Schroders' Madeleine Cobb: 'You Won't Get People to Move with You if You Don't Understand Their Perspective'
Schroders' global head of corporate sustainability, Madeleine Cobb, stresses that driving ESG progress requires truly understanding stakeholder perspectives. She describes the sustainability function as a daily "pick‑and‑mix" where plans set in January rarely survive unchanged. Schroders is actively reducing its own operational carbon footprint while embedding ESG into its investment processes. Cobb argues that flexible, iterative roadmaps are essential in a fast‑evolving regulatory and market landscape.
First Light Fusion Completes £25m Funding Round
First Light Fusion, an Oxford spin‑out, closed a £25 million (~$31 million) funding round led by East X Ventures and its Starmaker One fusion fund. Strategic investment came from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) alongside existing backers IP Group and Hostplus. The capital will accelerate...
'Shelved Ambition': How Supermarkets Remain Off Track to Cut Methane From Meat and Dairy
Supermarkets wield significant influence over meat and dairy supply chains, yet a new Changing Markets report shows the world’s 20 largest food retailers are falling short on methane reduction. For the second year in a row, many major chains, including...
Booking.com: Around Three Quarters of Brits Factor Climate Impacts Into Holiday Plans
Booking.com’s latest survey shows almost 75% of British travelers consider extreme weather and climate impacts when planning vacations. The concern translates into heightened travel stress for nearly half of respondents, influencing both destination choice and timing. Accommodation providers are already...
Government Promises to 'Break the Link' Between Gas and Power Prices
The government announced a plan to break the link between gas and electricity prices, aiming to shield power tariffs from volatile gas markets. The initiative is part of a broader clean‑energy package that includes reforms to the renewables subsidy regime....
Why the Industrial Accelerator Act Is a Quiet Setback for Europe's Steel and Competitiveness
The European Union’s Industrial Accelerator Act, intended to boost green technology, fails to establish a credible low‑emissions steel label. Without a clear standard, European steelmakers risk losing market share as buyers gravitate toward products certified elsewhere. The omission clashes with...
'Double Down Not Back Down': Government to Announce Wave of Measures to Accelerate Clean Tech Deployment
Ed Miliband announced a new government package aimed at speeding up clean‑technology deployment across the United Kingdom. The plan includes installing renewable energy systems on public‑sector buildings, simplifying planning approvals for green projects, and separating gas and electricity prices from...
How HutanBio Plans to Decarbonise Heavy Transport by Growing Microalgae in Deserts
HutanBio is developing desert‑based micro‑algae photobioreactors to produce low‑carbon, drop‑in fuels for heavy transport such as ships, trucks, trains and aircraft. The closed‑loop system captures CO₂ from the air or industrial sources, harvests algae, and converts the biomass via hydrothermal...
Europe's Electrification Push Exposes Gaps in Grids and Policy
The European Union is accelerating its electrification agenda to meet a 2050 net‑zero target, but existing transmission networks are already strained. Grid operators report that capacity gaps could impede the integration of up to 1,200 GW of renewable generation. Policy frameworks...
Electricity Projects Totalling 221GW Removed From Britain's Grid Connection Queue
More than 221 GW of proposed electricity projects have been cleared from Britain’s grid‑connection queue after regulatory reforms aimed at easing long‑standing bottlenecks. The backlog, which once stretched beyond 30 GW, threatened the UK’s 2030 net‑zero goals by delaying wind, solar and...
Global Briefing: China Signals Intent to Double Clean Energy by 2035
China announced a strategic plan to double its clean‑energy capacity to roughly 2,400 GW by 2035, roughly a 100% increase from current levels. The roadmap bundles about $1.5 trillion in subsidies, grid upgrades and domestic manufacturing incentives. The move dovetails with Beijing’s...
'It Has Done Its Job': Government to Scrap UK Carbon Tax on Electricity
The UK government announced that the carbon tax on electricity generation will be abolished from April 2028, stating the levy has fulfilled its purpose. The decision comes after the scheduled shutdown of the country’s last coal-fired plants, most notably Ratcliffe‑on‑Soar,...
Less than Efficient
The UK Treasury announced an expansion and back‑dating of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS), delivering roughly a 25% cut to electricity bills for eligible firms. While the move is praised as a swift response to the deepening energy crisis,...
Why Trinity College Is Investing in Retrofitting and Resilience for the UK's Future Climate
Trinity College, Cambridge, has launched a multi‑year programme to retrofit its historic buildings and upgrade campus infrastructure for climate resilience. The initiative earmarks roughly £30 million to improve foundations, install renewable energy systems, and enhance flood‑defence measures across the university estate....
Biodiversity Net Gain: Government Confirms Controversial 'Small Site' Exemption
The UK government announced that any development smaller than 0.2 hectares will be exempt from the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regime. Larger infrastructure projects, including major wind and solar farms, will be brought under BNG requirements later this year. The...
'Triple Dividend': Study Shows How Climate Resilience Investment Delivers 'Substantial Returns'
A new London School of Economics analysis finds that climate‑resilience projects generate a “triple dividend” of environmental protection, economic gain, and social welfare. The study shows that such investments deliver solid financial returns, often outpacing traditional infrastructure spending. It highlights...
Survey: Employers Need to Do More to Support Next Wave of Young Energy Professionals
A recent survey of emerging energy talent reveals that the biggest obstacle to entering the sector is a lack of awareness about available roles, not compensation or values. Seventy‑one percent of respondents said they struggle to identify career paths, while...
Supreme Court Rules Offshore Wind Farm Survey Costs Ineligible for Tax Relief
The UK Supreme Court ruled unanimously that environmental survey costs incurred by Ørsted for four offshore wind farms cannot be claimed as capital allowances. The decision means these expenses are ineligible for tax relief, raising the effective cost of development....
New 300 Home Development Becomes 'World's Largest' Zero Bills Neighbourhood
Octopus Energy has teamed with housebuilder Prosperity Group to create a 300‑home development in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, branded as the world’s largest Zero Bills neighbourhood. The scheme guarantees residents no electricity or gas charges for ten years, backed by integrated renewable generation...
RWE and Network Rail Ink Five-Year Offshore Wind Farm Deal
RWE and Network Rail have signed a five‑year power purchase agreement under which the German energy group will deliver roughly 300 GWh of offshore wind electricity each year. The clean power will cover about 65 % of Network Rail’s non‑traction electricity needs...
How Efficiency Measures Could Almost Halve Industrial Energy Demand Globally
A new study finds that implementing existing efficiency measures could cut industrial energy demand by up to 45%, saving about $15 trillion in capital spending through 2050. The analysis covers steel, cement, chemicals and other heavy manufacturing, showing that upgrades, waste‑heat...
'Demand Destruction Will Spread': IEA Forecasts Sharpest Fall in Global Oil Demand Since Pandemic
The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that global oil demand will contract by about 2.5 million barrels per day in the third quarter of 2024, marking the steepest quarterly drop since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The decline is driven by reduced consumption...
Zero Emission Buses Pick up Record Share of Stalling Market
Electric and hydrogen buses accounted for a record 37.3% of UK bus, coach and minibus registrations in Q1 2026, even as total market volume fell 37.7% year‑on‑year. The decline was driven by sharp drops in minibuses, single‑deckers and double‑deckers, following...
Could AI Help Protect the UK's Million 'Undefended' Properties From Rising Flood Risks?
A new AI‑driven flood‑readiness model has identified more than one million buildings across England that lack any formal flood protection, many of them in the nation’s most economically deprived areas. The model combines high‑resolution topographic data, historic flood records and...
Government Announces Winners in £50m Agri-Tech Funding Round
Britain’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Innovate UK have announced the recipients of a £50 million agri‑tech funding round. The grants will support a portfolio of startups, research institutes and farmer‑led consortia developing nature‑based technologies to raise...
'Green Cliffs of Dover': Port of Dover Becomes First UK Port to Reach Net Zero Emissions
The Port of Dover announced it reached net‑zero emissions for its Scope 1 and 2 activities in 2023, becoming the first UK port to do so. The milestone arrives five years before any other British port’s target and 25 years ahead of...
Nestlé Partners with Regenerative Farming Platform Soil Capital
Nestlé announced a four‑year partnership with Soil Capital, a regenerative farming platform. The collaboration will roll out agronomic advice, carbon‑measurement tools, and financial incentives to farmers in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The initiative supports Nestlé’s broader climate‑action roadmap...
The Chancery Lane Project Unveils New AI-Tool for Climate Contracts
The Chancery Lane Project has launched a new suite of AI‑driven digital tools aimed at helping lawyers, procurement officers, and sustainability professionals draft and evaluate climate‑aligned contracts. The platform leverages natural‑language processing to flag non‑compliant clauses, benchmark targets against science‑based...
NESO Unveils Plans for Summer Flexible Grid Service
Britain’s National Electricity System Operator (NESO) announced a summer flexible grid service that will offer new incentives for households and businesses to increase electricity consumption during periods of high solar and wind generation. The scheme introduces dynamic pricing and demand‑response...
'Strange but True': Study Touts Recycled Urine as Sustainable Farming Solution
Researchers at the University of Surrey have demonstrated that human urine can be processed to recover key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, offering a low‑impact alternative to conventional fertilizers. Using advanced membrane filtration, the study shows that nutrient...
How a Peatland Restoration Project Is Aiming to Boost UK Farming Resilience
The RePeat project, launched in January 2026 by organic farm Pollybell, aims to rewet roughly 1,000 hectares of degraded peatlands across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. By restoring water tables, the initiative seeks to lock away carbon, reduce methane emissions...
Greggs Sets Sights on Net Zero Energy by 2030
Greggs, the UK’s leading bakery chain, announced a commitment to achieve net‑zero Scope 2 emissions from energy use by 2030. The company highlighted that it has already reduced its emissions intensity by more than half since 2019 through renewable energy adoption...
Global Food Systems May Be Functional - but They Are Far From Resilient
Global food systems can meet current demand but lack true resilience, leaving them vulnerable to shocks such as pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, and climate extremes. Recent crises—from COVID‑19 disruptions to the Ukraine war and severe weather events—have exposed bottlenecks in processing,...
How AEM's 'Rare-Earth-Free' Tech Aims to De-Risk EV Supply Chains
Advanced Electric Machines (AEM) has moved its rare‑earth‑free electric‑motor technology from the lab to commercial pilots, promising EV manufacturers a path away from neodymium‑based magnets. The design replaces rare‑earth materials with copper windings and optimized iron cores while maintaining comparable...
'Pragmatic Resilience' Or 'Transparent Nonsense'? Tony Blair Institute Wades Into North Sea Energy Debate
The Tony Blair Institute released a new report urging a "policy reset" for the UK’s energy strategy, emphasizing increased North Sea oil and gas drilling alongside accelerated electrification. The think‑tank argues that greater domestic fossil production will boost resilience against...
Global Briefing: India Withdraws Bid to Host COP33
India has quietly withdrawn its bid to host the UN Climate Change Conference COP33 in 2028 after a review of its climate commitments for that year. The move removes India from the shortlist of potential hosts and reduces its visibility...
Ricoh Sets Higher 2030 Climate Target in Revamped Net Zero Strategy
Japanese electronics leader Ricoh announced a revamped net‑zero strategy that raises its 2030 climate ambition. The company now targets a 75% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse‑gas emissions by 2030 compared with 2015 levels, a goal validated by the Science...
Unilever Strikes Deal to Acquire Plant-Based Supplement Maker Grüns
Unilever announced a deal to acquire US plant‑based supplement maker Grüns for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition adds one of the largest greens brands in the United States to Unilever’s portfolio. It aligns with the group’s strategy to tilt its...
Half of Aldi's UK Stores Expected to Feature Solar Panels by End of 2026
Aldi announced it will install solar panels at an additional 62 UK supermarkets this year, bringing the total to over 500 stores with on‑site renewable generation. The rollout aims to cover roughly half of the chain’s UK footprint by the...
Study: EV Charging Offers 'Lucrative Opportunity' For Commercial Property Owners
A new Knight Frank study finds that the rapid growth of electric‑vehicle (EV) adoption in the United Kingdom is turning EV charging points into a lucrative asset class for commercial property owners. Rental values for viable charging locations have doubled,...
Carbon Removal Lessons From Denmark: A Reality Check for the UK
The UK aims to embed durable carbon‑dioxide removal (CDR) credits into its Emissions Trading Scheme by 2029, relying on a Carbon Contract for Difference (CCfD) to bridge the cost gap with allowance prices. Denmark’s earlier CDR tender collapsed when cost...
Agratas Gigafactory Project Secures £380m in UK Government Funding
Agratas has secured £380 million of UK government funding for its planned gigafactory in Somerset, part of a broader £470 million package aimed at decarbonising road transport. The investment will fund the construction of an EV battery cell plant designed to supply...
CBAM: EU Carbon Border Levy Certificate Price Confirmed for First Quarter of 2026
The European Commission has announced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price for the first quarter of 2026 at €75.36 per tonne of CO₂. Importers of carbon‑intensive products into the EU will be required to purchase these certificates starting...
NS&I Puts Green Savings Bonds Back on Sale with Improved Interest Rate
National Savings and Investments re‑launched its Green Savings Bonds this week, offering a higher fixed annual equivalent rate of 3.82% over a three‑year term. The bonds, which fund renewable, clean‑technology and now nuclear projects, require a minimum £100 investment and...
'Basking in a Solar Surge': UK Smashes Solar Generation Record Two Days in a Row
Britain’s solar farms generated a record‑breaking 14.4 GW of electricity during a single half‑hour period, marking the highest output ever recorded in the UK. The milestone was achieved on two consecutive days following unusually sunny weather after the Easter weekend. The...
ITM Power Wins £86.5m UK Backing for Sheffield Hydrogen Electrolyser Factory
ITM Power secured £86.5 million from the UK government and Great British Energy to expand its Sheffield electrolyser factory, targeting a 1 GW production capacity. The investment will add a new production line and create over 400 jobs, positioning the site as...
SMMT: UK Automotive Supply Chain Offers £4.6bn Opportunity as EV Shift Accelerates
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) estimates the UK automotive supply chain could generate £4.6 billion of domestic manufacturing value by 2030. This upside is driven by accelerating electric‑vehicle adoption, which is expected to boost demand for British‑made batteries,...
Why Wind Farms and Electricity Pylons Are a Major Issue in the Welsh Government Election
Renewable energy expansion in Wales, especially new wind farms and high‑voltage pylons, has become a flashpoint ahead of the Senedd election on 7 May. Environmental groups and local communities in rural areas are voicing strong opposition, fearing visual impact, land‑use...
Investors Worth $1.8tr Urge Freight Industry to Tackle Air Pollution From Road Fleets
More than 30 investors overseeing $1.8 trillion in assets issued a joint statement urging freight and logistics firms to treat road‑fleet air pollution as a material business risk. The investors demand immediate strategies to cut emissions, highlighting the financial exposure tied...
Pesticide Action Network Calls for UK Ban on 'Toxic' Herbicide Glyphosate
The Pesticide Action Network (PAN) has called on the UK government to ban glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, citing mounting health and environmental concerns. Usage of the herbicide on British farms has surged by roughly 1,000% over the past...