Author: James Hannay

Wimbledon – or, The Championships, to give it its proper name – has been part of the British sporting landscape since 1877. Yet the championship is doing plenty of work to keep up to date with the risks of climate change, as Sustainability News explores. To begin with, some history. The origins of The Championships, Wimbledon (commonly known simply as “Wimbledon”), date back to 1877. Created by The All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), the first competition began in a then-outer suburb of London. Twenty-one amateurs showed up to compete in the Gentlemen’s Singles tournament, the only event available…

The UK Space Agency is offering £1.8 million to boost British organisations who have promising space technologies – with sustainability and climate among the use cases. Announced on the opening day of the UK’s first In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) conference on May 8, the funding rounds off the final phase of the agency’s Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP). The ETP was launched in September 2022 in partnership with the UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council to give a boost to British organisations with promising technologies to support the delivery of new space capabilities. The £8.6m programme has already supported 41…

The IFRS Foundation and EFRAG have published guidance to support businesses implementing the upcoming sustainability reporting standards. The development of the ISSB Standards and ESRS represent a significant step forward in sustainability reporting, as both initiatives aim to improve the consistency and quality of reported information. These standards provide a comprehensive framework for companies to disclose their sustainability performance, offering a clear picture of their progress to stakeholders, including investors and governments. While the ISSB Standards are currently voluntary, the ESRS are mandatory for large companies in the EU under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Read next: The ISSB…

Tech giant Microsoft has signed a carbon removal contract with Stockholm Exergi to deliver permanent carbon removals from bio-energy with carbon capture and storage. Referred to as the “world’s largest permanent removal deal” to date, the agreement aims to deliver 3.33 million tonnes of permanent carbon removals for the computing giant by installing a carbon capture unit on the Swedish energy firm’s existing biomass plants.  In theory, biomass power plants burning wood pellets and forestry scraps (forest biomass) create a closed carbon loop. Replanted trees absorb the carbon dioxide released when the wood is burned, offsetting emissions. Stockholm Exergi’s partnership…

A major nationwide assessment has been launched to uncover the UK private sector’s readiness for a net zero future. Known as the UK Net Zero Business Census, the initiative is being led by the UK Business Climate Hub (UKBCH) in partnership with sustainability certification firm, Planet Mark, alongside various businesses and media organisations. The research aims to understand how businesses in the UK are approaching net zero to better support policymakers, investors and business leaders. This includes whether they have set specific targets, how they are measuring their carbon footprint, and what actions they are taking to reduce emissions. The…

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund has joined several other firms backing a shareholder proposal demanding PepsiCo conduct a biodiversity risk assessment. The pledge, originally reported by Reuters, joins those from numerous PepsiCo investors, including Norges Bank Investment, Storebrand Asset Management, and German-based asset manager Allianz Global. Filed by US manager Green Century Capital Management, the resolution calls on the food and drinks giant to assess its biodiversity dependencies and impacts. It also calls for it to publish a report identifying the extent to which its supply chains and operations are vulnerable to risks associated with biodiversity loss. “While PepsiCo has developed…

European Union member states have agreed to delay the adoption of specific sustainability reporting standards for certain industries and non-EU companies by two years. The new date for the adoption of the ESRS for non-EU companies will be postponed to the end of June 2026, while the deadline for specific sector ESRS will also be delayed for 2 years. The decision, finalised on Monday (29 April) impacts the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) which form part of the broader Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The directive aims to increase transparency on environmental and social issues, comprising a key element of…

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a revised ecodesign framework, introducing rules designed to promote a circular economy within the European Union. The legislation, which passed on Tuesday (23 April) did so with 455 votes for, 99 against, and 54 abstentions. The rule seeks to improve the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle, including making them more durable, easier to repair and recycle, and reducing their resource and energy consumption. In 2020, the European Union’s recycling rate stood at a meagre 13%, according to Eurostat, the bloc’s statistical office. It is this which the Parliament is looking…

Almost half of listed companies now report on Scope 3 emissions, but greenhouse gas emissions are yet to decrease, study says. This is the outcome of finance research firm MSCI’s latest Net-Zero Tracker. Now in its ninth iteration, the research examines the progress of publicly listed companies on climate change, highlighting trends relevant to investors, such as the adoption of renewable energy, evolving corporate climate goals, and the development of the voluntary carbon market. The report finds an increase in companies setting science-based climate targets. Specifically, 20% of listed companies have targets that set science-based pathways for aligning their financially…

The European Parliament has approved a provisional agreement to establish a voluntary certification framework for carbon removal activities. The vote passed on Wednesday (10 April) with a significant majority (441 to 139), aims to encourage the development and use of various carbon removal techniques, including carbon storage through industrial technologies, long-lasting products, and carbon farming practices that improve soil carbon balance. The use of carbon removals continues to be an ongoing topic of debate when it comes to decarbonisation. Some businesses use them to address scope 3 emissions, those indirectly generated throughout their supply chain, often accounting for over 90%…