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UK is set to become the first G20 country to enshrine in law mandatory Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)-aligned requirements for Britain’s largest companies and financial institutions to report on climate-related risks and opportunities, the government has announced. From 6 April 2022, over 1,300 of the largest UK-registered companies and financial institutions will have to disclose climate-related financial information...

Over half of homeowners (55%) have plans for green home improvements over the next decade, however costs and finance options are the greatest barriers to carrying these improvements out, according to new research by NatWest and IHS Markit. The latest survey from the Greener Homes Attitude Tracker, based on responses from 4,500 people across the UK in the third quarter...

The Scottish Government believes that the country's net zero commitment presents the perfect opportunity to revisit and reassess their original Onshore Wind Policy Statement, published in 2017 and has now launched a consultation on the draft. The consultation will consider how the Scottish Government can strengthen its support for Onshore Wind deployment in Scotland, specifically consulting on their ambition for...

Children and young people (aged 8-15) would like to do more to help look after the environment, according to new national statistics published by Natural England. The Children’s People and Nature Survey asked a 'younger and nationally representative sample' to report on their thoughts and feelings about environmental protection, as well as wider topics such as what they enjoy most about...

Inconsistent Government policy on green jobs and a knowledge-gap in necessary skills are resulting in missed opportunities, the Environmental Audit Committee has warned. In their latest report, entitled Green Jobs, the Committee expresses 'disappointment' that despite announcements committing millions of pounds to green jobs initiatives, the Government is yet to define what a ‘green job’ is, and how it will...

First Minister Mark Drakeford and Climate Change Minister Julie James have called for a ‘decade of action’ to tackle the climate change crisis as they published Net Zero Wales – the next phase in the Welsh government's journey towards a ‘greener, stronger, fairer’ country. Focusing on the Welsh Government’s second carbon budget (2021-2025), the emissions reduction plan contains more than...

"We all need to start thinking about a net-negative future", Tej Gidda, Vice President and Future Energy Global Leader at GHD, tells ICON in his opinion piece.       When COVID-19 struck, we all got a glimpse of how quickly nature can rebound, given the chance. As a result, the global collective consciousness shifted towards sustainability and greener lifestyle choices. We have now...

The Scottish Government will no longer support unlimited recovery of hydrocarbons including oil and gas, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reiterated. The Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Agreement have set out the position that countries around the world, including the UK, 'cannot continue with unlimited recovery of hydrocarbons if the aims of the Paris Agreement are to be met'. The...

Today Chancellor Rishi Sunak opened his red briefcase to reveal the Autumn Budget and Spending Review. In his speech at the House of Parliament, Mr Sunak recognised the backdrop of rising inflation, stating that the majority of this rise in inflation can be explained by two global forces: rising demand for goods as economies around the world reopen and surge...

£4.3 million of extra funding for councils across the country designed to support them make an extra 100,000 engagements with the most difficult to reach landlords with the worst performing properties, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has announced. Since April last year, privately rented homes must meet a minimum energy performance rating of Energy Performance Certificate...