Daily Insights

Building materials and design giant Kingspan has pledged to reach net-zero emissions from its estate of more than 160 manufacturing sites this decade.

Supermarket retailer Morrisons is removing all plastic versions of its “bags for life” from stores nationwide, in favour of paper and other reusable options, in a move that will save 3,200 tonnes of plastic each year.

Logistics giant UPS had unveiled plans to purchase electric aircraft models to assist with time-sensitive deliveries while limiting emissions associated with transportation. The first 10 BETA aircrafts are scheduled to begin arriving in 2024, with an option to purchase up to 150 in total.

Apple has revealed that more than 100 of its manufacturing partners across the supply chain have agreed to source 100% renewable electricity for the production of Apple products, a move that looks set to avoid more than 15 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The CCC has told the UK Government that restrictions on onshore fracking for shale gas must be continued until scientists have a better understanding of its full environmental impact.

Molson Coors Beverage Company, which produces drinks for brands including Carling and Doom bar in the UK, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) that will enable it to transition to 100% renewable electricity in the UK.

Reckitt, the parent company of brands including Air Wick and Dettol, has announced a three-year partnership with WWF focusing on nature conservation.

The UK Government has confirmed that will axe its Green Home Grant Scheme, which had £1.5bn of its £2bn funding pot withdrawn on Wednesday 31^st March.

Tesco has unveiled a new “climate manifesto”, pledging to help customers eat more sustainable diets, reducing food waste from farm to fork, and ramping up its efforts to become a net-zero business by 2035.

The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic delivered an estimated 10.7% reduction in carbon emissions in 2020, with total greenhouse gas emissions almost 50% lower than they were in 1990, which is the baseline this year for the UK’s net-zero target.

Unilever has outlined plans for delivering its 2039 net-zero target and will put them to a shareholder vote in May, in what is regarded as the first move of its kind by a multinational corporation.

An analysis of anti-deforestation work of 553 of the world’s largest businesses has found that just 1% are taking ‘best practice’ action. This is despite the multi-billion-dollar risks associated with inaction.

The government has issued £500m from the Green Homes Grant and £62m from a Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund to improve the energy efficiency of 50,000 UK households.

It’s been a busy week for electric vehicle (EV) news, with the UK government facing criticism over grant packages and charging infrastructure and Groupe Renault launching a new battery recycling scheme.

Nomad Foods, which owns brands such as Birds Eye, Findus and Green Cuisine, has unveiled a new partnership with the WWF that will deliver farming practices to protect and promote biodiversity while tackling the climate crisis.

The UK Government has today begun consulting on measures to reduce waste from sectors including fashion, furniture, electricals and electronics – including new charges that would see businesses contribute to recycling costs.

Retrofitting the UK’s building stock with low-carbon solutions could reduce national energy costs by £7.5bn a year, create more than 150,000 job over a 10-year period and cut carbon emissions by 30%, MPs have been told.

After pledging to become a net-zero business by 2040, Dixons Carphone has announced plans to help its 10,000 suppliers measure and reduce their climate impact.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is planning to outline a string of tax changes later this month, with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) urging him to use the moment to support the net-zero transition.

British American Tobacco (BAT) has updated an ambition of becoming carbon neutral across its business by 2030 to now account for its entire value chain by 2050.

Two of the worlds largest plastic users have agreed to set new reduction targets following intensive discussions with the As You Sow non-profit. After engagement with As You Sow, both companies have committed to raising ambitions to cut the use of virgin plastics for packaging.