Executive Officer, UK Export Finance.
Global attention is often focused on climate action and the UK has a real opportunity to take...
Works starts on London’s first large-scale, all-electric energy centre
Planning permission has been granted for London’s first large scale, all-electric energy centre at Brent Cross Town, signalling a landmark moment in the capital’s journey to net zero.
The new park town in North London is one of Europe’s largest...
Prove it or lose it: The credibility test for corporate sustainability
By Maria Wowro, Climate & Ecosystem Services Programme Manager, FSC International.
Corporate sustainability has reached an inflection point. After years of bold commitments and pledges, stakeholders are asking a more urgent question: What’s real?
Without evidence, even well-intentioned climate claims risk...
UK’s First Carbon Accounting Courses
The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) has launched a new course specification for carbon accounting.
It will allow training providers to develop and run accredited courses for the first time – supporting efforts to prevent greenwashing and underpin trust in...
Lidl ‘first UK retailer’ to back Planetary Health Diet
Lidl GB says its sustainability strategy is making strong progress.
Its fifth sustainability report, Beyond the Basket, focuses on efforts to promote healthier, more sustainable diets and provide more targeted support for communities and the environment.
Lidl has expanded its range...
Start-ups will lead the race to net zero – here’s what they need to succeed
Tackling the climate crisis seems to have fallen off the radar of many world leaders, despite global temperatures predicted to rise as high as 3°C by 2050 – double the net zero target of 1.5°C. Without a doubt, the...
Sustainability regulations: a barrier or catalyst for innovation?
The real challenge is how companies respond to rules and regs, says leading innovation strategist Barbara Salopek.
Sustainability regulations often arrive with a familiar chorus from business leaders: more reporting, more paperwork, more rules that take time away from actually running the business.
For...
Tough CLAMPDOWN on greenhouse gases
A government consultation has been launched on a more ambitious phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) commonly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump systems.
Harmful greenhouse gases used in commercial and industrial refrigeration, and in air conditioning and heat pump units,...
Join discussion on changes to sustainable supply chains
Large companies could face new obligations to manage the impact of their own operations and those of supply chain partners under the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), coming into force by July 2026.
The new Directive applies to...
Outdated infrastructure is ‘biggest challenge’ for net-zero energy
Sustainability and net-zero goals are futile without addressing data science roadblocks and outdated technology infrastructures, says tech consultancy Leading Resolutions.
With the UK government’s aim to deliver zero-carbon electricity by 2030, low-carbon electricity infrastructure is key to cutting down the...
UK pension schemes back net zero despite global backlash
Against the backdrop of anti-ESG sentiment among many global institutional investors, analysis shows defined contribution (DC) schemes in the UK are swimming against that tide and increasing their allocations to funds with climate targets.
The research, conducted annually by independent...
Pet brand offers ‘paws-up’ for the planet
Europe’s largest fresh dog food brand, Butternut Box, takes its environmental responsibilities as seriously as its mission to “deliver health and happiness to dogs and their humans”. The company has partnered with sustainability data management platform, Sweep, to build...
Brands are still ‘winging it’ on green claims’
The majority of ASA greenwashing rulings could have been avoided, says new analysis.
Almost 2 in 3 greenwashing-related advertising complaints upheld by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) could have been avoided if the claims had undergone independent ESG assurance...
Tackling Scope 3 compliance in the CSRD era
Proposed changes to the first EU Omnibus Simplification Package are a welcome initiative to streamline sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements. The aim is to boost European business competitiveness and unlock investment potential, while maintaining commitments to climate targets...
Spotlight on engineering for Net Zero Week campaign
Engineering firm adi Group is championing sustainability in engineering by launching a week-long campaign to celebrate Net Zero Week 2025.
The firm, based in Birmingham, is hosting a series of events designed to inspire action, spark innovation, and accelerate progress...
A leadership opportunity for the private sector in an era of policy retreat
Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a strategic imperative, says Chris Hopton, CEO, Ricoh UK and Northern Europe.
Governments throughout the world are reconsidering their climate change agendas. In recent months, many have adjusted, delayed or scaled...
Why green brands can’t afford to ignore authenticity
How can brands stay true to their beliefs in a political world? Some brands are feeling the pressure to abandon sustainability measures, but ignore customer values at your peril, warns Verity Barr, Cavendish Consulting.
In the first week of President...
