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A 'SOURCE to sea' natural flood risk management and habitat creation scheme for the River Don was launched yesterday with a day of tree planting. This was the first batch of planting of what will be 38,000 trees to better protect homes and businesses across South Yorkshire from flooding. By investing in nature based solutions like tree planting, peat restoration and...

BRISTOL City Council has received a £10 million government grant to help expand the city’s heat networks to more communities. The Heat Network Investment Project funding will see the city’s heat network - a system of underground pipes that transports hot water from different sources to homes and businesses in order to heat them – broadened. The city council’s Cabinet meeting...

THE FINANCIAL Conduct Authority has published proposals outlining new climate-related disclosure requirements for premium-listed issuers. The new rule will require all commercial companies with a premium listing to either make climate related disclosures consistent with the existing global standard or explain why not. Andrew Bailey, Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, commented on the announcement: "Climate change presents a serious...

AFTER only 27 days in the office, MP Rishi Sunak introduced his Budget in the House of Commons, announcing the government's tax and spending plans for the year ahead. What does this mean in terms of energy and sustainability? Manufacturing & business New Plastic Packaging Tax will be introduced to tackle the scourge of plastic waste. From April 2022, manufacturers and...

Today, the European Commission presents a new Industrial Strategy to help Europe's industry lead the transition towards climate neutrality. The new Strategy will help deliver on three key priorities: maintaining European industry's global competitiveness and a level playing field, at home and globally, making Europe climate-neutral by 2050 and shaping Europe's digital future. It sets out a range of actions to...

BRITONS believe climate change is one of the most important issues facing the country in the next 20 years, according Cardiff University research. A wide-ranging survey examining social attitudes to the risks and impacts of climate change suggested the issue was now second only to Brexit for the British public. The survey, carried out by a team of researchers from Cardiff...

A NEW report by Energy Systems Catapult has found Net Zero by 2050 is possible with support for innovation and scale-up across three essential areas – Low Carbon Technology, Land Use and Lifestyle. The Innovating to Net Zero report modelled hundreds of potential pathways to 2050 – ramping up or down different technologies and behaviour changes – to understand the...

LEEDS City Council has confirmed that the city's Clean Air Charging Zone will go live on 28 September. From this date buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles, taxis and private hire vehicles which fail to meet minimum emissions standards will be charged for driving within the zone’s boundary. The zone comes after the government directed Leeds City Council to tackle air pollution...

A COLLABORATIVE technical focus group has been set up by British Water to find new ways to reduce levels of micropollutants in wastewater. The group, which comprises British Water members, had its first meeting in February and will meet again in May. Chaired by Fabio Bacci, innovation manager at consultancy Glan Agua, the group will work to develop solutions to treat...

INVESTING in electric vehicles by UK businesses is set to increase by almost 50% over the next two years, exceeding £12 billion, according to new research released yesterday. Centrica Business Solutions surveyed UK firms about their electric vehicle investment intentions and found many are planning to significantly ramp-up spending on the electrification of their fleet. Alan Barlow, Director UK & Ireland...