Don’t be distracted by bunny hugging, we need to plug the green skills gap to reach bold climate targets April 24, 2021 Earlier this week, Boris Johnson announced a bold new target to slash the UK’s emissions by 78 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2035. The government now needs show how it will turn this ambition into a reality, and doing so will require overcoming a serious challenge to this agenda: the green skills gap. The PM’s [...]
Extinction Rebellion activists block headquarters of Lloyd’s of London in the City April 23, 2021 Climate activists are protesting outside the office of Lloyd’s of London in the City this morning, dumping fake coal outside in front of the building as part of a campaign against insuring fossil fuel mining activities. Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group are holding up banners with slogans such as “Climate Criminals” after they dumped [...]
Biden pledges to cut emissions by 52 per cent by 2030 April 22, 2021 US President Joe Biden administration has today pledged to slash US greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent – 52 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. The new target was unveiled ahead of a two-day climate summit featuring the world’s biggest economies. Before the summit began, Biden tweeted: “No nation can solve this crisis on its [...]
HSBC open to climate talks but cannot ‘condone vandalism’ April 22, 2021 Following a climate protest which saw windows smashed at its City headquarters, HSBC has said that it welcomed discussion on climate change but that it could not ‘condone vandalism’. “We welcome meaningful dialogue on our climate strategy; however, we cannot condone vandalism or actions that put people and property at risk,” a spokesman said. “We [...]
WPP makes net zero pledge for entire $60bn supply chain April 22, 2021 WPP has pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions across its entire supply chain by the end of the decade in what it said was the most ambitious approach in the ad industry. The holding group said its own operations will be net zero by 2025, with all electricity to be renewably-sourced. Across its supply [...]
MPs call for ‘greenwashing’ ban in financial services April 22, 2021 The UK should take steps towards banning ‘greenwashing’, MP’s have written today, by making environmental labelling compulsory for consumer financial products and task regulators to stop misleading claims. It comes as climate activists smashed windows at HSBC’s Canary Wharf headquarters this morning, in protest of the bank’s investment policies. In the run-up to the UK’s [...]
Extinction Rebellion activists smash windows at HSBC in Canary Wharf April 22, 2021 Extinction Rebellion shattered over a dozen windows at HSBC’s headquarters in Canary Wharf as the group stages a climate change protest against the bank’s investment policies. Activists from the Extinction Rebellion group used hammers to break windows and pasted stickers on walls and windows before sitting down to wait for the police to arrive, according to [...]
Financial services leaders team up to launch net zero alliance April 21, 2021 Leading financial services firms have today announced the launch of a new alliance to reach net zero emissions ahead of President Biden’s climate summit. The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) will bring together existing and new net zero initiatives and will be made up of 160 of the world’s biggest banks, asset managers [...]
UK to hike emissions cut plans ahead of US climate summit April 20, 2021 The UK has announced a hike in its pledged fossil fuel emission cuts in a year that ends with its hosting of the COP26 climate summit. Boris Johnson has today made a new commitment to cutting emissions by 78 per cent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, up from 68 per cent in 2030. Johnson [...]
Leading investors call on banks to set tougher net zero targets April 19, 2021 A group of investors managing $11 trillion in assets is calling on banks to set radically enhanced emissions targets ahead of a key meeting aimed at tackling climate change. The group, which includes Aviva Investors and Legal & General Investment Management, said banks have a “critical role” in aligning the economy with net zero targets. [...]