A new report highlights the UK’s strategic position to benefit from the rapidly growing global carbon market, potentially adding billions to the economy and creating over 11,000 jobs, but warns that policy and credibility are key to maintaining its advantage. The UK could capture a substantial economic dividend from high-integrity…
France becomes the first major economy to outline specific deadlines for phasing out coal, oil, and gas, signalling a shift towards concrete policies in the global effort to end fossil fuel dependence. France has become the first major economy to publish a formal timetable for winding down fossil fuels for…
SaltX Technology and Holcim have successfully produced Portland-quality cement clinker using a fully electrified process, potentially paving the way for greener cement manufacturing at scale. SaltX Technology and Holcim say they have repeatedly produced Portland-quality cement clinker through a fully electrified process, a development that could point to a lower-carbon…
A new report warns that India’s steel sector risks cementing high-emission assets unless capital, policy support, and technological upgrades accelerate, threatening to hinder the nation’s climate ambitions amidst rapid growth and global pressure for greener supply chains. India’s steel industry risks spending the next decade building in yesterday’s technology unless…
Centrica and Delta Electronics collaborate to provide on-site, scalable power solutions using solid oxide fuel cells, aiming to ease grid constraints and accelerate digital infrastructure growth in the UK and Europe. Centrica and Delta Electronics have joined forces in a bid to relieve one of the clearest bottlenecks facing the…
In a pioneering climate summit in Colombia, 57 nations, scientists, and civil society groups outlined actionable roadmaps to phase out fossil fuels, signalling a shift from diplomatic talks to concrete climate action amid global instability. At a first-of-its-kind summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, countries left with a practical agenda for…
Owners and regulators are pushing back as the IMO’s Net Zero Framework hits a renewed snag, with U.S. officials urging alternative paths that cut emissions without spiking shipping costs or disrupting trade. The debate at MEPC 84 in London matters to shippers, import-dependent economies and everyday consumers. Who’s speaking up:…
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The EU is contemplating a ‘zero-penalty’ approach for its upcoming methane rules, reflecting a shift towards easing enforcement in response to industry and geopolitical pressures amid ongoing climate commitments. The European Commission is weighing a softer enforcement regime for the bloc’s incoming methane rules, including a possible “zero-penalty” approach that would let national authorities refrain from fining companies that fail to meet the new standards, according to people familiar with the discussions. The move would mark a significant shift in the EU’s effort to police emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that is central to the oil and gas…
IBM launches the Envizi Emissions API to help companies integrate greenhouse gas calculations into existing operational tools, aiming to cut reliance on manual spreadsheets and improve data consistency amid tightening disclosure rules. IBM has launched a new emissions calculation API aimed at a problem that still dog corporate carbon reporting: too many teams are relying on spreadsheets, manual reconciliations and disconnected systems to calculate greenhouse gas emissions. The Envizi Emissions API sits within IBM’s Envizi ESG Suite and is designed to let companies, developers and software vendors build Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 calculations directly into the tools…
The Science Based Targets initiative has updated its Absolute Contraction Approach, allowing companies to choose their medium-term target years while maintaining annual emission reduction rates, in a move aimed at enhancing practicality and inclusivity in corporate decarbonisation planning. The Science Based Targets initiative has quietly changed a rule that has long shaped corporate decarbonisation planning. In an update to its Absolute Contraction Approach, the group said the old method was too rigid for companies setting targets later in the decade, so it has shifted away from a fixed 2030 endpoint while keeping its minimum annual reduction floor at 4.2%. (sciencebasedtargets.org)…
China has unveiled a comprehensive policy package emphasising energy conservation and the acceleration of clean energy exports, signalling a strategic shift to deepen decarbonisation efforts amid domestic and global pressures. China has stepped up the pressure on fossil fuels with a new policy package that puts energy conservation, carbon reduction and industrial upgrading at the centre of its next phase of transition. On 22 April, the Communist party’s Central Committee and the State Council jointly issued guiding opinions that call for tighter control of fossil-fuel consumption, according to state news agency Xinhua. The document says local authorities should coordinate energy…
The UK’s planned steel import quotas and tariffs from July 2026 could lead to Europe’s steel prices surpassing €1,000 a tonne, raising concerns over broader cost impacts across downstream industries and contrasting with India’s more supportive approach for smaller enterprises. The United Kingdom’s planned steel trade crackdown from 1 July 2026 is set to reshape pricing across the market, but not necessarily in the way ministers intend. Under the new regime, tariff-free import quotas will be cut by 60% and steel brought in above those limits will face a 50% duty. The government says the measure is designed to support…
H&M and EY argue that transforming the fashion sector’s sustainability efforts into a finance-driven strategy is essential for realising rapid decarbonisation, promising a shift towards blended finance and supplier-level investments to tackle industry emissions. H&M and EY are arguing that the fashion sector will not decarbonise at the speed climate…
The World Economic Forum has introduced an innovation challenge targeting the crucial financing hurdles faced by early-stage companies in the carbon dioxide removal sector, highlighting the need for structural support to accelerate climate solutions. The World Economic Forum has launched an innovation challenge aimed at unlocking finance for carbon dioxide…
The adoption of whole-life carbon assessments is transforming how the construction and property sectors evaluate environmental impact, highlighting the importance of early-stage planning and integrated lifecycle analysis to meet net-zero targets. Whole-life carbon assessments are becoming a central part of how the construction and property sectors judge the environmental performance…
Researchers in China develop a novel concrete formula using desert sand combined with nano-silica and chromium oxide micropowder, promising stronger construction materials and a potential eco-friendly alternative to traditional sand sources. China’s appetite for concrete is reshaping the search for lower-carbon construction materials, and a study highlighted by Motorpasión suggests…
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Independent music companies collaborate with environmental groups to produce limited-edition vinyl records from recycled materials, signalling a shift towards greener manufacturing practices amid rising consumer demand for eco-friendly formats. A coalition of independent music companies is using World Environment Day to push vinyl manufacturing further towards lower-impact production, with a campaign built around records pressed entirely from recycled material. Secretly Group, Exceleration Music, Warp Records, Ninja Tune and Beggars Group are working with Music Declares Emergency and the Music Climate Pact on a limited series of special-edition albums due on 5 June 2026. The releases will be sold in the…
As battery prices plummet and EV sales surge globally, the industry shifts focus from oil dependency towards minerals and manufacturing, reshaping the future of transportation and supply chains. The shock that followed the brief closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March, when crude climbed to US$120 a barrel, revived an old debate: whether expensive oil can finally push electric vehicles into a lasting mass-market breakthrough. History offers reasons for doubt. Previous EV booms followed the 1973 oil embargo and other periods of energy strain, only to fade once fossil fuel prices eased. This time, the economics look different. The…
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A new paper by Turver and Monteith challenges Britain’s net zero strategy, arguing it has weakened the industrial base by increasing dependence on imports and discouraging domestic energy production, calling for a major policy rethink to balance decarbonisation with industrial competitiveness. A new paper by David Turver and Brian Monteith argues that Britain’s net zero strategy has helped hollow out its industrial base, and that reversing course would require a sweeping rethink of energy, taxation and regulation. In a summary published by ThinkScotland, the authors claim the UK has become too dependent on imported energy and too willing to penalise…
New UK tariffs on steel imports aimed at protecting domestic production may inadvertently raise costs across manufacturing sectors and diminish trade relationships, according to recent research. The measures arrive as the UK renegotiates its relationship with the EU and navigates global trade tensions. The UK’s new steel trade barrier is intended to defend domestic production, but fresh analysis suggests it may also expose how expensive unilateral trade defence can become. From 1 July 2026, tariff-free quotas on steel imports will be cut by 60%, while shipments above those limits will face a 50% levy. The government says the measure is…
The International Carbon Action Partnership’s 2026 report highlights the expansion of emissions trading systems worldwide, covering more of the global economy and driving vital revenue for clean energy investments, signalling a mature shift in climate policy. Global carbon markets are moving into a more established phase, with emissions trading systems now operating across a wider share of the world economy and edging deeper into large emerging markets, according to the International Carbon Action Partnership’s Status Report 2026. The report says 41 emissions trading systems are currently in force worldwide, covering about 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It adds that…
A Canadian Climate Institute analysis reveals that building a pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast could be environmentally viable only if Ottawa and Edmonton implement significantly stricter industrial carbon pricing and curb credit oversupply, marking a critical moment in Canada’s climate and infrastructure policy. Canada could still add a pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast without increasing national emissions, but only if Ottawa and Edmonton tighten industrial carbon pricing far beyond what is currently on the table, according to analysis from the Canadian Climate Institute. The think-tank said the outcome would hinge on whether governments address weaknesses in…
MIT researchers have developed robotically assembled modular blocks that could speed up construction, reduce emissions by up to 82%, and pave the way for more sustainable and efficient building methods, signalling a major shift in the industry’s automation and environmental strategies. Robot-built construction blocks are moving from concept to practical prototype, and the latest work from MIT suggests they could do more than speed up building sites. According to MIT News, researchers have developed robotically assembled “voxels” that can be stacked without mortar or adhesives, with the potential to cut embodied carbon by as much as 82% versus methods such…
A residential block at Brent Cross Town becomes the UK’s first homebuilding project to incorporate calcined clay concrete, signalling a significant step towards lower-carbon construction practices and wider adoption of sustainable materials in the UK housing sector. Related Argent says a residential block at Brent Cross Town has become the first homebuilding project in the UK to use calcined clay concrete, a lower-carbon formulation that replaces part of the Portland cement content with heat-treated clay. The North London scheme, a large mixed-use regeneration led by Related Argent with Barnet Council, is using the material in a permanently suspended slab for…
New research from EcoVadis and Accenture reveals that leading companies are prioritising innovation over compliance in procurement to boost resilience, adapt to disruption, and unlock higher returns, with technology playing a key role in transforming supply chain management. Sustainable procurement is moving beyond a narrow focus on regulatory box-ticking, with new research from EcoVadis and Accenture suggesting that the strongest companies now see innovation as the main route to returns. In the 2026 Sustainable Procurement Barometer, 80% of the top 10% of performers say innovation is their primary source of ROI from sustainable procurement, compared with 54% of other organisations.…
European Union governments are set to strengthen their commitment to renewable energy and industrial resilience in response to geopolitical tensions and surging fossil fuel prices, linking climate ambitions with strategic independence. European Union governments are preparing to sharpen the bloc’s clean energy push in response to the economic shock from the war in Iran, according to a draft agreement seen by Politico. The text, which has already been approved by the EU Council’s Political and Security Committee and is expected to be signed off by foreign ministers next Tuesday, sets out a more explicit link between energy security, climate policy…
The Tony Blair Institute urges Britain to recalibrate its energy strategy, emphasising affordable, reliable power to safeguard industry amid the push for net zero. The Tony Blair Institute has made a striking intervention in Britain’s energy debate, arguing that the country has drifted away from the basic test of whether power is affordable, reliable and sufficient to support a modern industrial economy. For a policy organisation founded by a former Labour prime minister who helped entrench climate policy in British governance, the message amounts to an argument for recalibration rather than abandonment: net zero remains the destination, but the route…
Apple reports its highest ever use of recycled materials in products, highlighting a strategic move towards 2030 carbon neutrality amid expanding manufacturing in India and innovations in packaging and materials sourcing. Apple has said that recycled materials accounted for 30 per cent of the content used in its shipped products in 2025, the highest level it has recorded to date, as the technology group continues to push towards its 2030 carbon-neutrality target. According to the company’s latest environmental update, the milestone was driven by wider use of recycled cobalt in Apple-designed batteries, recycled rare earth elements in magnets and recycled…
