Environmental News on this day... for January 2020, 2019, 2016, 2011
Take a trip into the past and see what stories were in the news in January 2020, 2019, 2016, 2011January 2020
2020 Playbook: edie launches career-boosting guide for energy and sustainability professionals
edie has today (24 January) published the brand-new 2020 Playbook for Energy and Sustainability Professionals, a 10-point guide to embodying 'excellence' and furthering your professional and personal development.
Corporate clean energy contracts grew by 40% in 2019
Corporate purchasing of clean energy contracts reached almost 20 gigawatts (GW) in 2019, an increase of more than 40% on the previous year's record, according to new analysis from BloombergNEF (BNEF).
Carmakers renew calls for low-carbon revolution as grim sales figures loom
Some of the EU's largest auto players have called once for a mass rollout of electric vehicle (EV) recharging points and refuelling stations for fuels like hydrogen, as the industry offered up more clues as to how it intends to lessen its climate impact.
World Economic Forum calls on business chiefs to set net-zero targets
All business leaders and companies attending the World Economic Forum in Davos this week have been asked to make public commitments to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier.
National Trust to plant 20 million trees in bid to become net-zero by 2030
The National Trust has unveiled a plan to become net-zero carbon by 2030, which features one of the UK's biggest forest expansion projects.
Electric buses to operate in Glasgow for first time in 60 years
Electric buses will run on a commercial route in Glasgow for the first time since the 1960s, after bus operator First Glasgow introduced two new vehicles to assist with the city's net-zero aspirations.
Inside Henkel's plastics packaging strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Henkel's international director of packaging technology Thorsten Leopold has outlined how and why the company developed its three-pronged plastics strategy, and how the framework's targets have helped the multinational take plastic action "beyond its own four walls".
edie's next masterclass: how corporations are using energy to turn net-zero carbon ambition into reality
edie's next webinar will focus on how an organisation was able to decarbonise its energy use in its journey towards net-zero.
H&M appoints former sustainability manager as chief executive
Fashion giant H&M has named Helena Helmersson, who spent five years as sustainability manager, as its first female chief executive.
Report: Emissions trading reached record €194bn high in 2019
Globally, turnover related to emissions trading rose 34% year-on-year in 2019 to reach €194bn (£163bn), new research has revealed.
January 2019
President Trump's environmental agenda - the story so far
US Congress reconvened on Thursday (3 January) following the 2018 midterm elections which saw the Democratic Party win the majority in the House of Representatives. With new Speaker Nancy Pelosi promising to turn the screw on US climate change action, edie takes a look back at the first half of Trump's presidency and its impact on the US climate and environment agenda.
New air pollution plans improve on EU rules, Government claims
The Government has set out new plans on air pollution that ministers say go beyond existing EU rules, with a pledge to improve air quality nationwide to the standards the World Health Organization (WH0) recommends.
Nominations for edie's '30 Under 30' campaign close THIS FRIDAY
Ambitious young sustainability and energy professionals have until this Friday, 18 January, to apply for 30 Under 30 - an all-new networking programme created by edie for the next generation of business leaders to share ideas and further their careers.
Yorkshire Water plants first of a million trees to help prevent floods
More than 14,000 trees were planted at Ogden Water last month as part of Yorkshire Water's "big goal" for the environment, which aims to create new "green infrastructure".
Policy shake-up set to fast-track energy storage and renewables projects
The UK Government has launched a consultation to determine how best it can alter planning policy frameworks to support developers and businesses seeking to build energy storage facilities in England.
Lush to open UK's first plastic-free cosmetics store in Manchester
Health and beauty brand Lush has unveiled plans to open its first plastic-free shop in the UK this week, following the success of its 'naked' stores in Germany and Italy.
Solar households to be paid for excess power after Government U-turn
The UK Government has made a U-turn on its decision to end the solar "export tariff", confirming that households which install solar panels in the future will be paid for excess power they generate and send to the grid.
Major utilities team up to launch sustainable finance hub for European businesses
Utility giants EDF, SSE and Ørsted are among the 16 companies which have co-founded a new forum aimed at helping Europe's business community champion sustainable finance and impact investing.
Thames Water hit with £2m fine for 'avoidable' sewage leak
Utility firm Thames Water has been ordered to pay a £2m fine by the Environment Agency (EA), after raw sewage from one of its pumping stations was found to have leaked into Oxfordshire's waterways.
Manchester commits to making all new buildings 'net-zero' by 2028
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has pledged to ensure that all new buildings erected in the city region will be 'net-zero' carbon by 2028.
January 2016
British and Chinese firms agree landmark zero-carbon homes deal
Up to 8,000 zero-carbon homes are set to be built in the UK thanks to a £1.1bn deal between UK solar developers WElink Energy and British Solar Renewables (BSR) and the China National Building Materials Group (CNBM).
"It's total, utter nonsense": Cameron slams climate policy critics
Prime Minister David Cameron "couldn't disagree more" with all of the green groups, industry associations, opposition parties and other political figureheads who have said there is a disconnect between the UK Government's high-level engagement on climate change at the Paris climate conference and domestic energy policy.
UK energy storage capacity could reach 1.6GW with 'effective regulation'
The UK's energy storage capacity could reach 1.6GW by 2020, but only with changes to existing regulations, the industry has claimed.
ExxonMobil explores biofuel extraction from agricultural waste
Oil powerhouse ExxonMobil will explore new ways of producing biofuel from agricultural waste, after agreeing a partnership with biodiesel producers Renewable Energy Group (REG).
New industry project aims to upgrade UK buildings' efficiency
The UK building industry has launched a new research project that aims maximise building performance in terms of energy efficiency and overall environmental impact.
RSPB to power half of UK operations with wind
Europe's largest nature conservation charity will install a wind turbine at its national headquarters in Bedfordshire that will generate enough electricity to power more than half of its 127 UK locations.
Businesses in the dark about climate risks in half their supply chains
Almost half of the key suppliers for global companies like Dell, Unilever and Walmart fail to respond to requests for climate information, new research from CDP has revealed.
Consumer education needed to avoid rising level of 'contaminated' recycling, says WRAP
Waste companies and local authorities have been urged to communicate more clearly with consumers after it was revealed that the amount of contaminated recycling sent to landfill has almost doubled in three years.
Solar installations surge to beat subsidy cut-off date
Domestic and commercial solar installations in the final quarter of 2015 shot up by approximately 63% year-on-year, as developers scrambled to get projects up and running before subsidy cuts took effect.
The time is NOW for green innovation and creative destruction, says Forum for the Future
EXCLUSIVE: The world needs to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to incrementalism and embrace innovation and creative destruction if we are to achieve the bold emission reduction pledges set out at the Paris climate talks.
January 2011
Canada must monitor oil sands pollution
The Canadian government has been criticised for failing to ensure satisfactory environmental monitoring of its Alberta oil sands.
China UK low carbon agreement
The UK has made an agreement with China to formally work together on low-carbon growth.
Water firm reveals 'astonishing' caller numbers due to cold weather
Water firm Thames Water has revealed a 78% increase in calls due to burst pipe throughout December.
Greens quit Irish Government
Ireland's Green Party has quit the country's coalition group as the party prepares for an election in March.
Green energy training centre opens its doors
The Green Energy Training Centre (GETC) in Wirral opened its doors in November last year and has begun its training courses in renewable energy technologies.
Communities win funding for waste recycling projects
Community schemes to recycle waste have been given a boost by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority and its contactor Veolia Environmental Services.
Irish wave energy technology gets funding
The Irish government is co-funding a Euro 150,000 research project into CETO wave technology.
City evacuated as death toll and flood levels set to rise
Australia's third largest city has been partly evacuated as the death toll from rising flood waters continue.
Arrests made over illegal tyre export
Three men have been arrested on suspicion of exporting tyres illegally to Vietnam and Hong Kong.
Northern Ireland water crisis not over yet
The number of properties without water across Northern Ireland now stands at just over 100 according to Northern Ireland Water (NIW).
