Green Recovery

edie’s Mission Possible: Green Recovery campaign supports sustainability, energy and CSR professionals on our collective mission to drive a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic across all major industries in the UK. View the latest green recovery content and events below.

Feeling inspired? Make a green recovery-themed commitment on behalf of your business on our Mission Possible Pledge Wall.

edie has highlighted 21 aspirational new goals that professionals can work towards to help drive business prosperity while alleviating some key environmental and planetary concerns

21 New Year's resolutions for sustainability professionals in 2021 and beyond

At last, 2020 has drawn to a close and while the first parts of a new year might not create a respite from a global pandemic and an economic crash, it does create the ideal opportunity to look at the climate crisis with a reinvigorated approach.
The MPs are warning that the Bank is failing to consider the impacts that biodiversity loss and the climate crisis will have on financial stability

MPs call on Bank of England to improve green finance approaches

MPs across all political parties have jointly written to the Bank of England, warning that it is failing to appropriately support the green economy by not pivoting away from the fossil fuel industry.
The TUC based its analysis on data from the ONS and Catapult Energy Systems

660,000 jobs at risk unless UK improves approach to net-zero target, research warns

The UK's sluggish progress towards its net-zero emissions target for 2050 could see more than 600,000 jobs move to other countries that are better embracing the green transition, new analysis has warned.
Last year, the City of London Corporation committed to reaching net-zero across its investments and supply chain by 2040

City of London Corporation issues contract to reduce energy costs by £500,000 annually

The City of London Corporation has awarded a contract to Vital Energi to carry out energy-related retrofits of iconic buildings such as the Barbican Centre and Guildhall School of Music and Drama that will save almost £500,000 each year.
This new series will be running regularly, bringing you the key headlines, statistics and events in the run-up to COP26. Bottom-left image: David Mirzoeff 

COP26 Action Tracker: Nations urged to respond to IPCC report as Cambo oilfield row rolls on

With less than 100 days to go until COP26, this new series from edie will provide a regular temperature check of global climate action from nations and businesses.
Last year, local authorities in Cornwall, Buckinghamshire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Northumberland were selected to trial Local Nature Recovery Strategies

Government ponders role of nature-based solutions in local recovery strategies

The Government has opened a consultation to gain a better understanding of how nature-based solutions can assist with local strategies to contribute to rewilding and the Environment Bill, as part of a wider move across England to create or restore 500,000 hectares of wildlife habitat.
Part of the funding has been provided by the Government’s £160m Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support Scheme

Humber region to benefit from £260m offshore wind investment

More than £260m has been granted in Government funding to develop next generation wind turbines in the Humber region, in a move that will support the UK's net-zero vision while creating and safeguarding more than 1,000 green jobs.
Nature charities have previouly voiced concern over a lack of funding

Conservation and restoration projects secure share of £80m green recovery fund

Almost 100 nature-based projects will receive a share of the Government's £80m Green Recovery Challenge Fund, designed to promote nature restoration and conservation.
According to the report, investment is now an “industry that is in transition” with ESG approaches become more commonplace

'An industry in transition': Sustainable investments now account for one-third of global market

Sustainable investment approaches that consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in portfolios have grown by 15% over the last two years and now account for more than a third of professionally managed assets across all major markets.
By 2035, the CLC will have reduced construction product emissions by 66% from 2018 levels

Construction Leadership Council plots path to net-zero

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC), which is co-chaired by Minister for Business and Industry, Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Anne-Marie Trevelyan, has outlined plans to help the sector reach net-zero emissions as part of the wider national target.
Low-carbon recovery spending has been insufficient in almost all nations but moreso in the Global South, the IEA has stated

IEA: Global emissions to reach record high by 2023, with governments breaking green recovery promises

Just 2% of the Covid-19 stimulus funding promised by nations has been spent on clean energy, meaning that global emissions are likely to hit a record high in 2023 and continue rising thereafter.
The green recovery package will enable the sector to tackle an array of environmental issues

Water sector unveils £2.7bn green recovery framework

The water sector has unveiled a new green recovery framework that will funnel £2.7bn into initiatives that reduce flood risk, improve water quality and cut emissions on the road to net-zero.
Policymakers are discussing the controversial reforms this week

Business reiterate Brazil boycott as nation urged to set deforestation-linked bonds

Nando's, Ocado and the Woolworths Group are the latest businesses to have signed a letter urging Brazilian policymakers to reject a new land-use proposal that could further spur deforestation in the Amazonian region, with a new report urging the nation to link efforts to combat deforestation to sovereign bonds.
The UK's manufacturing sector employs some 2.7 million people and represents 69% of the national private sector's annual R&D investment

Survey: 3 in 4 manufacturing executives don't understand their company's carbon footprint

A survey of more than 150 C-suite executives at UK-based manufacturers has revealed a gap in understanding about calculating and reducing emissions in line with climate science and the national net-zero target.
The report is free to download for edie users

edie's latest COP26 Primer report focuses on clean transport

As part of the brand-new Countdown to COP26 Festival of digital content and events, edie has this week launched its latest "Primer Report" which provides need-to-know insights into the key themes of this year's crucial climate talks. Up next: Clean Transport.

Canada's diesel ban and the UK's new biodiversity metric: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
The CFP is aiming to generate at least $500m

BlackRock secures $250m for climate projects in developing countries

The world's largest investor BlackRock has secured more than $250m from global investors and governments to support clean energy uptake and climate infrastructure across countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa.
The letters request a response by 15 August

Investors call on banking giants to step up on climate and biodiversity commitments

More than 100 investors, including the likes of Aviva and M&G Investments, representing $4.2trn in assets under management have written to some of the world's biggest banks, calling on them to strengthen climate and biodiversity targets this year.
Around 135,000 jobs would be created in the North, Midlands and East England, with a further 57,000 jobs set to be created in Scotland

UK's clean energy pipeline on course to unlock 625,000 green jobs

The UK's focus on decarbonisation and clean energy looks set to unlock 625,000 jobs, equivalent to 90% of jobs lost to the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research.
Achieving the benefits forecast in the report will require further investment in incentives for learners and employers, as well as changes to schooling

Report: UK green jobs set to be better-paid than roles in high-carbon industries

New jobs created to help drive the UK's transition to net-zero could pay 18% more than the national average salary - and 30% more than the average salary offered by companies in high-emitting sectors.
Investors for a Just Transition is France-based at present, with an international launch planned at COP26 in November

Investors worth €3.6trn collaborate to promote just transition to net-zero

AXA, Aviva France and Eiffel are among the members of a new coalition of investors convened to promote a just low-carbon transition across Europe. Collectively, members represent €3.6trn of assets under management.
This report, sponsored by UL, examines how crucial green finance is in driving the net-zero transition and overcoming the climate crisis

edie's latest COP26 Primer report focuses on climate finance

As part of the brand-new Countdown to COP26 Festival of digital content and events, edie has this week launched its latest "Primer Report" which provides need-to-know insights into the key themes of this year's crucial climate talks. Up next: Climate Finance.
So far the European Commission has endorsed nine recovery plans from EU countries

Recovery plans fall short of EU green spending goals, campaigners warn

As the European Commission starts endorsing national recovery plans submitted by EU countries, campaigners are growing concerned that the EU executive may not fully enforce the fund's green spending target.
A survey of businesses found that more than 75% do not believe the Government’s 5GW aim is ambitious enough

Businesses call on UK Government to deliver 'world-leading' hydrogen sector

Businesses do not believe the Government is being ambitious enough in efforts to create a "world-leading" hydrogen market, with the commitment of 5GW of green and blue hydrogen by 2030 failing to generate confidence within the private sector.
edie readers are being asked to complete the 10-minute survey by Friday 18 June

CLOSING TODAY: Take edie's net-zero carbon business survey (10 minutes)

Energy, carbon and sustainability professionals across all industries are being asked to take our 10-minute "Business Barometer" survey which tracks the decarbonisation progress of businesses across the country. This survey closes TODAY (Friday 18 June), so don't miss your chance to participate. 
Policy loopholes need to be closed urgently to shift the world in favour of low-carbon energy at a pace needed to deliver net-zero, REN21 is warning

Report: Global fossil fuel use not yet in decline, despite renewable energy pledges

Fossil fuels accounted for some 80% of global final energy consumption in 2019, the same share of the energy mix as a decade ago, a major new report has revealed.
Green groups have been staging protests outside the summit, calling for stronger action on the climate and nature emergencies

G7 final communique: Nations promise coal phase-out and $100bn climate finance

The final agreements from this year's G7 summit have been published, featuring commitments to phase-out coal-fired power generation and get back on track to deliver $100bn of climate finance to less wealthy nations.
Governments are facing mounting pressure to deliver preparations for COP26, five months out from the conference in Glasgow

Be bolder with climate policies, 70 CEOs and investors worth $41trn tell world leaders

An alliance of more than 70 chief executives has written to world leaders in support of "bold and courageous commitments, policies and actions" on tackling the climate crisis, on the same day that a similar call to action has been made by investors representing trillions of dollars of assets.
The roundtable discussed the barriers and opportunities facing business

Net-zero and COP26: Achieving Mission Possible

Six months out from the COP26 summit, edie hosted an exclusive virtual roundtable discussion with a select group of sustainability leaders, exploring how businesses can accelerate the net-zero carbon transition in the run-up to the crucial climate talks.
The UK was the first major nation to confirm plans to mandate climate disclosure back in November 2020

G7 agree on 'historic steps' to make climate reporting mandatory

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak met with finance ministers in London this weekend, with discussions leading to a historic agreement that G7 nations will mandate climate reporting in line with the recommendations of the global Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
The two-day digital event takes place on 13-14 July

JP Morgan, Citi and BlackRock all confirmed for edie's Sustainable Investment Conference 2021

Financial and environmental experts from some of the world's largest investors and banks will discuss the prominent rise in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and what that means for business at edie's Sustainable Investment Conference next month.
The TNFD has officially launched today

Can the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures solve the global ecological crisis?

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) officially launched on Friday (4 June) with an overarching aim to align corporate reporting and financial spending to alleviate nature-related risks. Here, edie explores whether the new initiative can generate enough momentum to deliver tangible change.
Housing and business buildings are responsible for 78% of the capital’s annual operational emissions

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declares 'retrofit revolution' to slash building emissions

London will soon host a new £3.5m 'centre of excellence' to help social housing providers retrofit their homes, and City Hall has also entered a new partnership deal that could unlock £10bn of private finance to cut building emissions.
Scaling investment to match G7 peers could help the UK create 1.24 million green jobs, the TUC report claims

Report: UK lagging behind other G7 nations on green finance and jobs

On a per-person basis, the UK is committing just 6% of the amount of funding to the green recovery from Covid-19 pledged by the US, and just 13% of that promised by Italy.
All edie podcast episodes can be listened to via iTunes, Spotify and Soundcloud

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Can we deliver a green recovery for retail?

With 'non-essential' shops back open in the UK after lockdown, episode 102 of the Sustainable Business Covered Podcast explores how the retail sector can deliver a green recovery.
The two upcoming events form an integral part of the six-month Festival

Countdown to COP26 Festival: Flagship July events to focus on crucial themes of climate talks

edie has today (26 May) officially unveiled the content programmes and initial speaker line-ups for the next two events to be delivered under the Countdown to COP26 Festival programme - covering the key COP themes of net-zero carbon energy, clean transport and climate finance.
Collaborative action from businesses and sweeping changes to policy - especially on taxes, incentives and international trade - will be needed to meet the CBI's vision

CBI: UK's green recovery could generate £700bn economic boost by 2030

The Confederation for British Industry (CBI) has launched a major new campaign uniting business in the push for a green recovery from Covid-19, claiming that this could bring £700bn of economic benefits for the UK this decade.
Image: Nando's, picturing some of the chain's plant-based menu items

Nando's on track to reach carbon neutrality this year

As restaurants in England begin to welcome customers indoors for the first time in 2021, Nando's has announced that it is on track to become a carbon-neutral business by November.
The sector is targeting net-zero by 2030, 20 years ahead of the UK's legal deadline for all sectors

UK water sector outlines £2.8bn green recovery plan

The UK's major water companies have outlined plans to collectively funnel almost £3bn into environmental projects and sustainable infrastructure and processes, with the support of regulator Ofwat and the UK Government.
The series of reports are free to download for all edie users

edie kicks off new COP26 Primer report series with Clean Energy focus

As part of the brand-new Countdown to COP26 Festival of digital content and events, edie has this week launched a series of "Primer Reports" which provide need-to-know insights into the key themes of this year's crucial climate talks. First up: Clean Energy.
Environmental charities, thought leaders and Green Party representatives have expressed disappointment over the announcements

'Proposals fall far short': Green economy left disappointed at Queen's speech

With the UK's official reopening of Parliament this week, the Queen travelled to the House of Lords to outline Governmental priorities for the coming months. Many had expected more to be said about tackling climate change and nature loss.
Pictured: Solar infrastructure in Shanghai

IEA: Renewable energy to account for 90% of new power expansion post-Covid-19

After capacity additions continued to grow during 2020, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is forecasting that "exceptionally high" growth is likely to continue during this year and next.
'Non-essential' retailers were permitted to open again in England in April, following almost four months of lockdown restrictions. Pictured: Stores in Oxford 

UK's retail giants 'have halved emissions since 2005'

An analysis of the climate footprint of dozens of the UK's best-known retailers has revealed that the sector's carbon emissions are down 49% on 2005 levels.
Pictured: A diver working with seagrass in Dale Bay, Wales. Image: WWF/Lewis Jeffries 

Green Alliance: Nature jobs would benefit UK regions hit hardest by unemployment

At least 16,000 jobs in nature conservation and restoration could be created as part of the UK's Covid-19 recovery plans, with areas facing the greatest employment challenges set to benefit the most.
The BGA is encouraging corporates to sign up to the Race to Zero campaign

UK green groups form new business alliance to spur corporate race to net-zero

A cohort of UK corporate green groups have formally banded together to launch the UK Business Group Alliance for Net Zero (BGA), in a bid to raise climate action in the build-up to COP26 and to ensure the nation meets its net-zero target for 2050.
Pictured: Durdle Door, Dorset

UK Government urged to accelerate ocean protection in COP26 plans

Major UK nature charities including WWF and RSPB have unveiled plans to assess the UK Government's measures to conserve and restore marine habitats this year, urging Ministers to take action ahead of COP26 this November.
The poll results come after the recent 'tax day' provided few climate-related announcements

6 in 10 Brits support 'green taxes', Green Alliance survey shows

A survey of more than 2,000 adults in the UK has found that six in ten would support taxes that make environmentally damaging behaviours, such as frequent flying, more expensive.
Coal and gas demands could be higher this year than in 2019, but oil is set for a far slower recovery

Global energy emissions set to rebound as Covid-19 lockdowns lift, IEA warns

Global energy demand is rebounding rapidly from the Covid-19-related slump, with fossil fuels set to play a major role in meeting this demand, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is warning.
Research has shown that SMEs would like more practical support from trade bodies and the Government on the road to net-zero

New coalition to help UK SMEs align with net-zero amid Covid-19 recovery

After research revealing that most UK SMEs face challenges relating to jargon and finance in the low-carbon transition, a new initiative has been launched to offer support.

We need to get the next generation excited about green jobs

As we look towards a green economic recovery and the objective to build back better from the pandemic, there is a clear argument for aligning how we futureproof the country's workforce with UK climate ambitions.

The Government has repeatedly been warned that it is off track to meet its target of two million 'green-collar' jobs by 2030

UK hosting 30,000 fewer green jobs than in 2014, official figures show

New data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that the UK hosted 202,100 low-carbon and renewable energy jobs in 2019 - 30,000 fewer than in 2014.
Ministers face mounting pressure to clarify the Government's long-term plans for energy efficient, low-carbon homes

Green Homes Grant scheme to officially close this week, UK Government confirms

The UK Government has confirmed that it will axe its Green Homes Grant Scheme, which had £1.5bn of its £2bn funding pot withdrawn, on Wednesday (31 March).
The pandemic also highlighted that some societies are more at risk from macro-disruption, whether that be disease-based or climate-induced

Why the circular economy is primed to improve social sustainability and value chain resiliency

EXCLUSIVE: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fragility of both society and the sprawling value chains that the economy relies on. Shifting nations to a circular economy could be key in delivering a green recovery that champions sustainable income and environmental stewardship.

edie Explains: Sustainable Offices in the 'New Normal'

Why is it important for businesses to explore holistically sustainable offices, in the wake of Covid-19? And what are the key challenges and opportunities for businesses developing more sustainable offices? This free edie Explains guide answers these key questions and more.
The proposed policy changes are designed to reduce waste at the source while also increasing recycling capacity

Fashion brands set to cover recycling costs under new UK Government plans

The UK Government has today (18 March) begun consulting on measures to reduce waste from sectors including fashion, furniture, electricals and electronics - including new charges that would see businesses contribute to recycling costs.
The banks warn that a piecemeal, short-term approach would hinder the amount of finance that is funnelled into retrofitting efforts

Retrofit revolution can cut emissions and deliver £7.5bn energy savings for UK

Retrofitting the UK's building stock with low-carbon solutions could reduce national energy costs by £7.5bn a year, create more than 150,000 jobs over a 10-year period and cut carbon emissions by 20%, MPs have been told.
UK100 estimates that more than three million jobs are expected to be created as part of a national shift to the green economy

Green recovery could deliver 1.2 million construction and manufacturing jobs

More than one million green manufacturing and construction jobs could be created in the UK, if the Government introduced enabling policies, new data has found.
The report is free to download for edie users

What does sustainable business leadership look like in 2021? edie publishes results of flagship survey

edie has today published a comprehensive report breaking down exactly what 'business leadership' looks like as the UK strives to build back from the coronavirus pandemic through a green recovery focused on low-carbon ambitions and a just transition.
From 'right to repair' laws to new 'green' incentives for farmers, it has been a busy week for policy relating to energy and the environment in the UK

Six changes to UK green policy that you need to know about this week

The UK Government has announced several important changes to green policy packages this week. Here, edie rounds up the flurry announcements from BEIS, Defra and the Treasury.
each sector faces its own challenges and opportunities in embracing the green recovery

Sector by sector: What are the key ingredients to achieve a green recovery?

Over the past 12 months edie has collected data and spoken to leading sustainability and energy experts on how key UK sectors can achieve a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Here, edie summarises some key themes found in our detailed sector insight reports.
While the 2021 Budget's green facets have been broadly welcomed, key groups want more information and some believe funding stops far short of what is needed

Green growth or greenwashing? Business leaders react to Rishi Sunak's 2021 Budget

After Chancellor Rishi Sunak opened his red Budget box to provide more detail on green bonds and net-zero innovation finance, there has been a mixed reaction from green economy leaders - as edie summarises in this article.
Sunak will be hosting a press conference after the Budget speech on Wednesday. Image: HM Treasury 

Budget 2021: Businesses and charities make last-minute calls for green funding to Rishi Sunak

With the 2021 Budget being announced on Wednesday (3 March), Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing mounting pressure over the Green Homes Grant, National Nature Service and other green policy decisions.
Sunak will open his red Budget box on Wednesday afternoon

Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak 'set to unveil green savings bonds and net-zero innovation programmes'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed that he will launch green savings bonds at the Budget on Wednesday. There are also media reports of a £1bn portfolio to support innovations that will accelerate the UK's net-zero transition.
The report is free to access for edie users

New report: What role can the public sector play in delivering a green recovery?

edie has this week published the latest in a new series of reports looking at how businesses from key sectors can respond to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic by focusing on a green recovery. This time, the focus is on the public sector.
Green groups have said this Budget will be "crucial" for setting the UK on a net-zero recovery pathway. Image: Parliament Live TV

Will the 2021 Budget help the UK deliver a green recovery?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will deliver his second Budget on 3 March. But, faced with the challenge of supporting the economy as the UK completes its lockdown exit roadmap, will the Budget deliver an appropriate response to the climate and nature emergencies?
The success of the transition would hinge on enabling policies and roadmaps, steered by the UK Government

UK can create 200,000 jobs through clean technology drive

The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has claimed that the UK can reach 100% renewable electricity in the next 11 years, with clean technology uptake set to create 200,000 new jobs provided the Government can deliver enabling policies.

Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for the public sector

edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, the public sector.
The “Terra Carta” outlines ten areas of action for businesses looking to respond to the scale of the interconnected climate and nature crises 

Banking giants unite with Prince of Wales on financial net-zero taskforce

The Prince of Wales' Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) has announced that executives from the likes of Bank of America, BNP Paribas, NatWest and Lloyds have joined on as members of a new Financial Services Task Force aiming to create a net-zero investor sector.
The report outlines policy recommendations spanning from nature restoration to using hydrogen in heavy industry 

Green recovery: MPs call for VAT breaks for energy efficiency, electric vehicles and circular economy

MPs are urging Boris Johnson's Government to take a broader "green recovery" approach, going beyond low-carbon electricity and transport to provide policy supports for nature restoration and the circular economy.
Pictured: One of IHG's Crown Plaza hotels in Dubai

'Journey to Tomorrow': IHG outlines plans for green recovery from Covid-19

IHG Hotels & Resorts has outlined plans to reduce emissions in line with climate science, deliver zero-carbon new buildings, improve water stewardship and remove single-use packaging as the hospitality sector recovers from the financial hit of Covid-19.
Funding for fossil fuels has been, globally, greater than for low-carbon sectors - and much funding has been provided without environmental conditions

Green recovery report: Just 12% of global Covid-19 stimulus will benefit climate and nature

G20 nations have spent $14.9trn on Covid-19 stimulus packages for businesses since the Covid-19 pandemic began - but only 12% has gone to industries with a positive impact in the fight against climate change and nature loss.
MPs suggested that around £320m of the fund would be made available moving forward

Billions to be slashed from Green Homes Grant budget

The Government is facing criticism for a decision to pull the majority of funding for the £2bn Green Homes Grant, less than a year after it was unveiled to improve household energy efficiency and play a key role in an economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
The UK Government has repeatedly been taken to court over its approach to air quality 

'Be more ambitious': MPs press Government to beef up air quality policies before lockdown lifts

The UK Government should adopt the World Health Organisation's (WHO) guidelines on air pollution and step up funding and communications to help businesses and communities deliver on stricter goals to reduce particulates.
The plans received broad support, but many questions still remain about the specifics of funding allocation

'Historic step' as European Parliament approves green recovery fund

Lawmakers in the European Parliament have voted to pass the EU's €672.5bn recovery and resilience facility, unlocking unprecedented funding aimed at helping Europe "build back better" after the COVID-19 crisis.
edie also hosted a bespoke roundtable discussion with sustainability representatives present at the Forum, sponsored by EDF

Sustainability Leaders Forum: Five top tips for turning climate ambition into action

With the dust settling on three days of thought-provoking conversations at edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum (SLF), edie rounds up how businesses can make 2021 a super year for climate action, which turns ambition into action for corporate sustainability.
All projects will need to demonstrate how they meet both the Government’s net-zero target and the Ten Point Plan

UK Power Networks funnels £80m into net-zero projects

The network operator that provides energy to more than 18 million people across London and the South East has launched an £80m fund to support projects that will contribute to the UK's net-zero emissions target for 2050.
Comedian Rachel Parris was on hand to announce the winners

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2021: Winners revealed at glittering virtual ceremony

Willmott Dixon, the Midcounties Co-operative and Virgin Media were among the big winners of edie's 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards, announced at a fun-packed virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday afternoon (3 February).
A host of green finance experts met virtually on day one of the Sustainability Leaders Forum

Finance and policy: The external drivers forcing businesses to take climate action

Sustainability professionals have often found frustration when trying to embed CSR across an entire organisation, but the mainstreaming of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing looks set to create new momentum behind the green recovery.
The Sustainability Leaders Forum is running through to Thursday (4 February) in an all-new virtual format

Beyond net-zero targets: What role can businesses play in solving the climate emergency?

Recent months have seen the numbers of businesses committed to net-zero climate targets expanding exponentially. But beyond these long-term, high-level ambitions, how can firms of all sizes and sectors deliver change on the ground?
Rivett-Carnac worked with the UN to develop the Paris Agreement before serving as president at CDP North America. Now, he co-runs Global Optimism. 

Tom Rivett-Carnac: In the face of the climate emergency, we must all be stubborn optimists

EXCLUSIVE: Paris Agreement architect Tom Rivett-Carnac used his platform at edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum (2 February) to urge listeners to remain solutions-focussed, courageous and optimistic in the face of the world's biggest environmental challenges.
The trial is part of Ocado Retail’s target to become net-zero by 2035

Ocado trials electric vehicles for rapid deliveries

Ocado has launched a trial of electric vehicles (EVs) for its rapid grocery delivery service in the heart of London, as part of the retailer's ongoing commitment to reaching net-zero emissions.
From net-zero strategy to personal sustainability skills, the Forum has a topic for everyone to make 2021 a super year for sustainability

Last chance to register: COP26 business champion Andrew Griffith to deliver keynote at the Sustainability Leaders Forum

edie has today (29 January) confirmed a final addition to the Sustainability Leaders Forum speaker line-up in the form of Andrew Griffith MP, who will deliver a keynote speech about the business opportunity of COP26 on the second day of the virtual event, which runs from 2-4 February.
According to think-tank Circle Economy, less than 9% of the 100 billion tonnes of virgin raw materials extracted each year are reused or recycled 

Governments urged to accelerate circular economy transition through green recovery plans

As nations continue to deliver their strategies for the economic recovery from Covid-19, they must better embed measures to improve resource efficiency, recycling, reuse and nature restoration, according to a major new policy briefing.
Pictured: Solar panels on an Ikea store in Sydney, Australia 

Ikea surpasses renewable energy generation milestone after installing 920,000 solar panels

Ikea's parent company Ingka Group generated more renewable energy that it consumed last year, marking a milestone on its vision to become a "planet-positive" business.
Image: Vincent Zafra / Illusion Story https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:VincentZafra&action=edit&redlink=1

Robert Downey Jr launches ESG venture capital funds

Renowned actor and producer Robert Downey Jr. has launched a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) venture capital investment fund aiming to support sustainability products and services, clean energy and resource efficiency.
Pictured: The Pince gave a rousing speech via Zoom. Image: Corporate Knights 

Prince Charles: Sustainable business leadership alone won't combat climate change

While congratulating companies to have been named the most sustainable in the world, the Prince of Wales has warned that more must be done to deliver the global low-carbon transition in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5C trajectory.
Join us at the online edie Sustainability Leaders Awards Wednesday 3 February 2021! Cost is £50+VAT per ticket

One week left to book your place at edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards

There is still time to book your ticket for edie's award-winning Sustainability Leaders Forum and Sustainability Leaders Awards, which will recognise excellence in corporate sustainability via a prestigious virtual ceremony taking place next week.
The bank doubled its corporate bond programme in response to Covid-19. Image: George Rex, CC BY SA

Bank of England's high-carbon financing a 'moral hazard', MPs warn

The Bank of England risks creating 'moral hazard' by continuing to finance high-carbon projects and companies and providing no-strings-attached financing to carbon intensives companies, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has warned.

#SustyTalk: Suntory Beverage & Food's Michelle Norman on net-zero, plastics and the green recovery

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I's Michelle Norman revisiting the company's key climate and plastics milestones from 2020 and looking ahead to what this year will hold for corporate sustainability.
Gas and renewables have proven more resilient to the impacts of the pandemic than oil

McKinsey: Global fossil fuel demand will peak in 2027

One of the world's largest consultancies has published analysis outlining how global fossil fuel demand could peak by 2027. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating trends in electrification and energy efficiency.

#SustyTalk: How can the built environment deliver a green recovery?

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with a special panel discussion on the green recovery for the built environment, featuring Bennetts Associates' director Peter Fisher and FORE Partnership's managing director Basil Demeroutis.
Pictured: The Prince at Salisbury Cathedral, where a copy of the Magna Carta is held

Prince Charles launches 'earth charter' for businesses tackling nature and climate crises

The Prince of Wales is hoping to get major businesses to commit to "accelerating and mainstreaming sustainability", by signing a new charter on the green recovery.
The report is free to download

Report: Can the built environment achieve a green recovery?

edie has today (8 January) launched a free report detailing the appetite within the built environment sector to collaborate to overcome the challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and to "build back better" by championing the green recovery.

Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for the built environment

edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, the built environment.
The research warns that up to 10 million jobs will need to be replaced or retained as part of the net-zero transition

Report: 10 million high-carbon jobs to be retrained or replaced as part of net-zero transition

Research from a new cross-party programme exploring the net-zero transition in the UK has warned that 10 million jobs will either need to be retrained or replaced if the nation is to meet its climate commitments.
MPs are due to return from recess next Monday (11 January)

A net-zero New Year? The 7 green policies UK businesses are still waiting for

December saw a flurry of green policy announcements, from the Energy White Paper to the decision to end finance to fossil fuels overseas. But several key policy gaps remain on the road to net-zero as we enter a new year - and will need to be closed ahead of COP26.
How well do you remember some of this year's biggest green business stories?

edie's big fat sustainabiliy quiz of the year: 2020 edition

Take edie's 2020 quiz of the year to test your knowledge on some of the biggest moments in the global sustainability space over the past 12 months.
We summarise the best-read and most important stories of 2020

Net-zero targets, virtual climate events and green recovery debates: The sustainability stories of 2020

With less than a week until Christmas, edie recaps what has been a busy year for sustainability stories, from the growing green recovery movement to the election of Joe Biden.
The one-hour webinar is now available to watch on-demand

Five top tips for making 2021 your organisation's 'super year' for sustainability

With less than a decade to meet the Global Goals and put the global economy onto a clear trajectory to deliver a just net-zero transition, edie is rounding up some best-practice advice for ramping up environmental and social ambitions and actions in the New Year.
The award-winning edie editorial team delivers three early Christmas presents in the form of interviews

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: The Christmas 2020 special episode

Episode 95 of edie's Sustainable Business Covered podcast is now streaming, providing exclusive festive interviews about sustainability storytelling, conscious consumerinsm and the green recovery movement.

Good things come to those who persist: Why 2020 didn't derail climate action

It's been a tumultuous and tiring year that impacted the lives of everyone. But amidst the tragedy caused by the coronavirus pandemic, heroes emerged to prove we can adapt when facing a crisis - and the climate crisis is still very much shaping decisions moving forward.
Read on for some shocking sustainability statistics about our Christmas habits

In numbers: What is the environmental impact of Christmas?

Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year - but it's also the most wasteful. With less than a week left until the big day, edie rounds up some of the most shocking environmental statistics for the season.
Businesses are planning to launch sustainable products and services to appeal to customers in 2021

Survey: Three-quarters of UK businesses turning to sustainability to bounce back from Covid-19

A survey of 1,000 UK businesses has found that more than three-quarters are planning to increase their sustainability focus in 2021, as part of their plans to financially recover from Covid-19.

Transparency is the first step as we forge a more sustainable future for metals

Metals form the backbone of today's industrialised world - from the steel in our buildings and aluminium in our cars, to the copper in our mobile phones.

Looking to 2050: How the Northern Powerhouse can drive the transition to net-zero

It's fair to say that 2020 has been a dispiriting start to the new decade. The chaos and uncertainty around the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as the cliff edge of a Brexit deadline, has made it a challenge to extract any positive messages from today's headlines.
Green Groups have welcomed the announcement, but more detail is still being required

An 'undisputed urgency to act': Green economy reacts to the Energy White Paper

The Government has unveiled the long-awaited Energy White Paper today (14 December), with green groups welcoming the focus it provides to both job growth and rapid decarbonisation in order to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Adaptation Communication will be submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) alongside the newly created NDC

UK ramps up climate adaptation plans in build up to COP26

The UK has become one of the first countries to publish an official plan setting out how the nation is responding to the climate crisis through adaptation and resiliency plans that focus on flood prevention and rewilding.
A recording of the webinar is available to watch on-demand

Available to watch on demand: Webinar on making 2021 the 'super year' for corporate sustainability

edie's most recent explored the redefinition of corporate sustainability leadership in 2021, through the lens of buildings and transport, the Sustainable Development Goals and net-zero strategies, featuring expert insight from Anglian Water, Business in the Community and EDF Energy. A recording of the session is now available to watch.
The UNEP is urging nations to stop relying on high-emitting industries for their economic recovery plans

UN: Green Covid-19 recovery will put world on track to meet Paris Agreement

While Covid-19 lockdown restrictions have resulted in falling carbon emissions, they will rebound and the world will warm by more than 3C this century without a coordinated and ambitious global green recovery approach.
More than 90% of the hydrogen produced globally each year is fossil-based

Energy giants team up to halve green hydrogen costs by 2026

Companies including Orsted and Iberdrola have teamed up in a bid to increase the world's green hydrogen production fifty-fold by 2026 - in a move they claim will halve costs.
The role of the Pope is stated as providing “moral guidance”

The Vatican convenes business giants in bid to promote purpose-led capitalism

The Vatican has convened representatives from more than a dozen of the world's biggest businesses, including EY and Kering, for a new alliance to champion more inclusive and sustainable financial systems.
Worldwide, investment in energy efficiency worldwide is likely to be down 9% year-on-year

IEA: Energy efficiency improvements for 2020 'the weakest in a decade'

Despite nations investing in retrofitting and businesses looking to make energy savings amid lockdown restrictions, global progress on energy efficiency has slowed in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Whitbread's food waste fight and offshore wind boosts: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Green groups have welcomed the commitment, but want more detailed outlines of how decarbonisation will be delivered

A 'vital step': Green economy reacts to the UK's new climate commitment

Green groups and business leaders have welcomed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement that the UK has created an updated domestic emissions target for 2030 as its contribution to the Paris Agreement, but with progress lacking against upcoming carbon budgets, many want to see more detailed action plans.
The new target meets the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee 

UK to slash emissions by 68% by 2030, as part of Paris Agreement NDC

The UK Government will aim to reduce emissions by 68% by 2030, as part of a domestic action plan that will deliver the nation's contribution towards the Paris Agreement and limiting global temperature increases to well below 2C and build towards net-zero by 2050.
The UK's oil and gas sector represents 230,000 onshore jobs and 30,000 offshore roles

Green recovery: UK urged to accelerate 'just' transition from North Sea oil and gas

With thousands of UK-based oil and gas workers on furlough and the sector's economic recovery likely to be slow, policymakers are facing calls to cap North Sea fossil fuel production and reskill communities for low-carbon industries.
The NIB has been welcomed across the green economy, but many say the devil is in the details

Green Finance Institute: UK's new National Investment Bank must go beyond energy

The UK's new National Investment Bank (NIB) must have strong net-zero criteria and support the low-carbon transition in the transport, built environment and nature sector as well as energy, the Green Finance Institute (GFI) is urging.

Covid-19 can reinforce the green business case

Reconomy's head of sustainability Nathan Gray reflects on the appetite for businesses to drive a green recovery as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Skanska's EV policy and the UK's largest community solar park: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
When fully operational, the windfarm will provide enough clean electricity to power more than 4.5 million UK homes and it is expected to trigger capital investments of around £9bn in total

World's largest offshore windfarm reaches £6bn financial close

Financial close has been confirmed on two phases of the world's largest offshore windfarm, Dogger Bank, with capital expenditure reaching around £6bn, which is the largest offshore wind project financing globally.
The report has been created in assistance with Reconomy and uses exclusive results from edie’s green recovery survey of 243 sustainability and energy professionals

Report: Can the retail sector deliver a green recovery?

edie has published a new report detailing how retailers can build back better from the coronavirus pandemic by aligning long-term strategies with the need to combat the climate crisis, foster new innovations and ultimately spur a green recovery.
Black Friday is usually seen as the antithesis of sustainability 

What does the green recovery mean for Black Friday?

After a month of lockdown restrictions, many UK retailers are looking forward to Black Friday to boost profits. But with consumers increasingly prioritising purpose and sustainability, and with the green recovery movement gaining traction, what will the sales event look like in 2020 and beyond?
Sunak was originally meant to unveil the NIS at the Budget in March. Image: Parliament Live TV

How is the green economy reacting to the Spending Review and National Infrastructure Strategy?

Green groups have dubbed the Spending Review a "missed opportunity" for the green recovery movement and net-zero transition, urging more new investment and clarity on climate requirements for the national investment bank.
edie is seizing a unique opportunity to evolve its biggest event of the year into a truly global, collaborative experience

BEIS, Lego Group and Anglian Water confirmed among latest wave of speakers for Sustainability Leaders Forum

The chief executive of Anglian Water, Peter Simpson, and Minister for Business Energy and Clean Growth Kwasi Kwarteng are among the latest headline speakers that will feature at edie's biggest event of the year - the Sustainability Leaders Forum - which takes place as a global, virtual event on 2-4 February 2021.
Around one-eighth of the money given to pensioners in the UK is spent on energy and transport

Net-zero pensions 'could deliver £1trn for UK's green recovery'

By re-allocating a proportion of state pensions to low-carbon energy and transport, and giving seniors access to these sectors for free, the UK Government could unlock £1trn for the net-zero transition.

Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for retail

edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, retail.
The EU's hydrogen strategy targets 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen production within a decade 

Renewable Hydrogen Coalition: trade bodies team up to grow Europe's green hydrogen sector

Trade bodies including WindEurope and SolarPowerEurope have received backing from Bill-Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy to form a new coalition aimed at growing renewable hydrogen production and use across the continent.
Rishi Sunak is expected to outline how £100bn will be spent on infrastructure in the UK

Government set to unveil national infrastructure bank tied to net-zero

The Government is expected to unveil the long-awaited National Infrastructure Strategy (NIS) this week alongside the Spending Review, with a National Infrastructure Bank set to be created to replace the UK's involvement with the European Investment Bank and funnel capital towards net-zero projects.
City Hall estimates that the £10m will support the creation of 1,000 full-time equivalent roles.

Green New Deal: London launches £10m job-creation scheme for low-carbon sectors

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has outlined plans to funnel £10m into the energy efficiency, low-carbon transport and skills sector as part of the capital's plans for a green Covid-19 recovery.

E.ON: 7 in 10 Brits want air pollution information in daily weather forecasts

A survey of more than 4,000 adults in the UK has found that almost three-quarters want information on air pollution in their local area to be included in daily weather forecasts.

SDG Spotlight: How Businesses Can Achieve Goal 7; Clean and Affordable Energy

edie's latest SDG Spotlight report, produced in association with Bryt Energy, looks at how businesses and national policies can transform operations, services, supply chains and strategies to help deliver Goal 7: Clean and Affordable Energy.
The £12bn plan will support up to 250,000 green jobs, with the Government aiming to secure three times as much investment from the private sector by 2030

'An ambitious plan for a green industrial revolution': Reaction to Boris Johnson's Ten Point net-zero plan

Green groups have welcomed a new Ten Point Llan from Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and build towards the net-zero emissions target, but the lack of a clear roadmap is dampening an otherwise monumental green policy moment.
While a gigafactory would improve competitiveness for the UK's EV market, it needs to look at circularity in the long term

How would a Gigafactory contribute to the UK's green recovery?

Reports have emerged that the UK is set to unveil funds for a national battery production centre in the UK, but efforts may still be required to ensure that battery production is aligned to the circular economy.
The coalition claims that a UK sustainable aviation fuels industry could deliver around £3bn in GVA and 20,200 jobs by the 2030s

Aviation sector spells out plans to be at heart of UK's green recovery

The chief executives from some of the largest organisations in the aviation sector have called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver legislative and financial support to create a sustainable aviation fuels industry that would help the sector reach net-zero emissions and assist with a national green recovery.
Under the EU's Green New Deal, the EIB is planning to become a 'climate bank'

European Investment Bank unveils £1trn green investment plan through 2030

EU member states have approved the European Investment Bank's (EIB) plans to spend €1trn on the green economy within a decade and to ban funding for fossil fuel projects and airport expansions.
Pictured: The Peak District 

Defra doubles £40m green recovery fund for nature after huge demand

The Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a second £40m round of its Green Recovery Challenge Fund, designed to promote nature restoration and conservation, after the initial round proved to be massively oversubscribed.
The Energy Minister and Apprenticeships and Skills Minister will co-chair the Taskforce

Green Jobs Taskforce: Government vows to create two million jobs in low-carbon and nature sectors

Following pressure from business groups and NGOs, the UK Government has launched a Green Jobs Taskforce to help unemployed people and those in transitioning industries into new, skilled jobs.
The virtual Net-Zero Live event will include interactive panel discussions, facilitated networking sessions, educational masterclasses, and "open roundtable" discussions

Net-Zero Live 2020: Register for today's Net-Zero Resources sessions

Following a thought-provoking two days of edie's Net-Zero Live virtual event, businesses looking at resource efficiency can hear from Unilever, Coca-Cola, Mars, Timberland and WWF on the final day of the flagship event.
Ministers had been expected to include gas, but claim it could risk the bloc's long-term climate goals

Gas denied 'transition' fuel status in draft EU green finance rules

Power plants fuelled by natural gas will not be classed as "sustainable" or "transition" investments in Europe unless they meet emission limits which are so low that none are currently able to comply, according to draft EU rules seen by EURACTIV.
Johnson has chosen the slogan 'build, build, build'. Labour wants him to 'Build it in Britain' and 'Build Back Better'

Green Recovery: Labour challenges UK Government to spend £30bn on low-carbon economy

The Labour Party is urging the Government to use the Treasury's spending review later this month to allocate multi-billion-pound packages to low-carbon sectors and to launch new reskilling and green finance initiatives.
The announcement for the BRC comes at a challenging time for the retail sector

UK retail sector pledges to reach net-zero emissions by 2040

More than 60 leading retailers, including Pret UK, Burberry, Sainsbury's and Missguided, have pledged to support a new collaborative roadmap to transform the sector and its supply chain to net-zero emissions by 2040.
Boris Johnson is expected to flesh out his ten-point green recovery plan this week 

IPPR: UK Government must spend £33bn annually to combat climate and nature crises

The UK Government is allocating just £4bn annually to initiatives designed to reverse nature loss and tackle climate change, when the scale of the challenges requires some £33bn.
The first step of the plan was announced a month ago today

BT and Royal Mail tell Boris Johnson to bring back his ten-point green recovery plan

The UK's four biggest fleet operators - BT, Royal Mail, Centrica and DPD - are calling for Boris Johnson to announce the remainder of his ten-point green recovery plan, including new policy support for electric vehicles (EVs).
The Fund is allocated on a short-term, competitive basis

Charities call for investment boost as Defra reveals its Green Recovery Fund is hugely oversubscribed

More than 20 of the UK's biggest environmental charities are calling for additional funding for nature in Covid-19 stimulus planning, after Environment Minister Rebecca Pow revealed that the Green Recovery Fund is almost seven times oversubscribed.
Pictured: A double-decker hydrogen bus from Wrightbus. The company has secured a share of the new funding. 

BEIS announces £183m funding round for electric vehicles and cleantech start-ups

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has allocated new multi-million-pound funding pots to cleantech innovators, including companies developing AI for wind turbines and high-power batteries for electric cars.
The switch to renewable electricity will see BT’s carbon emissions in the year to March 2021 fall by an estimated 54,000 tonnes compared to last financial year

BT powered by 100% renewable electricity globally

BT has confirmed that all of its offices and shops globally are powered by 100% renewable electricity, as the technology giant builds towards its net-zero target.
Continual emissions reductions are needed to meet net-zero, but recovery from the pandemic will likely see an increase

Emissions from energy sector likely to rebound from Covid-19, Capgemini warns

Emissions from the global energy sector will be 7-8% lower in 2020 than in 2019, but most nations are still failing to align their energy generation and consumption patterns with long-term climate targets, Capgemini is warning.
The groups are calling for a fresh emissions goal to be set for 2030

Business groups call on Prime Minister to set Paris Agreement commitment by end of year

A number of green business groups have called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the UK Government to set a substantial commitment to the Paris Agreement that is aligned to the nation's own net-zero target.
Net-Zero Live is free-to-attend and has been shifted to a virtual format for 2020

Net-Zero Live 2020 preview: 8 things not to be missed at next week's virtual event

With just a week to go until Net-Zero Live 2020, hosted in association with EDF Energy, edie previews some moments from the virtual conference that readers will not want to miss out on.
EDF, headline sponsors for Net-Zero November, discuss approaches to net-zero and unlocking finance during this tumultuous period 

EDF on net-zero, green spending and energy innovations

To kickstart edie's Net Zero November, headline sponsors EDF discuss why the net-zero transition is so important to them, and how businesses can use low-carbon solutions to build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
Khoo outlined how Interface was aiming to have zero impact through its products and operations, and how that has changed the mindset of the business

Can business models act as carbon sinks to reach net-zero?

To kickstart edie's Net-Zero November, carpet manufacturer Interface's head of sustainability Jon Khoo reflects on the company's own ambitious Climate Take Back strategy, as well as discussing how business mindsets and models can "act like carbon sinks" to transform corporates into zero-impact organisations.
Representatives from more than 500 businesses were surveyed

6 in 10 UK SMEs believe net-zero and the green recovery is good for business

Almost two-thirds (61%) of small and medium-sized businesses in Britain believe that the move to a greener economy post-Covid-19 presents positive opportunities, a new poll of more than 500 SMEs has found.

Net-Zero offers optimism amidst a crisis

There won't be many that look back on 2020 fondly, but the energy and ambitions from corporates and nations to reach net-zero emissions and alleviate the climate crisis can provide sustainability professionals with some much needed optimism during the despondency of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The month of content will inspire and empower sustainability and energy professionals on the road to a net-zero future for their business

Net-Zero November: edie's bumper month of content and events kicks off this week

Spearheaded by edie's flagship Net-Zero Live virtual event, edie is gearing up for a bumper month of content designed to help businesses raise their sustainability ambitions and accelerate climate action – all of which starts on Monday 2 November. 
Collectively, G20 nations have allocated 33% more funding to fossil fuels than low-carbon generation since March

UK's Covid-19 recovery package for energy 'not net-zero aligned', report finds

The UK Government has earmarked £3.8bn of stimulus funding for legacy fossil fuel and nuclear generation, compared to just £121m for renewables, a damning new report has claimed.
Pictured: Our 2020 winners at the last ceremony, held in London in February 

What makes a Sustainability Leaders Awards winner? Our 2021 judges reveal their top tips for success

With less than a week until the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards entry deadlines, our judges are sharing their top tips for crafting a winning entry.
The report features insight on how innovation, collaboration and net-zero will shape a green recovery in the sector

edie launches new report detailing how the hospitality sector can achieve a green recovery

edie has launched its latest sector insight report, examining how the hospitality and leisure sector can build back better from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic by focusing on low-carbon strategies as part of a green recovery.

Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for hospitality and leisure

edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, hospitality and leisure.
Departments are having to play catch-up after Covid-19-related delays - but will they move rapidly enough and co-ordinate ambitions and actions?

Towards net-zero: The 8 green policies UK businesses are still waiting for

The UK Government vowed last week to publish a "comprehensive" net-zero strategy ahead of COP26 in November 2021. But several glaring policy gaps remain. Here, edie rounds up the major policy announcements the green economy is waiting for.
The report urges policymakers to pair environmental progress with job creation, rather than pitting the concerns against each other

Report: Green recovery would cut global emissions by 7% and create millions of jobs

If all major nations developed strong plans for a green recovery from Covid-19, global annual emissions would be 7% lower in 2030 than in 2019 and millions of new jobs would be created in sectors including energy, transport and materials.
The publication has been timed to mark World Food Day on Friday (16 October)

Governments urged to reform food systems as part of Covid-19 green recovery efforts

World leaders "know" they must help reform food systems to protect the environment and improve public health and should use their Covid-19 recovery plans to raise ambitions and accelerate action in this area.
The technologies identified could add up to €790bn of gross added value to the European economy annually by 2030

Capgemini: EU must invest in high-impact climate technologies through green recovery funding

The EU must allocate portions of its €750bn Covid-19 recovery fund to emerging, innovative technologies which decarbonise energy, the built environment, industry, transport and the agri-food sector if it is to meet its net-zero goal by 2050, new analysis has found.
The 13-page report is free to download

SDG Spotlight report: How can businesses promote green industry, innovation and infrastructure?

edie has launched its latest SDG Spotlight report, looking at how businesses can transform operations, services, supply chains and strategies to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post-lockdown, with the latest focusing on Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
The European Commission and individual member countries are being urged to follow suit

Lawmakers vote to exclude fossil fuels from EU recovery fund

The environment committee in the European Parliament has voted to exclude fossil fuels from support under the EU's €750bn recovery fund intended to boost the bloc's economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
A truly green recovery is not yet guaranteed for the UK, the report concludes

2021 will be 'a critical window' for creating a sustainable future, major report warns

The decisions taken by businesses, investors and the government in the UK over the next six to 18 months will either lock us into unsustainable systems or bring about a resilient future with intersectional benefits for the environment and society, a major new report argues.
In the locations with the best infrastructure and policy, solar can generate electricity at costs below $20 per MWh, the report states

World Energy Outlook: IEA forecasts boom for solar in wake of Covid-19

Even if nations do not bolster their climate targets, renewables will meet 80% of the global growth in electricity demand by 2030, with solar leading the way, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) new World Energy Outlook.
The Alliance members state that they do not wish to engage in divestment exercises

Global investors kickstart 1.5C decarbonisation process for portfolios

Some of the world's largest investors accounting for $5trn in assets under management have agreed to set time-bound decarbonisation targets that will see the organisations work with companies in their portfolios to align to climate action.
The Government is facing mounting pressure to join-up its approach to financing a green economic recovery from the recession

Issue green sovereign bond to finance UK's Covid-19 recovery, investors urge Government

A group of 30 major investors with more than £10trn of assets under management collectively are calling for the UK Government to launch a green sovereign bond to ensure adequate funding is put behind its mission to deliver a "green" Covid-19 recovery.
2020 could be a record-breaking year for green bonds yet

BNEF: Green bond issuance broke records in September 2020

More than $50bn of green bonds were issued globally in September, making it a record month despite the economic impact of Covid-19, BloombergNEF has revealed.
Jope succeeds Paul Polman, who served as CEO for more than 10 years and is widely regarded as the father of modern CSR. Image: Unilever

Unilever CEO: Climate change and Covid-19 mean capitalism must change

Unilever's chief executive officer Alan Jope has said the business has found itself "at the centre" of discussions around redesigning capitalism with environmental and social sustainability in mind post-pandemic.
Pictured: The Walney Extension offshore wind farm

'Build Back Greener': Boris Johnson vows that UK will host 40GW of offshore wind by 2030

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has plans for every home in the UK to be powered with electricity from offshore wind farms within the decade and has unveiled a £160m pot to support the sector.

#SustyTalk: Multiplex's Joshua Davies on a green recovery for construction

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Multiplex Europe's sustainability manager Joshua Davies outlining how UK and EU policymakers can help the construction sector decarbonise as it recovers from Covid-19.
The report is one of the latest major contributions to the UK's green recovery movement

Aldersgate Group: 'Urgent decisions' needed to join up UK's net-zero policy framework

The UK Government must use its Covid-19 recovery planning to ensure that sector-specific challenges and loopholes on the road to net-zero by 2050 are addressed and must not permit any further postponements to key policy decisions, a major new Aldersgate Group report has concluded.

Winning from the green recovery

Sustainability and success are two sides of the same coin, which is why manufacturers could be the biggest commercial winners from a green recovery, as Ian Hopkins, Director, Centrica Business Solutions discusses.
A 2019 review commissioned for Defra recommended the creation a National Nature Service 

Survey: 8 in 10 Brits want nature jobs for those left unemployed by Covid-19

More than eight in ten adults in the UK want the Government to help those left unemployed by the pandemic into nature-related roles, a new survey of 1,609 people has found.
BEIS believes its approach will create up to 130,000 jobs. Green groups are calling for long-term certainty that they will be protected

£2bn Green Homes Grant and £1bn Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme open for applications

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has officially launched £3bn of initiatives aimed at improving the energy efficiency of housing and public sector buildings.
edie's esteemed panel of judges will whittle down a shortlist of finalists and then decide upon all of the winners for the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2021: Meet the judges

With the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards entry deadline approaching, edie takes a closer look at the esteemed panel of judges who will be presiding over this year's submissions.
More case studies can be found in edie's green manufacturing report

How are manufacturers approaching net-zero and the green recovery?

The manufacturing sector has a rich history of innovating to overcome persistent challenges. But the twin disruptions of the net-zero transition and the Covid-19 pandemic have made the sector's green efforts paramount to business prosperity. Here, edie explores how manufacturers are navigating these challenges.
Job growth in the wind and solar sectors was found to be slower than for bioenergy

Half a million renewable energy jobs were created in 2019, IRENA reveals

Some 498,000 full-time equivalent roles were created in the global renewable energy sector during 2019, new analysis from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has revealed - with particular growth recorded in the biofuels industry.
The report outlines the Covid-19 challenges that manufacturers face, but also the opportunities of the green recovery for the sector

edie launches new report on achieving a green recovery for the manufacturing sector

edie has today (29 September) published the first in a new series of reports looking at how businesses from key sectors can respond to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic by focusing on a green recovery. First up, the manufacturing sector.

Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for manufacturing

edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. First up, manufacturing.
More than four in ten species in the UK have experienced population decline since 1970

Boris Johnson commits government to protecting 30% of UK's land

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that the UK will sign an international commitment binding nations to protect 30% of their land-based habitats - a move designed to halt biodiversity loss.

How to seize the opportunities of a green recovery

Now is the perfect time for organisations to give back to society and pay it forward to future generations by seizing the opportunities of a green recovery.
Chanel is the first unrated issuer to have a public set of bonds linked to sustainability ambitions

Chanel links €600m sustainability bond to science-based targets

Luxury fashion and fragrance giant Chanel has issued a €600m transaction for bonds linked to the company's progress against its 1.5C science-based targets.
Image: Foreign and Commonwealth Office / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)”

As Boris Johnson unveils COP26 'launchpad' event, is the world on track for a green recovery?

In a speech to world leaders today, Boris Johnson confirmed that the UK will co-host a climate event with the UN in December and will spend the coming months urging other nations to update their emissions targets. But is the UK keeping its own promises for a green recovery? And are world leaders walking the talk on their own commitments?
All three webinar and masterclass sessions are available to watch on-demand for those who have registered

Available to watch on demand: edie's green recovery webinar sessions

Expert speakers gave insight and advice during a free set of green recovery-themed webinars and masterclasses that took place on Wednesday 23 September. You can watch the sessions, featuring the Aldersgate Group, BT, Bank of England, Ella's Kitchen, UKGBC on demand. 
The jobs would be created over a three-to-four-year period

Green recovery: 'Retrofit revolution' could create half a million UK jobs

More than 455,000 'white van' jobs could be created across the UK's property and construction sectors if the government increases funding for retrofit projects and green skills as part of its Covid-19 recovery package.
London, like many UK cities, has set a net-zero target ahead of the 2050 deadline

London and Bristol vow to divest from fossil fuel companies as part of Covid-19 recovery plans

The mayors of 12 major global cities, including London and Bristol in the UK and Berlin, Milan and Oslo in Europe, have committed to "take all possible steps" to divest their city assets from fossil fuel companies.

#SustyTalk: WWF's Raymond Dhirani on financing the green recovery

edie's SustyTalk series continues with WWF UK's head of sustainable finance Raymond Dhirani discussing the role of the finance sector in creating a Covid-19 recovery movement that tackles the twin climate and nature crises.
Carbon Price Support in the UK is currently £18 per tonne 

Higher carbon prices could raise £27bn for green recovery by 2030, experts tell UK Government

The UK's price on carbon will need to reach £75 per tonne by 2030 if the nation is to meet its 2050 net-zero target - a price which would raise up to £27bn of finance for low-carbon sectors.
The targets have now been approved by the SBTi as consistent with levels required to meet the climate goals of the Paris Agreement

Tate & Lyle has carbon goals approve by Science Based Targets initiative

Food and drink ingredient supplier Tate & Lyle has had goals to reduce operational and value chain emissions approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

#SustyTalk: Lloyds Banking Group's James Wilde on financing the green recovery

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Lloyds Banking Group's head of sustainability James Wilde taking part in a virtual discussion on financing the green recovery, as well as providing an update on the bank's efforts to halve its emissions.

Closing the loop in a post-Covid-19 landscape

The impact that Covid-19 has had on communities around the world is unprecedented. The face mask - now a ubiquitous symbol of the global pandemic - serves as an ongoing reminder that a virus invisible to the human eye has forced communities across the world to retreat and entire nations to shut down.

BT has a net-zero emissions goal set for 2045

BT joins calls to accelerate climate action through 1.5C Business Playbook

BT has joined the likes of Ikea and Ericsson in supporting the 1.5C Business Playbook, calling for renewed efforts from corporates and policymakers to halve emissions by 2030 as part of a "race to zero".
Image: Green Alliance

Mark Carney: Climate considerations must be 'embedded' in every financial decision for a truly green recovery

Former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has outlined his vision for financing a green economic recovery for Covid-19 in the UK, calling for measures to ensure that every financial decision made by the private sector takes climate into account.

Why business must take the lead in our green economy

Ella's Kitchen's chief executive Mark Cuddigan outlines why returning to a sense of normality does not mean reverting back to business as usual, with his latest blog outlining the importance of corporate's spurring the green recovery.
The call to action comes as the EU is set to negotiate on the 2030 target, with the European Parliament's environment committee voting for a new EU-wide target of a 60% reduction by 2030

Business and investor giants urge EU to raise 2030 emissions target

More than 150 businesses and a group of investors with €33trn in assets under management have today (15 September) called on the European Union (EU) to back the ambitions set out in its Green Deal by committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
The paper is the first step in an effort to ensure that corporate net-zero targets are aligned to climate science and efforts to deliver a net-zero world by no later than 2050

SBTi kickstarts process on global standard for science-based corporate net-zero targets

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has issued its first guidance on what will ultimately lead to the development of a new global standard to ensure that corporate net-zero carbon targets are aligned with climate science.
Get the recognition you and your organisation deserves by entering the Sustainability Leaders Awards

Sustainability Leaders Awards open for entries ahead of virtual ceremony

edie is proud to announce that the UK's largest and most prestigious sustainable business awards scheme has opened for entries, offering organisations and individuals the opportunity to be recognised and celebrated for leading on sustainability, energy and climate action.

How a focus on green technology can build back better from the coronavirus pandemic

BT's chief digital impact and sustainability officer Andy Wales discussing how low-carbon and technological innovation can "reboot" Britain to help deliver a green economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Moving beyond ESG to real world impact in a new era of scrutiny for investors

For anyone who thinks sustainable investing is just about climate, the Covid-19 crisis has proven that businesses becoming resilient to climate change, have also proven best-prepared to ride the shock of the current pandemic.
Over the past seven days at least, it seems the businesses are refocusing on plans to reduce single-use plastics that took up much of corporate CSR efforts between 2018 and 2020

Flurry of corporate plastic announcements hints at a new normal for the circular economy

In what has been a bumper week for news stories on single-use plastics, edie explores how corporates are forging ahead with new collection and take-back schemes for recyclable packaging that had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Differentiating from sustainable to transitional finance could impact society across the globe

Inclusive recovery: Can a post-pandemic economy shift society and sectors to greener pastures?

The world is still reeling from the continued impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, but the financial decisions that are made now will determine whether all sectors and parts of society are brought along the green recovery.

Sustainability must be at the heart of C-Suite thinking for the 'new normal' in the wake of Covid-19

Covid-19 has been a wake-up call for many CEOs when it comes to sustainability. While many companies had already increased their actions and commitment to sustainability pre-Covi-19, the pandemic has seemingly acted as a catalyst for urgent action on climate change.

At a business level, the research found that the loss of three million working days could be prevented by meeting WHO guideline

UK could save £1.6bn and 17,000 deaths by improving air quality, report finds

Improving air quality in England in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines could deliver a £1.6bn benefit while preventing 17,000 premature deaths each year that are linked to air pollution.
The company has also set up new strategic partnerships with carmakers Renault and Nissan to give drivers access to electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe

Uber commits to becoming zero-emissions mobility platform by 2040

Uber has announced its intention to become a zero-emissions mobility platform by 2040, with all journeys to be completed via zero-emission vehicles, public transit and bespoke micro-mobility devices.
CBI research shows that for every £1 spent on construction activity, £2.92 is created in wider value to the economy

UK needs 'significant' overhaul of infrastructure investment to reach net-zero, report claims

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has claimed that the UK Government needs to "undertake a significant programme of infrastructure investment" to enable regulators and private investment to create funding for critical net-zero infrastructure.
Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Scotland commits £1.6bn for national green recovery

The Scottish Government has outlined a new £1.6bn spending framework that will form part of an enhanced New Deal for the country that will improve biodiversity, slash emissions from heating and buildings and support 5,000 low-carbon jobs.
The UK's oil and gas sector employs 270,000+ people and pays £350m+ in taxes annually

BEIS to review whether UK's oil and gas licencing regime is net-zero compatible

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will review whether its plans for the future oil and gas licencing regime are "aligned with tackling climate change" and compatible with the UK's 2050 net-zero target.
Earlier this year, Microsoft unveiled a bold new plan to reduce its carbon impact to below net-zero by 2030

Microsoft joins European Corporate Leaders Group

Microsoft has joined the European Corporate Leaders Group (CLG Europe) to lobby for ambitious climate policy across the continent, with the European Union (EU) recently pushing for a carbon-neutrality goal.
The company claims the targets will assist with the identification of steps required to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050

Lenovo to halve emissions as part of science-based targets

Computer manufacturer Lenovo has unveiled new science-based targets to halve emissions from its operations and reduce value chain impacts by 25% by 2030, with a view to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
In addition, the Ingka Group has confirmed it will implement a “zero-fossil fuel approach” to spending and procurement

Ikea owner commits €600m in sustainability investing over next 12 months

Ingka Group - the business owner of Ikea - will commit €600m in sustainability investments, including a "zero-fossil fuel" approach, to assist with Ikea's overall ambition of becoming "climate positive" by 2030.
Respondents represented organisations of all sizes and major sectors

In charts: How the UK's green recovery is taking shape

EXCLUSIVE: An edie survey of more than 240 sustainability, energy and CSR professionals across the UK has revealed exactly what they make of the global reen recovery movement, and provided an update on how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted day-to-day work in this sector. Here are the results...
Respondents represented organisations of all sizes and major sectors

9 in 10 sustainability professionals excited by green recovery opportunities, survey reveals

EXCLUSIVE: An edie survey of more than 240 sustainability, energy and CSR professionals has revealed that 89% believe the implementation of Covid-19 recovery plans is an opportunity to accelerate climate action.
edie will be running a host of new content to inform businesses about the requirements and opportunities of the green recovery

Mission Possible: edie launches new campaign to drive a Green Recovery

edie has today (2 September) launched a spin-off of the award-winning Mission Possible campaign which will support sustainability, energy and CSR professionals on our collective mission to drive a green recovery across all major industries in the UK.

The Green Recovery Business Roadmap

Much has been said about the need to deliver a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. But what new ways of working should businesses be exploring to assist with a just and low-carbon transition? This new report outlines EIGHT key considerations.
Pictured: Davos, the event's host town

Davos delayed: World Economic Forum postpones 2021 event over Covid-19 concerns

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has postponed the 2021 iteration of its namesake conference in Davos, Switzerland, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The figures were calculated using spending data

UK emissions still down 14% despite lockdown easing, Carbon Trust analysis finds

The UK's greenhouse gas emissions footprint is down 14% year-on-year per capita basis, new analysis of consumer spending data by the Carbon Trust has concluded.
Road transport accounted for one-fifth of the UK's emissions in 2019

Green groups outraged as government presses on with £27.4bn roads plan

The Treasury and Highways England are facing criticism after the latest string of details about the UK Government's £27.4bn road-building plan was published, with green groups arguing that the money would have been better spent on public transport and digital infrastructure.
The market faced a "muted" start to 2020 but is now rebounding strongly, the analysis concluded

Moody's: Global green bond issuance reached record high amid Covid-19 crisis

The global issuance of sustainable and green bonds totalled a record $99.9bn (£75.5bn) in the second quarter of 2020, with investors increasingly focusing on ESG risks and seeking to play their part in the green recovery movement.
Almost three-quarters of a million jobs have been lost in the UK as a result of the coronavirus pandemic

Transition Agreements: Companies urged to future-proof job security as part of net-zero disruption

Companies should make Transition Agreements with existing unions to ensure that job security, training and potential redeployment are covered as part of the UK's net-zero transition.
The Environment Bill will be reintroduced to Parliament shortly after the summer recess finishes

Environment Bill update: UK to introduce legally binding nature, water, air and waste targets from 2022

After enshrining its 2050 net-zero target in law last year, the UK Government is developing similar legally binding targets for biodiversity, air quality, water and waste.
Councils are required to develop and deliver the projects in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders

Defra selects local authorities to spearhead innovative nature restoration projects

Local authorities in Cornwall, Buckinghamshire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Northumberland have been selected to trial place-based nature restoration strategies, which, if successful, could be replicated across the UK.
The calls to action are designed by a select group of MPs, but the One Nation group says they support its broader stance on environmental policy

Tory MPs call for Boris Johnson to go further and faster on climate in Covid-19 recovery plans

A group of 100 moderate Conservative MPs have called on Boris Johnson to beef up green legislation and investment through the UK's Covid-19 recovery strategy, and are particularly keen for the national petrol and diesel car ban to be moved forward to 2030.
Sharma visited Instagroup in Wokingham. Image: Gov.uk

'Crack on': Alok Sharma implores businesses to join £2bn Green Homes Grant

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has called on tradespeople across the UK to access the Government's new £2bn Green Homes Grants scheme to mobilise efforts to improve the energy efficiency of the UK's housing stock.
Currently, around 95% of global hydrogen production comes from fossil fuel feedstocks

Hydrogen deployment could deliver 75,000 jobs and £18bn boon for UK economy

Utilising hydrogen production could generate £18bn for the UK economy and support more than 75,000 jobs over the next 15 years, according to a taskforce backed by the likes of Shell and BP.

Don't let financial capital stand in the way of your sustainability targets

In July, Tim Wynn-Jones of Centrica Business Solutions spoke on a roundtable for edie around how businesses are shifting strategies towards a green recovery. Here, he summarises how innovation in sustainability financing can act as a route to net-zero.
The guide is free to download for edie users

edie launches new business guide on the green recovery

edie has launched a new Explains guide outlining the business impacts, opportunities and drivers of the broader green recovery narrative, as nations attempt to "build back better" from the coronavirus pandemic.

John Elkington: Businesses should 'think like insurgents' to spur green recovery efforts

EXCLUSIVE: Many organisations will need to "regenerate" approaches to environmental, societal and economic business models in the wake of the financial damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington, who has called on companies to "think like an insurgent".

edie Explains: The Green recovery

What is the green recovery? Where does business sustainability fit into its wider context? What is happening at a policy level? And what does the future hold for green recovery efforts? This edie Explains guide answers all of these questions and more.
The letter is the latest in a string of calls to "build back better"

Purpose-led business 'key' to green Covid-19 recovery, say top CEOs

The chief executives of Danone, L'Oreal and Philips are among the signatories of a new open letter calling for the creation of an economic system that "puts purpose first, so our planet and society can thrive", through Covid-19 recovery efforts.
The bank doubled its corporate bond programme in response to Covid-19. Image: George Rex, CC BY SA

Bank of England accused of 'missing significant green recovery opportunity'

Greenpeace and other climate campaigners have accused the Bank of England of backsliding on its green finance commitments and are calling on it to stop providing extensive support to high-carbon sectors as part of its Covid-19 recovery process.
The whitepaper confirms that MPs will respond to the consultation on the Future Homes Standard this autumn

Government faces backlash over 'zero-carbon-ready' homes proposal

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has today unveiled new proposals to streamline the planning process for housebuilders, in a bid to deliver homes that are "zero carbon ready", but environmental groups have warned that the shake-up to planning could neglect the natural environment.
Currently, around 95% of global hydrogen production comes from fossil fuel feedstocks

Government urged to ramp up hydrogen spending through national strategy

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) had called on the Government to implement a Hydrogen Strategy to assist in decarbonising carbon-intensive sectors, in the same week that the National Grid announced plans to build a new hydrogen testing facility.
The tool will help users turn their verbal commitments to a green recovery into tanglible, ambitious strategies

Analysts to help align economic recovery plans with net-zero

Many world leaders and businesses have given their verbal support for a 'green' economic recovery from Covid-19. Now, a group of analysts have begun work to develop data-driven digital tools which will help deliver on these commitments.

#SustyTalk: WBA's Vicky Sins on resilience and climate ambition post-pandemic

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with senior reporter Sarah George dialling the World Benchmarking Alliance's (WBA) climate lead Vicky Sins for a discussion on disclosure, relilience and ambition.
The handbook is free to download

edie launches new handbook on ESG excellence and best practice

edie has published a new handbook outlining the key considerations and best practice advice to collecting and compiling Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data that investors are increasingly looking for, in order to spur the green recovery.
Bevan became Chief Executive of the Environment Agency in 2015

Environment Agency chief: UK has one chance to get post-Brexit, post-Covid-19 regulation right

The Environment Agency's (EA) chief executive Sir James Bevan has delivered a rousing speech to the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urging policymakers to embed key environmental regulations from the EU into UK law ahead of Brexit, and to strengthen certain regulations to stimulate green growth.
The webinar is now available on-demand

How can businesses boost climate disclosure and green investment in line with changing demands?

Investors and consumers alike are demanding more information on business-related climate risks and whether corporates are spending significant sums on decarbonisation - and this trend is likely to accelerate because of Covid-19. So, what is best practice on investment and disclosure, and how should businesses implement these approaches?
The new investor group will focus on improving corporate understanding and action on the materiality of climate risk

Private equity investors launch Paris-aligned climate disclosure framework

A group of private equity investors have launched an international network committing to engage with corporates in reducing carbon emissions in line with the needs of the Paris Agreement.
Spearheaded by Net-Zero Live, the month will include an array of net-zero-themed exclusive interviews, downloadable guides, reader blogs, webinars and podcasts

edie's Net-Zero Live 2020 goes virtual as part of bumper month of inspirational content

edie's annual exhibition, Net-Zero Live 2020, will take place virtually over three days in November, as part of a themed month of digital content dedicated to accelerating climate action and helping business build back better.
Credit Suisse's previous sustainable finance mechanisms have been tailored towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Credit Suisse cuts fossil fuel lending as part of £250bn green finance promise

Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse has unveiled plans to provide more than £250bn in financing geared towards green bonds and the low-carbon economy over the next decade, as well as pledging to limit financing to the oil and gas sector.
The specifics of how the funding will be spent are subject to consultation and yet to be revealed

London unveils £1.5bn green infrastructure package to kick-start economy post-lockdown

London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the London Recovery Board have jointly launched a £1.5bn infrastructure investment package, designed to reduce the city's emissions and water footprint while kick-starting the local economy as lockdown eases.
The IEA is forecasting an 8% year-on-year decline in coal generation - but government recovery plans could result in the coal sector rebounding

Report: Governments collectively failing to deliver net-zero-aligned coal phase-out

Coal accounted for 40% of carbon emissions from energy use last year and this trend is unlikely to be stopped by existing commitments from national governments - including so-called 'green' Covid-19 recovery strategies.
Boris Johnson has vowed to 'build, build, build' - but what must happen now to ensure that government and the construction sector are 'building back better'?

Building back better: What role should construction and retrofit sectors play in the UK's green recovery?

EXCLUSIVE: The Treasury this month launched a £3bn package to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings while boosting employment post-pandemic. But what needs to happen now to ensure that the schemes it funds align with net-zero, and what about new buildings?
The DfT wants cycling to be the "natural first choice" for short-distance journeys

Boris Johnson unveils £2bn boost for walking and cycling infrastructure

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a £2bn package aimed at incentivising walking and cycling as the UK lockdown eases.
The Treasury has costed the UK's Covid-19 recovery package at £160bn. Since lockdown began, around £4bn has been earmarked for the green economy specifically

Boris Johnson outlines £750m green spending for heavy industry and aviation

Boris Johnson has unveiled a £350m funding pot for technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen alongside a £400m sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pledge, to be spent as part of the UK's Covid-19 recovery effort.
Japan is regarded as having one of the world's most developed battery industries

World's largest network of AI-enabled residential batteries doubles in size

Smart battery giant Moixa has doubled the number of residential battery storage units it operates in Japan to 20,000, making the network the largest of its kind in the world.

Putting young people at the heart of a greener post-Covid recovery

At the start of 2020, few of us could have predicted the changes and upheaval that we have experienced together in the first six months of this year. As we emerge tentatively from lockdown across Europe, we now face the challenge of recovery as local, national and global communities, with the many social and environmental imperatives that Covid-19 has brought to the fore.

#SustyTalk: Goldsmiths' Stu Meades on a green Covid-19 recovery for UK universities

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with senior reporter Sarah George dialling Stu Meades of Greener Edge, the brains behind Goldsmiths, University of London's roadmap for reaching net-zero by 2025.
The updated deal raises spending on climate action from 25% to 30%

Coronavirus: EU's recovery deal lacking climate spending accountability, green groups warn

Following four nights of negotiations, the European Union (EU) has agreed its biggest joint borrowing plan ever recorded, pledging €750bn to a coronavirus recovery package, but green groups have expressed concerns that focus and accountability on green spending have "taken a battering".
The companies are now engaging with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition & Markets Authority on a set of recommendations 

Bankers for Net-Zero: Banks sign up to steer UK green recovery

Barclays and Triodos are amongst the first five banks to sign up to a new commitment exploring how the banking sector can fund the net-zero transition to deliver a green recovery in the UK.
Around 80% of the UK’s environmental laws have been forged in partnership with other nations in Europe

Defra unveils natural capital 'assessment' funding as post-Brexit green recovery shapes up

Environment Minister George Eustice has announced a new £5m Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment to protect the UK's environment as part of a new package of Environment Bill measures, on the same day that the Government unveiled a £16m sustainable farming package in South America.
Councillors in cities such as Newcastle (pictured) have already pledged to align planning and policy with the Global Goals

English local authorities encouraged to align with SDGs in green recovery planning

The body representing 335 of the UK's 339 local authorities has launched a guide for engagement and alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it claims should be accelerated in efforts to "build back better" post-pandemic.
SAF is an emerging solution which accounted for less than 0.5% of global aviation fuel consumption in 2018

Investment to decarbonise aviation must be 'supercharged' in Covid-19 recovery plans, MPs urge

"Supercharging" investment in decarbonising the UK's aviation sector would provide a "golden opportunity" in the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, a coalition of 35 cross-party MPs have told the Treasury.
TfL is London’s single largest consumer of electricity, sourcing as much power as is needed for 12% of the capital's homes

City Hall eyes options for powering London's tube network with 100% renewable energy by 2030

Transport for London (TfL) has launched a market test for tube networks to be supplied with renewable electricity directly from generators, as part of Mayor Sadiq Khan's commitment to deliver a zero-carbon rail network by 2030.

#SustyTalk: Ed Cox of the West Midlands Combined Authority on the green recovery

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive interview with the West Midlands Combined Authority's director of public service reform Ed Cox.
The UK economy will contract by 8% in 2020, EY has predicted

6 in 10 UK businesses cutting environment-related investment due to coronavirus, survey shows

A survey of 200 UK-based businesses has found that 60% have either decreased their investment in sustainability initiatives as a result of Covid-19, or are planning to do so.
The bond will finance the installation of five new solar arrays.

West Berkshire Council launches 'UK's first' resident-funded green bond

West Berkshire Council has launched a green bond that will see residents invest in the region's renewable energy sector, in what it claims is a UK first.
According to previous WEF research,  $44trn – more than half of global GDP – is exposed to risks from nature loss. Image: WEF

WEF: Invest in nature-led Covid-19 recovery to reap $10trn economic opportunity

By embedding 'net-positive' nature requirements into their Covid-19 recovery strategies, governments and businesses could collectively realise a $10trn (£7.9trn) economic opportunity and create 395 million new jobs within a decade.
The largest contributor to unconditional fossil fuel financing is the US

G20 nations funnel $151bn of Covid-19 recovery funding into fossil fuels

Of the Covid-19 recovery funding allocated to energy companies by G20 governments, 56% has been handed to fossil fuel projects, equivalent to $151bn (£119bn).
The hearing formed part of the Committee's inquiry into the green recovery. Image: Gov.uk

Alok Sharma: Energy White Paper and Heat Strategy coming this Autumn

Following months of delays and amid mounting pressure from businesses and climate advisors alike, the UK Government will publish the Energy White Paper, Heat Strategy and Buildings Strategy alongside the Autumn Statement, Alok Sharma has confirmed.

#SustyTalk: ING's Leonie Schreve on financing a green Covid-19 recovery

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with ING's global head of sustainable finance Leonie Schreve, who outlines the bank's ambitions to collaborate and create a green economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
Financing the net-zero transition should not result in unintended negative social consequences, the report urges

Create net-zero development bank to spur post-Brexit low-carbon transition, MPs urge

By creating a National Investment Bank with an explicit net-zero mandate, Ministers could reap the benefits of the UK's Brexit transition period, Covid-19 recovery planning and low-carbon transition simultaneously, MPs, economists and local leaders are urging.
The study calls for investment to be unlocked to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes

Government urged to spend £5bn to unlock £100bn green recovery

A group of businesses, mayors and political leaders have called on the Conservative government to spend £5bn to deliver on its promised manifesto pledges in order to unlock £100bn in capital investment on energy efficiency and create more than 300,000 green jobs.
The fossil fuel lobby has been the most active of any sector since March

Report: Governments are bowing to fossil fuel lobbying in Covid-19 recovery planning

Almost two-thirds of the interventions which fossil fuel lobbyists made in policymaking between March and June were successful, new analysis has revealed.
Plan B argues the funding set aside for a green recovery is less than what has been issued to climate-wrecking projects and industries

Government threatened with legal action over coronavirus recovery package

The UK Government is facing another court challenge over climate-wrecking policy decisions, with UK-based Plan B threatening legal action over the recent coronavirus recovery package, calling it a "new deal for polluters".
Currently, just 15% of the world’s land and 7% of the ocean has some degree of protection

Protect one-third of world's oceans and land to deliver $500bn economic boost, scientists urge

Protecting 30% of oceans and land globally would reap economic benefits five times greater than the initial costs of conservation and restoration, a major new scientific report has concluded.
In total, the Update detailed £160bn of spending. Image: Parliament Live TV

'An encouraging start': Reaction as Treasury unveils £3bn boost for green economy

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has delivered his Summer Economic Update to Parliament, including a £3bn package to stimulate the UK's green economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has broadly been welcomed by key individuals and organisations.
The survey results come as the Treasury prepares to announce new plans on retrofitting

Survey: Energy professionals believe retrofitting is key to a green Covid-19 recovery

A survey of 350 UK-based energy professionals has found that 80% want the majority of the UK's Covid-19 recovery package funnelled into 'green' industries, with energy efficiency retrofits for housing cited as the most popular route to both economic recovery and net-zero.
Industry accounts for around 30% of global carbon emissions

UK among nations calling for low-carbon industrial transition to spur job growth

The UK has joined seven other nations in calling for industrial transitions to be delivered in a way that delivers new jobs and is in alignment with ongoing efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
Sunak's speech has been long-awaited, given that other nations, including Spain and Germany, have already outlined full Covid-19 recovery measures

Green Recovery: Treasury unveils £3bn package spotlighting energy efficiency and reskilling

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined the key details of a £3bn plan intended to create thousands of "green-collar" jobs, improve energy efficiency and conserve natural resources.
The Treasury will reveal more details around the recovery package next week, and is under mounting pressure to ensure that it is "green"

Brits believe a non-green Covid-19 recovery would be bad for the economy, cross-party survey reveals

A survey of more than 2,000 UK voters, in which all major political preferences were accounted for, has revealed that the majority of Brits want a "green" recovery from Covid-19, in which measures designed to boost the economy also serve to reduce pollution and emissions.
Clockwise from bottom-left: CCC deputy chair Baronness Brown; chair Lord Deben and director of analysis Mike Thompson

CCC: UK's net-zero transition could be easier than first thought

The Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) chair, co-chair and chief analyst believe that the UK's transition to net-zero could be accelerated, rather than hampered, by the Covid-19 crisis.
A recent YouGov survey of more than 4,400 Brits found that 72% do not know whether their pension is invested in line with their values

Pension funds covering £3trn pressured on fossil fuel investments and net-zero alignment

Comic Relief co-founder Richard Curtis has launched a new campaign pressuring UK pension funds to halve the emissions of their portfolios by 2030 and bring them to net-zero by 2050.
The new two-day digital event is scheduled for 7-8 September 2020

edie launches brand new Sustainable Investment Digital Conference for September

edie is launching its first bespoke sustainability conference focused on green finance, with experts from ING, BlackRock and BNP Paribas set to discuss investment and the green recovery at the Sustainable Investment Digital Conference on 7-8 September 2020.
Policymakers have repeatedly faced calls to make energy efficiency a larger focus within climate strategies

IPPR and REA: Up to 1.6 million new jobs could be created though green Covid-19 recovery

A green recovery package prioritising jobs in energy efficiency and public transport could create 1.6 million new jobs in the UK, new IPPR research has concluded.
Following Johnson's speech, further details will be provided by the Treasury in the coming weeks. Image: 10 Downing Street

'A false start': Green groups express disappointment in Boris Johnson's 'New Deal' recovery package

Key members of the UK's green economy have been offering their thoughts on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Covid-19 recovery package, the fundamentals of which have now been unveiled. The general feeling is one of dismay, following months of campaigning.
Johnson will confirm that the National Infrastructure Strategy will be published this Autumn

Boris Johnson's New Deal for Britain yet to align with green recovery calls

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a multi-billion-pound "New Deal for Britain" that prioritises jobs and infrastructure growth to respond to the economic crash caused by Covid-19, but following months of calls for a "green recovery," the environment is largely absent from the plan.
The plan's fundamentals will be revealed this week, with further detail to be provided by the Treasury in the coming weeks

Policy wishlist: What does the UK's green economy want from the coronavirus recovery package?

After weeks of speculation, Boris Johnson is set to outline the fundamentals of the UK's Covid-19 recovery plan on Tuesday (30 June). Here, we round up nine of the specific measures which green economy experts are urging for inclusion.
The CSB was created to advise Defra on the delivery of the 25-Year Environment Plan

'Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity': Business giants vow to build back better post-Covid-19

More than 200 business leaders will tune into a virtual meeting today (29 June), in which they will outline their plans to deliver a green coronavirus recovery and make last-minute recommendations on key policies which would help them align with net-zero.
The inquiry will run for three months

MPs to probe whether Covid-19 recovery package is truly 'green'

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry into the environmental and social implications of the UK Government's Covid-19 recovery package, just one day before the plan's key aspects are due to be unveiled by Boris Johnson.
The UK's recovery package is due imminently, with Boris Johnson having repeatedly assured that its measures will create a greener economy

Deep retrofits, community energy and net-zero stress tests: Green Alliance publishes Covid-19 recovery recommendations

Green Alliance has issued a string of policy recommendations for creating a "green and resilient" Covid-19 recovery package, which, if enacted in full, could close the £14.1bn annual investment gap between current levels of finance and those needed to meet net-zero by 2050.
Retrofitting would spur progress towards key emissions targets while creating jobs and cutting NHS costs, the letter argues

UK's Covid-19 recovery package must mandate building retrofits, 100 businesses tell Ministers

EDF, Dimplex and Kingspan are among the cohort of 100+ businesses, investors and trade bodies calling for the UK's Covid-19 recovery package to contain legally-binding measures for addressing wasted energy and carbon emissions from housing.
Targets which permit increased production or allow Scope 3 emissions to grow are misleading, Carbon Tracker argues

Report: Most oil majors' net-zero strategies are greenwash, with US firms faring the worst

Despite a major trend towards strengthening climate commitments in recent months, oil and gas majors are broadly failing to take responsibility for their entire emissions footprint, with some on track to deliver just a 3% cut in absolute emissions by 2050.
The CCC's major recommendations cover the UK's most-emitting sectors, surface transport, heavy industry, the built environment, energy and agriculture

'We're still walking when we should run': Green economy leaders urge Ministers to implement latest CCC recommendations

Key organisations and individuals from across the UK's green economy have backed the Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) latest progress report to Parliament, urging Ministers to seize the "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to create a green Covid-19 recovery.
The CCC submitted its broader Covid-19 recovery principles to Parliament in May

CCC: Covid-19 recovery a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to spur net-zero transition

Producing a Covid-19 recovery plan which is fully aligned with the UK's 2050 net-zero climate target is "absolutely necessary and entirely possible" with strong coordination across Whitehall, Ministers have been told by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
There are now less than 10 years to achieve the SDGs. Image: UNGC

SDGs: Just 39% of businesses think they are taking enough action, UN survey finds

A survey of more than 600 business representatives by the UN found that just 39% believe their employer has targets that are sufficiently ambitious to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the 2030 deadline.
41% of the UK's plant and animal species have declined since 1970, according to RSPB. On a global scale, a sixth mass extinction is predicted within the century.

IPPR: UK 'acutely vulnerable' to environmental breakdown

UK policymakers have 'historically disregarded' the economic, social and environmental risks posed by the degradation of nature, meaning more ambition and action is now desperately needed to mitigate further damage and adapt to changes which are already baked-in.
The specifics of the €750bn package are still being finalised

EU recovery fund leaves €1.6trn investment gap towards climate targets, experts say

Calculations by experts show that the EU's planned economic rescue package, worth €750bn, is nowhere near enough to achieve the bloc's climate targets. Even in the best-case scenario, only one-third of the costs would be covered.
Despite a contraction in car sales globally last year and further downturns on the horizon, EV sales are likely to remain steady in 2020, the IEA believes 

IEA: Electric vehicle sales will continue to rise despite Covid-19 crisis

While the overall passenger car market is set to contract by 15% this year, electric vehicle (EV) sales to both individual motorists and businesses are likely to remain steady, new International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis states.
Other cities and nations have included investments in active travel in their recovery packages

Climate Assembly: 79% of Brits want Covid-19 recovery package tied to net-zero

A survey of the members of the UK's Climate Assembly, who were chosen to resemble the national population in terms of both social demographics and views on environmental issues, found that almost eight in ten want net-zero alignment embedded in all facets of the upcoming Covid-19 recovery package.
A play on 'build back better', the letter urges measures to help the UK 'grow back better' by taking more ambitious action on nature

25,000 jobs could be created through nature investment, charities tell Treasury

By providing funding for 330 "shovel-ready" nature restoration projects, the UK Government could create 10,000 jobs in the short-term and a further 15,000 in the long-term, while putting itself on track to meet key climate, biodiversity, tree planting and wellbeing targets.
Each of these success stories exemplifies how businesses are ramping up ambitions and actions in all areas of sustainable development 

Tesla's generation licence granted and Amazon's climate pledge grows: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
The report notes that six million jobs are currently at risk in the global energy and transport sectors, but that most roles could be preserved for the long-term with targeted policy interventions

IEA unveils major new green Covid-19 recovery roadmap

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has set out a string of policy recommendations green Covid-19 recovery packages, which, if followed in full, could slash annual energy-related emissions by billions of tonnes, while creating jobs, improving air pollution and boosting GDP.
A full sustainability report is due next month

SSE outlines £7bn green recovery package, sets science-based climate targets

Energy major SSE will spend more than £7bn on clean energy initiatives over the next five years, in a bid to spur a green UK recovery from Covid-19 and to meet its new, stronger climate targets.
97% of respondents said their employers were sticking to existing long-term goals 

Survey: Corporates maintaining long-term sustainability plans despite Covid-19 crisis

The vast majority of sustainability professionals do not believe their employer will backtrack on long-term sustainability plans, in spite of the challenges posted by the Covid-19 pandemic, a new survey from The Climate Group has concluded.
Johnson is at the helm at a "critical juncture in history", the letter states. Image: National Trust

Charities to Boris Johnson: Pandemic response will determine whether UK meets climate goals

More than 50 UK charities are putting pressure on the government to develop a "truly green" Covid-19, lest the nation miss its 2050 net-zero goal and play host to widening social inequalities.
The roadmap details a mix of solutions, including electrification, energy efficiency, reducing flaring and offsetting

UK's offshore oil and gas industry vows to halve operational emissions by 2030

The industry body for offshore oil and gas in the UK has published plans for halving emissions from production and exploration within a decade, but green groups say there must also be stronger accountability for indirect emissions.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented the €3.75bn package on Monday afternoon

Spain underpins car sector bailout with green goals

The Spanish government unveiled on Monday (15 June) a €3.75bn aid package for the domestic auto industry, which includes a scrappage scheme with green strings, a bigger focus on electric charging points and funding for hydrogen power.

Protecting our planet in the 'new normal' world

Ahead of edie's new smart grids content series with E.ON, the utility company's chief executive Michael Lewis notes that we cannot lose sight of our long-term commitment to protecting our planet while overcoming the coronavirus pandemic.
Bodies including the UN believe that the world is currently facing a nature crisis in tandem with the climate crisis

Commit to nature restoration in your green Covid-19 recovery plans, businesses urged

Businesses including Danone and Unilever have pledged to work with governments to reverse nature loss as part of their Covid-19 recovery plans, following a call to action from NGOs and trade bodies.
Ministers are seeking to enable zero-carbon transatlantic passenger flights within a generation

Jet Zero Council: Government unveils new collaborative initiative to decarbonise aviation

The UK Government is developing a 'Jet Zero Council' - a coalition of Ministers, businesses, trade bodies and environmental groups who will collaboratively work to align the aviation sector with the 2050 net-zero target.
Each of these success stories exemplifies how businesses are ramping up ambitions and actions in all areas of sustainable development 

Pandora's recycled jewellery and net-zero tech: The sustainability success stories of the week

As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.

#SustyTalk: BT's Gabrielle Giner on COP26 and sustainability networking in the 'new normal'

edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with BT's head of sustainability policy Gabrielle Giner discussing how climate momentum can continue in the run-up to a delayed COP26.

'Happy Birthday, you haven’t aged a day’: One year on from the UK’s net-zero announcement

It's been one year since the UK's historic net-zero announcement, and the movement is being kept afloat by the corporate sector in a year the has seen policy blindsided by a global pandemic and slowed to a frustrating pace by Brexit.
Buildings account for 40% of the EU's energy consumption and around one-third of its emissions. As such, the built environment sector will require support to align with the bloc's 2050 net-zero ambitions

Green building advocates 'underwhelmed' by EU recovery plan

When the European Commission unveiled its proposed €750bn recovery fund two weeks ago, green activists were expecting a detailed spending programme, with billions of euros allocated to clean mobility, renewables, and an upcoming EU-wide building renovation wave. Those working in the built environment space have, however, expressed disappointment.
The UK's recovery plan is anticipated for publication in the second half of June

Carbon pricing, climate disclosure and COP26: Businesses outline key asks for Covid-19 recovery policy

The Aldersgate Group - an alliance of dozens of business and civil society leaders - has published a new briefing outlining key policy changes and low-carbon investments it believes should be made to ensure the UK's recovery from Covid-19 produces a greener, more inclusive and resilient economy.
Of the EU's €750bn package, €100bn should be spent on renewable energy, the letter states. Pictured: Denmark's Kattegat offshore wind farm.

Corporate clean energy sourcing must form part of green Covid-19 recovery, dozens of businesses tell policymakers

Mars, Nestle, and IKEA owner Ingka Group are among a coalition of more than 50 major businesses calling on EU leaders to build the business sourcing of renewables into the bloc's Covid-19 stimulus package, hailed globally as "green".
Solar panel installation, Tetra Pak site. Image: Tetra Pak

Tetra Pak targets net-zero value chain by 2050

Packaging firm Tetra Pak has today (11 June) committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 2030, with a longer-term target to achieve a net-zero emissions value chain by 2050.
The Airport claims it has been working since the recent Heathrow court ruling to examine how the expansion can be deliver in line with the Paris Agreement

Luton Airport to become 'most sustainable airport' by 2040

London Luton Airport has revealed an intention to become the UK's "most sustainable airport" by 2040, claiming that a planned expansion can be delivered in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement.
Johnson has said his recovery plans should result in progress towards shared goals, such as the SDGs, getting "back on track"

Embed the SDGs into Covid-19 recovery plans, leaders urge Boris Johnson

More than 100 leaders from across the UK's business and public sectors have called on Boris Johnson to ensure that the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are placed at the heart of the UK's Covid-19 recovery planning, in a bid to couple the economic reboot with social as well as environmental progress.
The UK's domestic recovery plans will be laid out in full later this month - but what are key figures and organisations doing to ensure they account for environmental, as well as economic, issues? 

Race to Zero: What's set to be included in the UK's green Covid-19 recovery package?

The UK Government's landmark global campaign for mobilising net-zero support ahead of the postponed COP26 summit - 'Race to Zero' - was launched late last week. But what decarbonisation activities are the likes of Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Alok Sharma backing for inclusion in national recovery planning?
Investors are becoming increasingly vocal on the need for a green recovery from the pandemic that does not lock in fossil fuels to the future economy

Investors worth €11trn call for European green recovery from Covid-19 pandemic

More than 100 investors have written to European business and finance leaders, calling on them to ensure the delivering of the bloc-wide Green Deal and deliver a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
New analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU)’s Net-Zero Tracker has found that 53% of global GDP is now covered by an intended or actual net-zero commitment

Race to Zero: COP26 campaign launched to push nations towards net-zero targets

To mark World Environment Day, the UK Government has launched its "Race to Zero" global campaign to mobilise support for the net-zero transition across businesses, cities and nations, with new data finding that 53% of global GDP is covered by a net-zero ambition in some form.
BITC is calling for more investment into removing carbon from the atmosphere to account for current unavoidable emissions

UK businesses urged to 'redesign' relationship with nature

A new survey of UK businesses from Business in the Community (BITC) has found that less than one third have developed science-based, net-zero or carbon-restorative targets, with less than one in 10 listing the health of nature as a material issue for their business.
WWF is calling on the Government to introduce a net-zero economic test that ensures that government spending and taxation is aligned towards the 2050 target

Green recovery: Net-zero transition can create £90bn annual benefits for the UK

The UK's net-zero transition can be the perfect remedy to the economic and health crises caused by the coronavirus, according to a new WWF-commissioned report that suggests that net-zero could deliver more than £90bn in annual benefits to the UK while growing the job market.
The Prime Minister last week reiterated a desire for the UK to deliver a "sustainable" recovery from the coronavirus pandemic

UK business giants call for national green recovery tied to net-zero

More than 200 UK businesses and investors, including Sky, Lloyds Bank and Asda, have called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deliver a green recovery plan from the coronavirus pandemic that builds a stronger and more inclusive economy.
Glasgow was announced as the host city for COP26

Boris Johnson confirms new COP26 date, urges nations to focus on green recoveries

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reiterated a desire for the UK to deliver a "sustainable" recovery from the coronavirus pandemic in a way that brings together key international nations to reach the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This is the viewpoint for edie's Mission Possible 2020 report

John Elkington on Green Swans, Covid-19 and green market shifts

In a viewpoint written exclusively for edie's Mission Possible 2020 report, Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington discusses a new "age of miracles" whereby the once impossible belief that sustainability could dictate market actions now becomes the core lever of an economic recovery.
McKinsey notes that allocating funding towards climate action will cut emissions, spur job growth and generate economic returns

'Use it or lose it': Pandemic recovery a decisive moment for climate action

A new report from global analyst firm McKinsey has found that recovery packages from the coronavirus pandemic will be decisive in putting the world on course to meeting the Paris Agreement, calling for low-carbon technologies and solutions to be prioritised.
A “do no harm” test embedded in the taxonomy will in principle exclude technologies like nuclear power

Coronavirus: EU's €750bn recovery fund to funnel investments towards climate action

The European Union's proposed €750bn fund to help the bloc recover from the coronavirus crisis will have green strings attached, with 25% of all funding set aside for climate action, the European Commission has said.
Two-thirds of the UK’s 460,000 green jobs are located outside London and the South East

MPs call for Just Transition Fund to spur green recovery towards net-zero

A commission of cross-party MPs has added to the calls for the UK to prioritise and deliver a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, claiming that £30bn should be spent on a climate-focused recovery that also establishes a £5bn national Just Transition Fund.
The health organisations are the latest to call for a green recovery

World health groups call for green coronavirus recovery

A coalition of global healthcare organisations, backed by more than 40 million healthcare professionals, have coordinated a written plea to governments to deliver health-based and climate-focused economic recoveries from the coronavirus pandemic.
The document outlines sweeping green policy changes across energy, buildings and transport

Europe's draft 'green recovery' plan leaked

The European Commission's promised green recovery plan will focus on building renovation, renewables and hydrogen as well as clean mobility and the circular economy, according to a leaked working document obtained by EURACTIV.
edie's Mission Possible 2020 report explores how net-zero can be achieved across six industries: utilities, manufacturing, construction, retail, hospitality & leisure, and the Public Sector

Achieving a green recovery: edie launches flagship Mission Possible 2020 report

edie has this week published its flagship Mission Possible 2020 report which focuses on how businesses can lead a green recovery from Covid-19, featuring contributions from the likes of John Elkington and Christiana Figueres along with senior representatives from Carlsberg, WorldGBC and the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
edie's content director Luke Nicholls spoke with Forum for the Future's founder-director Jonathon Porritt over Microsoft Teams

Jonathon Porritt: Corporate advocacy must be cornerstone of coronavirus recovery

EXCLUSIVE: Business leaders must use the Covid-19 recovery process as an opportunity to promote the benefits of deep decarbonisation, and to rebuild an economy based on strong social and environmental values, Forum for the Future’s founder-director Jonathon Porritt has told edie.