New gas boilers to be banned from 2035 in latest decarbonisation push October 15, 2021 New gas boilers are set to be banned from 2035, with households being incentivised to make the transition to heat pumps with a £5,000 grant. The move, due to be unveiled under the government’s Heat and Buildings strategy next week, is one of the plans of action in getting the country to net zero by [...]
Volvo launches world’s first fossil-free steel vehicle October 13, 2021 Volvo Group launched today the world’ first vehicle made of fossil-free steel, announcing that more will follow in 2022 as part of the company’s pathway to reach net zero by 2050. Made in collaboration with Swedish company SSAB – which specialises in transforming raw materials into steel – the load carrier for mining and quarrying [...]
Grid investments coming up short risks freezing the UK’s renewables transition October 11, 2021 The conditions are ripe for growth in the UK’s renewable sector as COP26 fast approaches, though a lack of investment could hamper the country’s goals. As policy paves the way for fresh investment and new tech, the renewables sector continues to battle bottlenecks – which could require a doubling of investment over the next 10 [...]
UK-listed firms are most likely to pledge net zero targets, but few will reach them October 11, 2021 UK-listed firms are the most likely to have set a net zero target for their emissions output than their European counterparts, according to a new report. Though just five per cent across the continent are on track to meet their targets. The study, by consulting and outsourcing giant Accenture, found that less fossil-fuel reliant industries [...]
Less than half of Brits think the UK will achieve net zero by 2050 October 11, 2021 Less than half of Brits think the UK will achieve its emissions target of net zero by 2050, according to a new report shared with City A.M. today. The report, by market intelligence firm Savanta, revealed that 42 per cent of the UK think the government’s pledge is ‘likely’, while 46 per cent think it [...]
The UK should ban domestic flights, says advocacy group October 11, 2021 British advocacy group Campaign for Better Transport is calling on the government to ban some domestic flights to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions produced domestically by aviation. If introduced, the ban would end several short-haul routes such as London to Manchester, London to Edinburgh and Birmingham to Glasgow. Travellers would be offered train tickets [...]
HSBC’s £36bn pension scheme pledges to be net zero by 2050 at the latest October 8, 2021 HSBC’s pension scheme, one of the largest corporate pension schemes in the UK, has pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. In the run up to COP26, an increasing number of activists have zeroed in on fossil-fuel investing pension funds and wider financial institutions like HSBC and Lloyds for carbon-heavy investments. [...]
COP26: UK and global accountancy bodies aim for net zero emissions October 8, 2021 The UK professional body for accountants has joined global peers in making a public commitment to net zero emissions. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) yesterday announced it will sign a commitment to net zero emissions and create plans to achieve this, alongside a network of global accountancy bodies. The 13 [...]
Housebuilder Vistry ties bosses pay to carbon cutting efforts September 3, 2021 Housebuilder Vistry has confirmed it will link its executives pay to sustainability targets from next year onwards, amid the UK’s push for net zero. The new practice appears a tangible effort to make the carbon-heavy construction and housebuilding sector more sustainable, ahead of the UN’s flagship climate conference COP26 in November. While bosses have been [...]
Households with gas boilers could be taxed for the higher-carbon option August 23, 2021 UK households with gas boilers could be taxed for the high-carbon option, a strategy review has suggested, as the government races to meet its net-zero target. In a bid to transition households towards low-carbon solutions, the Heat and Building Strategy is looking like it will conclude that gas users could face higher bills and charges. [...]