Negotiators from the European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional political agreement on an amendment to the EU Climate Law, setting a new, intermediate and binding 2040 EU climate target of reducing net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels.
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ISSB issues targeted amendments to IFRS S2
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has issued targeted amendments to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions disclosure requirements in IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures in response to specific application challenges that were identified as companies started to apply the Standard.
Analysis: humans are built for nature not modern life
Human biology evolved for a world of movement, nature, and short bursts of stress, not the constant pressure of modern life. Industrial environments overstimulate our stress systems and erode both health and reproduction. Analysis from the University of Zurich and Loughborough University says that evidence shows the toll of this mismatch.
230+ organisations demand a moratorium on data centres
Members of Congress in the US have been targeted by more than 230 organisations demanding a national moratorium on the approval and construction of new data centres. The organisations represent millions of people in all 50 states. The letter is explicit in the environmental and social threats posed by unbridled data centre construction.
M&S Launches RE:Spark to ignite renewables adoption
M&S has announced the launch of RE:Spark, a new supply chain decarbonisation programme developed in partnership with Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader. The initiative has been designed to accelerate the adoption of renewable electricity across M&S’s global fashion supply chain and is a key part of the retailer’s sustainability strategy, Plan A, which aims to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain by 2040.
MEPs back simplification changes to sustainability reporting
The EU Parliament has endorsed reduced reporting duties and due diligence requirements for companies. With 382 votes in favour, 249 against and with 13 abstentions, Parliament has adopted its negotiating position on simplified sustainability reporting and due diligence duties for businesses.
Stiell: climate finance is not charity – it’s smart economics
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, that climate action, underpinned by climate finance, is the growth story of the 21st century. “As you prepare for your next phase of Article 9.5 work, I urge you to make the outcomes as clear and actionable as possible – so that they offer real forward visibility to developing countries, and demonstrate tangible progress on the delivery of finance,” he said to his audience.
SSE unveils £33bn investment plan to unlock green energy
SSE plc has announced a £33bn fully-funded five-year investment programme, to transform the UK’s electricity infrastructure and deliver long-term benefits for society. The “Transformation for Growth” plan will see a major ramp-up of SSE’s capital investment over the next five years, with 80% directed towards regulated electricity networks and the remainder into renewables and flexible generation technologies.
FRC issues standard on the assurance of sustainability reporting
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has issued International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (UK) 5000, “General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements”, which provides UK companies, investors and assurance providers with a consistent, internationally aligned assurance standards for voluntary use in sustainability assurance engagements.
Carbon footprint of construction will double by 2050 globally
A report published in ‘Nature’ quantifies the carbon cost of constructing the global built-environment over the past three decades and projects it to 2050. The findings indicate that the global construction carbon footprint has doubled over the past three decades and is projected to more than double by 2050.
UK Government acts to secure future of water industry workforce
A new group has been convened by the UK Government to ensure the UK has the skilled workforce it needs to deliver record levels of investment and reform. The Water Skills Strategic Group brings together senior leaders in government from and across the water sector and its supply chain. The group’s focus will be the delivery of the £104 billion investment – the largest since privatisation – which will create more than 30,000 new jobs, support the building of 1.5m new homes, and help restore the nation’s rivers, lakes and seas.
90% of 4,000 large companies connect value and decarbonisation
Decarbonisation is emerging as a key business differentiator. Accenture’s latest report on the decarbonisation activities of the world’s largest companies finds that those that connect climate ambition to business strategy are cutting emissions faster and creating lasting value. But the journey is far from complete: just 16% are on track to reach net zero in their operations by 2050.
Governor Newsom: subnational climate action is a defining opportunity
Governor Newsom said California is leading by example, proving that climate action and economic growth go hand in hand. As California continues and accelerates its climate action, the Governor urged global investors to embrace the technologies and infrastructure driving the clean energy future.
The surprising psychology of dietary choices
Food systems are a major contributor to environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, with widespread dietary changes required to avoid surpassing safe planetary boundaries by 2050. A study published in Elsevier’s Journal of Cleaner Production analyses the dimensions underlying public perceptions and misperceptions of food's environmental impact.
New framework to measure, manage and communicate circularity
The Global Circularity Protocol for Business (GCP) has been launched to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by providing a global framework for measuring, managing and communicating an organisation’s circular performance and its impacts. Developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in collaboration with the UNEP-hosted One Planet Network (OPN), the GCP enables organisations to embed circularity at the heart of strategy and operations.




