Every business depends on biodiversity, and every business impacts biodiversity. The growth of the global economy has been at the cost of immense biodiversity loss, which now poses a critical and pervasive systemic risk to the economy, financial stability and human wellbeing. This is a central finding of a report published by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Repsol is making further progress in its industrial decarbonisation strategy through renewable hydrogen and will install its second large-scale electrolyser at its Petronor refinery in Muskiz close to Bilbao in Northern Spain. Last September, the company approved the construction in Cartagena of its first large electrolyser, with a capacity of 100 megawatts (MW).
TheCityUK and PwC UK have published a report setting out the actions needed for the UK to lead in the next era of global finance. The report, ‘No time to lose: Reasserting UK leadership in financial and related professional services’, draws on engagement with over 300 senior leaders across industry, government, regulators and academia – and is underpinned by new economic modelling and international benchmarking from PwC.
Global investment in clean fuels will need to quadruple by 2030 to meet global clean fuel ambitions, according to a new World Economic Forum report 'Fuelling the Future: How Business, Finance and Policy can Accelerate the Clean Fuels Market', developed in collaboration with Bain & Company. Highlighting the potential of the sector to stimulate job growth and diversify energy supply, the report sets out policy, business and financing measures that can turn global goals into credible, economically viable projects.
Water companies who broke environmental rules are now funding the recovery of England’s waterways, as local communities and environmental groups are being put in the driving seat to clean up rivers, lakes and seas. The UK Government is reinvesting £29m from water company fines into local projects which clean up the environment – funding over 100 projects which will improve 450km of rivers, restore 650 acres of natural habitats and plant 100,000 new trees.
The investment comes as the UK Government drives forward plans for expansion at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports. With the production of low-carbon fuels alone expected to add up to £5bn to the economy by 2050, the funding will drive millions of pounds of private investment into the aviation sector, says the Government.
Severe convective storms (SCS) have surpassed tropical cyclones to become the costliest insured peril of the 21st century, according to Aon's annual Climate and Catastrophe Insight report. The report shows how increasingly common, high-volume events are reshaping global loss patterns and highlights the critical importance of both physical and financial resilience to help organisations manage volatility and unlock insurability.
The global economy has shown resilience, but the outlook remains clouded by trade tensions, fiscal strains and persistent uncertainty, according to a United Nations report. Growth is expected to slow to 2.7% in 2026, below 2025 levels and the pre-pandemic average, as subdued investment and structural headwinds weigh on momentum despite easing inflation and monetary loosening.
Global cooperation is proving resilient even as multilateralism continues to face strong headwinds, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer 2026. However, cooperation is below where it needs to be to address critical economic, security and environmental challenges. Dialogue is a critical factor in identifying pathways that advance shared interests.
The global economy is proving more resilient than anticipated despite persistent trade tensions and policy uncertainty, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Global growth is projected to remain broadly steady over the next two years, easing to 2.6% in 2026 before rising to 2.7% in 2027, an upward revision from the June forecast.
The FGS Global Radar 2026 reveals a world that is being rewired - politically, economically, technologically and socially. Public pessimism is reaching crisis levels, divides are deepening, institutions that once moderated are losing their grip.
Industry 5.0 places human creativity and welfare, sustainability, and resilient systems at the centre of business and government strategies for the benefit of economies, societies and the planet. The combination of these elements can add $1tr annually to global GDP in addition to technology-driven profits, says 'The Industry 5.0 Index', created by the Oliver Wyman Forum and the University of California, Berkeley.
The UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association’s (UKSIF’s) institutional investor members were surveyed in November 2025 to gauge the investment community’s experience and use of sustainability data from investee companies and wider assets. Sustainability data – specifically the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information that companies and assets disclose – is increasingly crucial for financial markets.
The European Commission has unveiled a first set of pilot actions to accelerate Europe's transition to a circular economy, with a particular focus on the plastics sector. The Commission says that by optimising the recycling of plastics, these measures will further unlock the potential of the Single Market and enhance the EU's economic security, strategic autonomy, competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
Those importing more than 50 tonnes of cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertiliser, as well as all importers of electricity or hydrogen, need to have submitted an application for a CBAM account number or a CBAM application
reference number under the EU CBAM (or received an authorisation at the time of import). Importers who have not already submitted applications need to act fast now to avoid risking disruptions, delays or penalties. Applications must be submitted prior to import and at the latest by 31 March 2026 for all concerned import companies.