Feature Articles

The Government has laid out ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions from the UK by 2050 and has embarked on a nationwide campaign to engage UK businesses to promote greater sustainability and greener innovation. A foremost step towards this initiative is examining and evaluating your carbon footprint to consider mitigation. Great potential lies within Carbon Offsetting (CO) as a genuine contribution to existing carbon footprint management and mitigation strategy.

Escalating food prices, energy bills, and political tension accompany a recent jump in the cost of gas. With no other contender mature or agile enough to take its place, natural gas occupies a unique position in the UK’s energy sector. Jack Barwise explores the current energy crisis, the role of global gas shortages, and what businesses can expect in the coming months.

On 23 June 2020, the Court of Appeal gave judgement in the case of R (Friends of Antique Cultural Treasures Ltd) v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Friends of Antique Cultural Treasures Ltd had appealed against the refusal of its application for judicial review of the Ivory Act 2018.

With less than one month to go before the UK hosts COP26, there is growing pressure on all countries to deliver on their net zero commitments and avoid a global climate catastrophe. But the process of securing an agreement amongst 190+ nations over what needs to be done and who should pay for it, is far more complex, as John Barwise explains.

Has the change to self-isolation rules in the UK increased the risk of a Covid-19 outbreak in the workplace?

This year’s Zero Waste Week annual campaign gave local authorities and businesses the opportunity to encourage all of us to reduce, reuse and recycle more of our waste. Caroline Hand reflects on the Week and the impact it had.

On 21 December 2020, the High Court gave judgement in this case where Anglian Water Services Ltd applied for judicial review of a decision by the Environment Agency in relation to the classification of bathing water.

The risks from Covid-19 are still very much present in the workplace and it is important to remember that employers have a duty of care towards their employees to protect the health and safety of their workforce. This information is being continually checked and updated.

From revolutionary to ruinous, plastics breathed life into the current age we live in today. Now we face decisions and policy to wean businesses away from the lifeline that plastics offered to a more sustainable means of production in order to mitigate pollution, habitat loss and climate change. Existing commitments are to be reconsidered and even redoubled where new zero-waste and carbon reduction targets are to be met in earnest. Max Starr reports.

Many businesses and organisations have announced their intention to become carbon net zero. This is possible for larger companies, but what about the small business community?