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Energy regulator Ofgem has launched five consultations on proposals that seek to ensure that the price cap reflects the costs, risks and uncertainties facing energy suppliers. Consultation on the potential impact of increased wholesale volatility on the default tariff cap. This consultation considers whether the recent market volatility has caused the level of the price cap to materially depart...

New homes and buildings such as supermarkets and workplaces, as well as those undergoing major renovation, will be required to install electric vehicle charge points from next year, under new legislation announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson today. According to the UK Government announcement, up to 145,000 extra charge points will be installed across England each year thanks to these...

Single-use plastic plates, cutlery, expanded and extruded polystyrene cups and food and beverage containers could all be phased out in England, in the latest Government bid to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. According to government estimates, England uses 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion items of single-use cutlery — most of which are plastic — per year, but only...

Young people are set to be empowered to take action on the environment as part of new measures designed to put climate change at the heart of education. At COP26, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi set out his vision for all children to be taught about the importance of conserving and protecting our planet. On 5th of November, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi,...

Signatories representing close to 60% of all UK soy bought every year have committed to cutting deforestation and habitat destruction out of UK soy supply chains by 2025 at the latest. Signatories of the UK Soy Manifesto include industry leaders from 27 major businesses: all of the biggest UK grocery retailers (including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and...

A five-year plan to help build Scotland’s hydrogen economy and deliver an ambition for the technology to provide nearly a sixth of Scotland’s energy needs by 2030 has been published, the Scottish Government has announced. Backed by more than £100 million of funding, the draft Hydrogen Action Plan sets out the strategic approach the Scottish Government will take with industry...

The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published a consultation on proposals for the reduction of the usage of single-use plastic beverage cups and food containers in Northern Ireland. The Department seeks views on the suggested policy options to ensure the most effective method of reducing the consumption of SUP beverage cups and food containers is identified. The...

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched a Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap for the UK Built Environment (The Roadmap), detailing the necessary actions government and industry must take to achieve net zero across the sector. According to the charity and industry-led network, the built environment is directly responsible for 25% of the total UK carbon footprint, and...

Legislation has been laid that will see Scotland ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items, with the ban coming into effect on 1 June 2022, the Scottish Government has announced. The ban will apply to the following single-use items: plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks), plates, straws, beverage stirrers and balloon sticks, food containers made of expanded...

Water regulator Ofwat has confirmed the payments due to companies or customers as a result of water company performance against their 2020-21 performance commitments. The outcome delivery incentives (ODIs) are the financial or reputational consequences for companies of outperformance or underperformance against their performance commitments and these are reviewed year on year to make them timely against the company performance...