Costa Rica to ban fossil fuels and become world’s first decarbonised society
New president embraces ‘titanic and beautiful task’ of complete renewable energy transition.
Sustainability
This archive tracks real progress on sustainability — from clean energy adoption and circular economy breakthroughs to policy wins and community-led conservation efforts. Each story focuses on what’s working, where, and why it matters for the long-term health of people and the planet.
California becomes first state to order solar on new homes
Most new units built after Jan. 1, 2020, will be required to include solar systems as part of the standards adopted by the California Energy Commission.
Global clean energy sector now employs more than 10 million for the first time ever
More than half a million jobs around the world were created in the renewable energy sector in 2017, bringing the total number of people employed in the sector to more than 10 million for the first time
E.U. plans to spend a quarter of its budget on climate protection
A quarter of the €1.279 trillion budget for 2021 to 2027 will be dedicated to spending designed to combat climate change. That includes funding for renewable energy, efficiency improvements, and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
All 197 Paris Agreement signatories now taking climate action
A policy brief published on Monday by U.K.-based climate research institute the Grantham Institute finds there are now over 1,500 laws and policies in place worldwide, up from only 72 in 1997, with 106 introduced since the Paris Agreement was finalised at the end of 2015.
Every major supermarket in Britain agrees to ban unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by 2025
The agreement, organised by Government-backed waste charity Wrap, is a world-leading collaborative effort by Britain’s biggest consumer companies to tackle the scourge of plastic waste on the environment.
E.U. Parliament approves new measures to create a circular economy
“By 2025, at least 55% of municipal waste (from households and businesses) should be recycled. The target will rise to 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035.”
Wells Fargo commits $200bn towards low carbon projects by 2030
The US banking giant said more than $100bn of its commitment was earmarked for clean technology, renewable energy, green bonds, low emission transportation and other projects that “directly support the transition to a low carbon economy”.
HSBC to stop financing most new coal plants, oil sands, arctic drilling
Europe’s largest bank HSBC said on Friday it would mostly stop funding new coal power plants, oil sands and arctic drilling, becoming the latest in a long line of investors to shun the fossil fuels.
The U.K. goes 55 hours without using coal for the first time in history
No coal was used for power generation by stations in the U.K. between 10:25 p.m. in London on Monday until 5:10 a.m. on Thursday.