Human development progress has slowed to a 35-year low, according to a UN Development Programme report. But the report says that AI could reignite development. In fact, following the crises of 2020-202, progress has not rebounded and the poor rise in global human development projected in this year’s report is the smallest increase since 1990.
His Majesty the King has conferred his 2025 Awards on 27 businesses in recognition of their outstanding achievements in sustainable development. Companies are located across the UK and across numerous sectors.
Australian Climate Council CEO, Amanda McKenzie, has said in response to the Australian Federal Election result: “This was an energy referendum. Nuclear bombed at the ballot, with Australians dubbing it toxic. Australians backed a bright, clean, renewable energy future and endorsed the progress that has already been made.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is making it clear this week that it will not tolerate sloppy language around green claims in advertising. Two challenges in relation to composting coffee capsules or bags have been upheld and are worth a read if you are reviewing how you take your products to market.
Climate change is making extreme weather in the UK more likely and more extreme. This looks like heatwaves, heavy rainfall and conditions that enable wildfires. The UK is not appropriately prepared for this.
The London Metal Exchange (LME) is exploring the potential for premium prices for sustainable metals. It says that by making a sustainability price differential public, the value attached to sustainable metals will be transparent and could support the development of the market for sustainable metals.
If there is one thing the advertising and communications industry is expert in it’s behaviour. From decades of consumer data, the advertising industry knows what makes people do something, what moves them and increasingly they know what consumers are likely to do next.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have brought together 17 national leaders from major economies and climate-vulnerable countries to accelerate global climate ambition. The purpose was to build momentum for stronger national climate plans to be announced in 2025.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) has published a report called ‘Sustainability in the Age of AI: The Integration Imperative’. It demonstrates that AI can be a critical enabler in helping organisations more effectively pursue their sustainability goals. The report says AI can be used to generate short-term cost savings while illuminating the long-term benefits of a comprehensive sustainability strategy.
The IFRS Foundation and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to build upon the TNFD recommendations in the ongoing work of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), to enable nature-related financial disclosures for use by capital markets. The ISSB will consider the relevance of the TNFD recommendations in meeting the needs of global capital markets.
It is estimated that the private sector requires $1.2tr worth of annual investment in direct and nature-adjacent projects to halt and reverse nature loss, says the World Economic Forum. However, the majority of financial institutions still find that data availability and quality are barriers to allocating capital to nature.
The UK Government has launched plans to strengthen voluntary carbon and nature markets which can help leverage the finance needed to address climate action while diversifying revenue streams.
Earth Day has real meaning for Apple. It is the point at which it surpassed a 60% reduction in its global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (compared with 2025 levels) – this is part of its Apple 2030 goal to become carbon neutral across its entire footprint.
The increase in electricity consumption through 2027 is expected to average around 4% annually, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).
House of Hackney has launched a debt crowdfunding campaign with B-Corp bank, Triodos, and is issuing a bond with the aim of buying out its private equity partners to accelerate its mission “to leave our planet better than we found it”.