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The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on skills requirements for energy efficiency, zero emissions and low carbon heating systems, microgeneration and heat networks for homes. The recently published draft Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out a vision for decarbonising heat and reducing energy demand across all buildings in Scotland. According to the Scottish Government, this vision can only be...

The Government is seeking views on proposals for the closure of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive-scheme (DRHI) to new applications on 31 March 2022. Last year the government extended the deadline for new applications to the DRHI to 31 March 2022, and the scheme will close, with the last payments being made, in 2029. The proposed reforms seek to: Simplify scheme...

Number of women on FTSE 350 boards has risen from 682 to 1026 in five years, according to a final report from the government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review. The Review was launched in 2016 to encourage UK-listed companies to appoint more women to their boards and into senior leadership positions. Hampton-Alexander Review Chair, Sir Philip Hampton, commented on the report: "There’s been excellent...

The Welsh Government is consulting on a new Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill, which seeks to achieve socially responsible procurement and strengthen social partnerships in Wales. Suggestions featured in the draft Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill include: Creating a Social Partnership Council. Setting out duties on specified public bodies to ensure that social, economic, cultural and environmental...

A call for evidence into exemptions regime from requirements to hold electricity licences has been extended to 8 March 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The exemptions regime includes the legislation, powers and policy for granting exemptions from the requirement for a licence for the generation, distribution and supply of electricity. The current regime has been in place since the Electricity...

E10 petrol, a mixture of petrol and ethanol made from materials including low-grade grains, sugars and waste wood, is set to be introduced at pumps up and down the country in September. According to the Government, introduction of the fuel on UK roads could cut transport carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of taking...

Scotland is the first country in the UK to legislate to support the growth of heat networks after the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill has been passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament. The Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill creates a new licensing system that seeks to drive up standards across the sector, improving consumer confidence. It also seeks to create new rights for...

The Chief Executive of the Environment Agency (EA) has called for a 'modern approach to regulation' in order to protect air, land, and water from future threats, including the climate emergency as the EA publishes the annual report of its regulation work. Comprising data from regulatory activities in 2019, the 'Regulation for people, the Environment and Growth'-report shows many improving...

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will be examining what role community energy could be playing in decarbonising energy and heat in a new investigation. Community energy projects involve groups of people coming together to purchase, manage, generate or reduce consumption of energy. Since most community energy projects focus on renewable power and/or energy efficiency, they could play a vital role in...

Two consultation documents have been launched on measures to eradicate modern slavery from Northern Ireland's supply chains, including imposing transparency requirements on the country's public sector organisations for the first time. Transparency in supply chains (TISC) involves relevant businesses publishing a modern slavery statement and setting out the steps they have taken to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not...