Global maritime shipping is poised for a transformative shift following a landmark agreement reached by the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO). The newly approved framework sets the sector on course...
What’s happening U.S. President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Tuesday directing the federal government to block state-level climate policies that restrict fossil fuel use or promote environmental...
Britain is rolling back parts of its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate in a bid to protect its auto industry from the fallout of new 25% tariffs on car imports...
The European Parliament has voted to adopt the European Commission’s “stop-the-clock” directive, delaying implementation timelines for key sustainability regulations: the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due...
China will officially enter the global green sovereign bond market Wednesday, issuing its inaugural 6 billion yuan ($825 million) bond on the London Stock Exchange. This issuance, anticipated for years,...
EU member states have approved the Council’s position on the “Stop-the-clock” mechanism aimed at simplifying EU sustainability regulations and enhancing business competitiveness. “Simplification is one of the priorities of the...
Renewable energy capacity surged by a record 585 gigawatts (GW) in 2024, reaching a total global capacity of 4,448 GW—marking the fastest annual growth rate ever at 15.1%, according to...
ING announced today its climate targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), marking it as the first global systemically important bank to align its emission reduction...
The Platform on Sustainable Finance (PSF), advising the European Commission, has proposed a voluntary “SME sustainable finance standard” aimed at easing access to sustainability financing for small and medium-sized enterprises....
Key Takeaways Germany’s Major Climate Investment Move Germany’s parliament has approved a €500 billion infrastructure and defense fund, with €100 billion allocated to climate and energy transition projects. This funding...
China’s Finance Ministry announced Wednesday that it plans to issue its first-ever overseas sovereign green bonds in yuan, totaling up to 6 billion yuan ($829 million), with London chosen as...
FireSat Revolutionizes Wildfire Detection The first satellite of the groundbreaking FireSat constellation has successfully launched, promising to transform wildfire detection and response by leveraging artificial intelligence. Developed through a collaboration...
Effective immediately, the Ontario government has imposed a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to the United States, targeting power supplies to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. This measure responds directly...
SSBJ Introduces First Sustainability Disclosure Standards The Sustainability Standards Board of Japan (SSBJ) has officially launched its inaugural Sustainability Disclosure Standards (SSBJ Standards) to enhance corporate sustainability reporting in Japan....
The European Commission has announced a plan to extend the compliance period for CO2 emissions targets from one year to three, giving automakers more time to meet stringent regulations and...
Governments reached a crucial agreement on February 27, 2025, in Rome to mobilize the resources needed to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). This follows COP16 negotiations, which resumed...
The 2025 Global Risks Landscape The 2025 WEF Global Risks Report underscores that nature-related risks remain one of the most persistent and pressing challenges for businesses. Political shifts won’t change...
EU Simplifies Sustainability and Investment Rules The European Commission has unveiled two major legislative packages—Omnibus I and Omnibus II—aimed at reducing regulatory burdens, improving sustainability rules, and unlocking investment. The...
Global Biodiversity at Risk Countries are meeting in Rome to advance a $200 billion annual nature finance deal. The initiative builds on last year’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, aimed at...
Cities are stepping up in the fight against climate change, but a significant funding gap threatens progress. New data from CDP, in collaboration with the Global Covenant of Mayors for...
Nikola Corporation, once a beacon of innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection according to a recent press release issued by the automaker....
TikTok’s Multi-Year Carbon Commitment TikTok has entered a multi-year partnership with Climeworks to remove 5,100 tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere by 2030. The plan combines Direct Air Capture, Biochar,...
Eurostat’s latest report shows a continued decoupling of emissions from economic growth. Sector trends: Related Article: EU Invests €4.8 Billion from Emissions Trading Revenues to Fund Net-Zero Projects Country breakdown:...
BYD and SEC’s Landmark Deal BYD Energy Storage and Saudi Electricity Company have signed the world’s largest grid-scale energy storage contract, totaling 12.5GWh. Combined with a previously delivered 2.6GWh project,...
Global sustainable bond issuance is projected to hit $1 trillion in 2025, sustaining the momentum from 2024. ESG Challenges Deepen Big picture: The gap between decarbonization goals and real-world implementation...
Salesforce, alongside Hugging Face, Cohere, and Carnegie Mellon University, launched the AI Energy Score—a new benchmarking tool to measure and compare AI model energy consumption. Salesforce is the first AI...
BBVA reached its €300 billion sustainable business target one year early, exceeding its initial 2018-2025 commitment. The bank had progressively raised its goal, from €100 billion in 2018 to €200...
The BBC has unveiled its first Climate Transition Plan, outlining its roadmap to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. This milestone reflects the Corporation’s dedication to building a sustainable organization...
The UK Government has officially announced the launch of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in October 2027. The long-anticipated initiative aims to boost recycling rates by offering financial incentives for...
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) have introduced integrated standards to strengthen sustainability reporting and assurance practices. These measures...
EU’s Omnibus Proposal Faces Industry Backlash A coalition of 11 global corporations, including Unilever, Nestlé, Mars, and DP World, has urged the European Commission not to dilute existing sustainability reporting...
The European Commission is set to propose a ban on PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in consumer products, targeting their widespread use in items like cosmetics, non-stick pans, and industrial applications. Health...
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Societe Generale have announced an unprecedented collaboration to unlock €8 billion in investment for Europe’s wind industry. Central to this initiative is a €500...
Apollo Global Management and Standard Chartered PLC have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate financing for infrastructure and renewable energy projects worldwide. The partnership leverages Apollo’s sustainable investment platform,...
Schroders has been entrusted with a £5.2 billion sustainable investment mandate by UK wealth manager St. James’s Place (SJP), marking a significant endorsement of Schroders’ sustainable and active investment expertise....
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced $6 billion in tax credit allocations for the second round of the § 48C Qualifying Advanced Energy...
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has released comprehensive guidelines on managing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks. These regulations target EU financial institutions, requiring robust governance to mitigate risks related...
ERM, the world’s largest specialist sustainability consultancy, has launched the Council on Sustainability Transformation to drive corporate progress on sustainability amid economic and political pressures. The Council brings together senior...
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 outlines how macrotrends, including technological advancements, economic shifts, and climate priorities, will reshape the labor market by 2030. The report, based on insights from...
Great Britain marked a milestone in 2024 as coal generation ended on September 30 with the closure of Ratcliffe power station. This marked the final chapter of 142 years of...
Navigating Stricter EU Emissions Rules To comply with the EU’s 2025 carbon emissions rules, major automakers are partnering with electric vehicle (EV) leaders like Tesla and Polestar to pool CO₂...
U.S. Banks Leave NZBA Amid Political U.S. Banks Leave NZBA Under Political and Legal Pressure Morgan Stanley, Citi, and Bank of America have joined Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs in...
Portugal’s Renewable Energy Milestone Portugal’s renewable energy generation hit a record 71% in 2024, marking a significant leap from 61% in 2023, according to grid operator REN. REN stated, “This...
What’s happening: India is reconsidering its decade-old, $30 billion program requiring coal-fired power plants to install flue-gas desulphurization (FGD) systems. Only 8% of the 540 targeted power plant units have...
The European Commission has awarded the construction contract for its new Joint Research Centre (JRC) building in Seville, Spain. Once approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the...
Europe’s Banks Are “In Debt to the Planet” Europe’s 25 largest banks are not doing enough to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, according to a...
President Joe Biden has announced an ambitious 2035 climate target to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels. This builds on the U.S. commitment to achieve net-zero...
The News: The European Parliament approved a one-year delay for the EU deforestation law, which aims to ban products sourced from deforested or degraded land. Initially set to take effect...
Invesco Unveils Climate-Focused ETF Invesco Ltd. has launched the Invesco MSCI North America Climate ETF (KLMN), which debuted on the New York Stock Exchange with $2.4 billion in assets from...
The Story: Microsoft has launched a groundbreaking datacenter design that consumes zero water for cooling, a significant step toward sustainability amid rising water stress. The innovative design employs chip-level cooling...
Why it matters: Offshore wind is pivotal for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and achieving global net-zero goals. bp and JERA are joining forces to accelerate progress with JERA Nex bp, set...
Oslo, Norway, Dec 6, 2024 (ESG NEWS) – SLB Capturi has achieved a major milestone with the completion of the world’s first industrial-scale carbon capture plant at Heidelberg Materials’ cement...
ADNOC has unveiled XRG, a transformational international investment company with an enterprise value exceeding $80 billion. The independently operated venture focuses on lower-carbon energy and chemicals, aiming to double its...
Sustainability as a Business Imperative A new DHL Express global survey of 5,000 SME decision-makers across 11 markets reveals that sustainability is now a critical priority for small and medium-sized...
Singapore has solidified its leadership in sustainability reporting, surpassing global benchmarks in six of twelve key indicators, according to KPMG’s 2024 Survey of Sustainability Reporting. The city-state is one of...
Google has announced the opening of 1265 Borregas, its first office building constructed using mass timber, in Sunnyvale, California. The building reflects Google’s commitment to sustainability, employee wellbeing, and community...
The COP29 Presidency announced a major milestone in climate diplomacy: the full operationalization of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, unlocking international carbon markets after years of complex negotiations. The...
A contested proposal The Azerbaijani presidency at COP29 revealed a draft plan urging wealthy nations to lead a $250 billion annual financing initiative by 2035. This figure, termed the “new...
A Historic Step for Climate and Tourism The United Nations announced on Wednesday that over 50 governments have signed a declaration to make global tourism more climate-friendly, calling it a...
Released during COP29, Deloitte’s report, Turning Point: Feeding the World Sustainably, details the economic and social benefits of transforming global food production. The analysis highlights that addressing undernourishment, feeding a...
A group of conflict-affected countries is pushing at COP29 to double financial aid to more than $20 billion a year to combat natural disasters and security crises facing their populations,...
At COP29 in Baku, the COP29 Presidency launched the Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery (BCCAP), a milestone initiative aimed at addressing the critical intersection of...
At COP29, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) unveiled new ESG Implementation Principles to help organizations navigate the complex Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape. These guidelines aim to simplify...
IBM has released its first-ever State of Sustainability Readiness Report 2024, revealing that 88% of business leaders plan to increase IT investments for sustainability over the next 12 months. Conducted...
At COP29 in Azerbaijan, a significant early pledge emerged as major development banks, including the World Bank, committed to raising climate finance to $120 billion annually by 2030. This figure...
Amazon.com and IKEA, prominent members of the Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), are intensifying their efforts to decarbonize ocean shipping by preparing for a major tender to launch in...
Cape Town, South Africa, served as the vibrant backdrop for the 2024 Earthshot Prize, where five remarkable winners were announced at a star-studded event hosted by Billy Porter and Bonang...
In a significant environmental milestone, net GHG emissions across the EU dropped by 8.3% in 2023, according to a new report by the European Commission. This decrease represents one of...
The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) has announced that Kering, GSK, and Holcim are the first companies to publicly adopt science-based targets for nature, addressing freshwater and land. These actions...
Morgan Stanley has revised its 2030 climate targets, setting sector-specific emissions reductions within a 1.5–1.7°C warming limit. This range acknowledges global challenges in meeting the 1.5°C target of the Paris...
The UN-backed Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA) reported a record $175 billion investment in climate-focused solutions by its members in 2023, marking a nearly 38% jump from the previous year’s...
Key Impact Points: Business momentum in measuring nature and biodiversity impacts is accelerating, according to CDP’s latest data. This progress comes as global leaders convene for COP16 in Colombia to...
Key Impact Points: The European Commission has selected 85 innovative net-zero projects to receive €4.8 billion in grants from the Innovation Fund, aiming to accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge clean...
Key Impact Points: The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has launched its Principles for Sustainable Trade Finance (PSTF) at Sibos 2024 in Beijing. Developed in partnership with industry leaders, including...
Key Impact Points: Standard Chartered has launched a sustainable finance variant of its Borrowing Base Trade Loan (BBTL), reinforcing its commitment to decarbonizing the commodity sector. The BBTL is a...
Key Impact Points: Why it matters: Sustainable funds have surged to $3.5 trillion in AUM, even as inflows slow. The $20 billion in inflows recorded in the first half of...
Amazon is accelerating its transition to carbon-free energy by investing in innovative nuclear power projects. The company has signed three new agreements to support the development of Small Modular Reactors...
To accelerate the clean energy transition across the U.S., Google has signed the world’s first corporate agreement to purchase nuclear energy from multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) to be developed...
Meet the sustainability champions making the Middle East a blueprint for green practices Forbes Middle East has released its second annual list of the region’s sustainability leaders, recognizing the trailblazers...
Leading the Charge on Textile Waste Spain’s largest fashion companies, including Zara owner Inditex, H&M, Decathlon, Ikea, and Primark, will start collecting discarded clothes in April next year as part...
Key Impact Points: Colombia is in discussions with Germany for a debt-for-nature swap to support its ambitious $40 billion plan to transition from fossil fuels and enhance environmental conservation. Foreign...
Key Impact Points: BP, the UK-based oil giant, has announced a significant shift in its strategy, moving away from earlier plans to cut oil and gas production by 2030 and...
Ferrari accelerates its transition to renewable energy by shutting down the trigeneration plant at its Maranello factory, advancing its decarbonisation efforts three months ahead of plan. Early Shutdown Drives Emission...
Major Companies Back New 24/7 Carbon-Free Initiative Global corporates like Google, AstraZeneca, Iron Mountain Data Centers, Shree Cement, AirTrunk, and Vodafone UK have joined the Climate Group’s 24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition...
India has rolled out a Carbon Accounting and Reporting Framework for domestic and international airports, aiming for carbon neutrality and net zero emissions in civil aviation. Carbon Neutrality Prioritised The...
Deloitte’s Latest Series Highlights CFO Leadership in Sustainability A new report series by Deloitte, titled “Asia Pacific Mandatory Sustainability Reporting,” positions Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) as pivotal leaders in navigating...
How Billie Eilish is Helping Fans Travel Sustainably Billie Eilish, in collaboration with Google Maps, is encouraging her fans to make more environmentally conscious choices while attending her upcoming HIT...
Impact Points: The Net-Zero Data Public Utility (NZDPU) and CDP, the global environmental disclosure system, have announced a transformative expansion of their partnership to make vital climate data openly accessible...
Key Impact Points: The third annual Earthshot Innovation Summit, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, has proudly announced its latest cohort of finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2024. These innovators, hailing...
Nokia has launched a Private Wireless Sustainability Calculator to help industries measure the environmental and social benefits of private wireless networks. Initially designed for the mining, manufacturing, and port sectors,...
Climate Week NYC, an annual gathering of climate leaders, is now taking center stage over the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP). The event, running through Sunday in Manhattan, has...
Bloomberg has announced significant upgrades to its climate solutions suite, aimed at helping investors evaluate companies’ carbon emissions goals and transition risks more accurately. The enhanced tools offer detailed assessments...
The world is failing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and urgent action is needed to unlock progress and overcome the growing annual SDG funding gap, which now stands...