An oil pump jack in a field with wind turbines in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Eddie Seal | Bloomberg | Getty Images A day-long Congressional hearing on ‘climate disinformation’ on Thursday, where executives of some of the world’s largest oil companies defended themselves against lawmakers, ended with House Oversight and Reform
Energy
For businesses, particularly CPG companies hoping to generate multiple sustainability benefits from their investments, look no further than seaweed. Why seaweed? “Seaweed is having a moment,” a recent CBS Morning News feature reported, in large part because of the role that it can play in restoring ocean health and addressing the climate crisis. The global
Gasoline prices at a Royal Dutch Shell Plc gas station in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings and announced it had set itself a bigger carbon reduction target. The Anglo-Dutch company
There is no shortage of early-stage startups developing software applications to support carbon accounting and emissions management — there’s even one, Sinai Technologies, working on analytics to help businesses set an internal price on carbon. As corporate interest in integrating and managing sustainability metrics intensifies, however, the category is attracting the notice of much more
In this article RY4C-IE AIR-FR A sign for arrivals at Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands. GAPS | iStock | Getty Images Plans to operate commercial hydrogen-electric flights between London and Rotterdam have been announced, with those behind the project hoping it will take to the skies in 2024. In a statement Wednesday, aviation
Reprinted from GreenFin Weekly, a free newsletter. Subscribe here. “Geen short selling meer,” or something to that effect, likely read the first recorded financial regulation, a ban on short selling, the practice of betting that a particular stock will go down. A lot has changed since the Dutch banned stock shorting in 1608. A lot,
In this article ENPH Solaray Director Jonathan Fisk moves a solar panel at the solar power installation company’s Sydney facility. Jason Reed | Reuters Shares of Enphase Energy surged more than 12% during extended trading on Tuesday after the company reported record revenue during the third quarter, despite ongoing headwinds from supply chain bottlenecks. The
Reprinted with permission from Planet Tracker. What messages should financial institutions be taking away from the recent United Nation Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in Kunming? With the financial markets focused on the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, it was easy to miss the biodiversity agenda. We believe there are three
A bucket-wheel reclaimer stands next to a pile of coal at the Port of Newcastle in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. David Gray | Bloomberg | Getty Images China is facing its worst power crisis in years due to a coal shortage. While Australia has the coal Beijing needs, the
Let’s assume for a moment that the negotiators and world leaders attending COP26, the United Nations climate summit starting next week, manage to cobble together enough of a consensus to declare victory. And that the whole two-week event taking over Glasgow, Scotland — part negotiation, part showcase, part three-ring spectacle — concludes with one of
A runner passes a sign advertising the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ. Mike Kemp | In Pictures | Getty Images London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone expanded on Monday, with the U.K. capital’s mayor describing the move as “a landmark day for our city.” The new ULEZ — covering a quarter of
Reprinted with permission from S&P Global Sustainable1. The confusing world of competing sustainability reporting frameworks and standards guiding companies and investors on ESG disclosure could soon get a little simpler. The 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, is scheduled to take place in Glasgow in November. And by the time it begins, the
Athletes and the broader sports community traditionally have not had much of a presence at prior global climate conferences. That will change at COP26, taking place next month in Glasgow, Scotland. The COP26 Sports Community Manifesto, signed by a global roster of more than 200 athletes, sports organizations and their leaders, will be presented to
This article originally ran as part of our Circularity Weekly newsletter . Imagine a semi-truck is barreling towards us. We can see it coming, so I try to move us away from its collision course. Your response wouldn’t be, “Wow, Lauren, you’re really passionate about 16 wheelers! Have you always been such a gearhead? I’m so
“We’ve been pressing the snooze button for 30 years,” said Johan Rockström, a co-developer of the planetary boundaries framework, last week during the TED Countdown Summit about the human response to climate change. He reminded the audience that the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the sixth report from the
This week’s run time is 46:54. WEEK IN REVIEW (4:40) FEATURES The promise of ‘reforestation in a box’ (14:05) The founder of Terraformation — former Reddit CEO Yishan Wong — addresses the challenge of scaling reforestation, which could generate an estimated $1 trillion in revenue for landowners in the coming decades. Athletes team up for
In this article SRG-IT ENR-DE The CEO of Siemens Energy has spoken of the challenges facing the green hydrogen sector, telling CNBC that there was “no commercial case” for it at this moment in time. In comments made during a discussion at CNBC’s Sustainable Future Forum on Tuesday, Christian Bruch outlined several areas that would
This article originally ran as part of our Food Weekly newsletter . Staying on top of a healthy and sustainable diet that incorporates individual needs and preferences can be daunting. Sometimes, I wish eating well was just like installing solar panels or buying an electric car: making a choice once that sets you up well for
In this article RY4C-IE The CEO of Ryanair has acknowledged the need for ambitious sustainable aviation fuel targets while also expressing concerns about how food prices could be affected. During a discussion at CNBC’s Sustainable Future Forum on Wednesday, Michael O’Leary said his firm was investing “a lot of money” with Trinity College Dublin on
Date/Time: November 18, 2021 (1-2PM ET / 10-11AM PT) As governments step up efforts to strengthen the Paris Agreement at COP26 and tackle the climate emergency, corporate action has never been more critical. Join our webinar and learn how, for the first time, corporations can achieve carbon neutrality, protect tropical rainforests, and directly support the
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leader Armin Laschet visit the construction site of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Gruenheide near Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2021. Patrick Pleul | Reuters Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the fundamental good the electric car maker does will be measured in the acceleration of the world
Reprinted from GreenFin Weekly, a free newsletter. Subscribe here. So, how’re we all doing, friends? I ask because, honestly, I’ve been better. I spent this past weekend plummeting down the climate Twitter rabbit hole of despair, and still haven’t quite clawed my way out again. Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough, or smart enough, to avoid
The concept of “clean coal” is a scam, according to former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Speaking with CNBC Tuesday as part of its Sustainable Future Forum, Turnbull said the idea of carbon capture and storage “simply doesn’t work” despite years of investments. “The proposition was that you would … effectively separate the CO2 from
This post originally appeared on NRDC’s Expert Blog. Global warming is escalating even faster than we thought. According to the recent IPCC Report, the global average temperature will approach and exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold in the next century. Crossing the temperature threshold projects more intense climate hazards, such as sea levels drastically
Afghanistan’s gross domestic product could see a contraction of up to 30% following the Taliban takeover, the IMF said in its latest regional economic report. Jihad Azour, director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia department, said the country’s situation was deteriorating, even before Kabul fell. “They were facing more than one shock — drought,
The circular economy — the idea of integrating sourcing, production and consumption within common systems to minimize waste, extend the life-cycle of products and stimulate innovation across the value chain to advance sustainability — is a powerful concept. While not a new idea — it builds upon methods such as life-cycle analysis and the pioneering
In this article VWS-DK The shadow of a turbine from a wind farm is seen on a field in Brandenburg, Germany. As technology develops, the size of wind turbines is increasing. Patrick Pleul | picture alliance | Getty Images Vestas has announced plans to install a prototype of its 15 megawatt offshore wind turbine at
In 1988, during the U.S. presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush famously said, “Those who think we are powerless to do anything about the greenhouse effect forget about the White House effect.” A third of a century later, that pithy sound bite turned out to be hollow, as most political pronouncements about climate change were at
A smokestack of the Wujing Coal-Electricity Power Station in Shanghai, China on September 28, 2021. Hector Retamal | AFP | Getty Images China may have to set aside its ambitious plans to cut carbon emissions — at least in the short term — in order to tide over its worsening power crisis, said analysts. “Like other markets
In cities, bodies of water have historically had a certain romantic allure. Technological changes in shipping and manufacturing have led to many urban waterfronts evolving from being sites of infrastructure and industry to places where people want to live, play and connect with nature. That transition has not come without consequence. Over the past several
All eyes at next month’s COP26 climate conference will be on governments’ willingness to back up their rhetoric on cutting greenhouse gas emissions with solid, verifiable commitments. Yet no matter what the politicians deliver, getting the job done will rest largely on the shoulders of the world’s business leaders. Business has undeniably helped fuel the
The growing supply of environmental, social and governance-related exchange-traded funds won’t be enough to meaningfully mitigate broad issues such as climate change, Van Eck Associates’ CEO says. “ESG is good as a coherent investment approach on a fund-by-fund basis to make a difference and it’s good signaling, but to put it in perspective, it’s not
This week’s run time is 37:56. WEEK IN REVIEW (2:30) FEATURES What’s in store for COP 26 (16:30) James Murray, editor in chief of BusinessGreen, offers a preview of developments we might expect from the highly anticipated summit starting Oct. 31 in Glasgow, Scotland. Tips for being ‘climate positive’ (27:40) Sustainable business strategist David Jaber
Disclosure: My transportation and boarding during the TED Countdown event was paid for by philanthropic donations to TED. What does it look like for a CEO of an oil company — or really any company that contributes greatly to climate change — to be held accountable? The TED Countdown conference this week offered one potential
A new cold front could open up in the political tension between the European Union and Russia over energy. This time in the Arctic. On Wednesday, the EU put forward proposals that could see it pushing to ban the tapping of new oil, coal and gas deposits in the Arctic in an effort, it said,
President Joe Biden has called for major clean energy investments as a way to curb climate change and generate jobs. On Sept. 8, the White House released a report produced by the U.S. Department of Energy that found that solar power could generate up to 45 percent of the U.S. electricity supply by 2050, compared
Prince William photographed during a visit to Dulwich Hamlet FC in south London on September 23, 2021. Kirsty O’Connor – WPA Pool | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Prince William appears to have taken a swipe at the space tourism espoused by some of the world’s most high-profile billionaires. Speaking to the BBC, William
Major corporate renewable energy deals announced in the third quarter of 2021 reached 2.4 gigawatts of capacity, tracking higher than Q3 2020 (at 1.8 GW) and well below Q3 2019 (which clocked 4.1 GW). A note about the Deal Tracker methodology: I do my best to track press releases, news alerts and stories every quarter
In this article TAN One level will make or break the recent rally in some solar stocks, according to Miller Tabak chief market strategist Matt Maley. The Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) has climbed nearly 12% since Monday and is on pace for its best week since March, as spiking oil prices draw investors back to
Dealing with climate change can seem impossibly costly. By all accounts, the toll will be many trillions of dollars annually for many years to come. So far, efforts have been patchy and painful. Washington is momentarily engaged in a high-wire act to fund a multitrillion-dollar, climate-focused package that could make or break Uncle Sam’s decarbonization
Electricity pylons are seen in front of the cooling towers of the coal-fired power station of German energy giant RWE in Weisweiler, western Germany, on January 26, 2021. Ina Fassbender | AFP | Getty Images Rising energy prices will increase business costs and narrow profit margins of companies around the world, a management consultant said
All hail accountants! The green-eyeshades profession’s stock has risen recently, as companies seek to address their sustainability challenges. Accountants’ ability to translate risks and opportunities into numbers, the theory goes, will enable the rest of us to evaluate the financial impacts and assess the resilience of a given product, brand or company. And by embedding
Woman pumps gas outside of Wawa storefront Saul loeb Energy prices are surging, and the economy is already feeling the pinch of higher fuel costs though it is far from stalling out. There is an unusual coincidence of much higher oil, natural gas and coal prices, combined with other rising commodities and supply chain disruptions.
It sounds miraculous: In February, as acute snowstorms and record-low temperatures pummeled the southern United States, as transportation hubs in Texas closed and the region came to a standstill, just one airport in the entire state remained open: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, better known as DFW. The historic, deadly Texas Freeze left millions without power
An ESS Inc battery. Photo courtesy ESS Inc ESS is trying to solve a critical problem with renewable energy: How to store energy from wind and solar installations when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. The company’s proposed solution is a long-duration energy storage batteries made of iron, salt and water, which
In August 2021, two wildfires surrounded the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in central Montana. By Aug. 11, more than 175,000 acres were ablaze, and all residents of Lame Deer, the largest town on the reservation, were asked to evacuate. Several communities lost power and cell service, and the local Boys and Girls Club set up door-to-door food
With just weeks to go until COP26 takes place in the Scottish city of Glasgow, discussions about sustainability, the environment and net-zero goals are at the forefront of many people’s minds. The stakes are high for the climate change summit, which will be hosted by the U.K. In a speech at the U.N. General Assembly
Mars has ramped up its net-zero target to cover its entire business and supply chain, including the greenhouse gases generated by its agriculture and suppliers as well as emissions produced by consumers using its food, drink and pet food products, the multinational firm announced this week. The new net zero by 2050 target marks a