LATEST NEWS & VIEWS

ON THE HOTTEST DAY: HIGH COURT RULES NET-ZERO STRATEGY IS ‘UNLAWFUL’
Against the backdrop of several days of extreme heat, there was never a more poignant time for the High Court to deliver a ruling on Climate Change. The Court delivered a crushing blow to the Government, declaring the UK Net-Zero Strategy as “unlawful”. In a landmark...

ENGLISH WATER COMPANIES ‘WORSE THAN EVER’ ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
The Environmental Agency has published the 2021 Environmental Performance Report, providing a summary of England’s nine water and sewerage companies and has concluded that performance across the board was terrible. Measured against a four-star rating, most were graded...

QUEEN’S SPEECH: ENERGY BILL MUST ALIGN WITH NET-ZERO AND THE COST CRISIS
The UK government set out its legislative agenda for the 2022-23 session of Parliament in today’s Queen Speech. Including outline proposals to drive energy security and transport changes. The proposals including in the announcement focused on driving economic growth,...

NEW CLIMATE-FOCUSED EDUCATION STRATEGY UNVEILED
The Department for Education has launched its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy which includes the launch of a new Natural History GCSE. This follows previous commitments to make all education establishments Net-Zero Carbon in operation. New curriculum...

ENVIRONMENT BILL: NEW TARGETS AND NATURE RECOVERY PLANS UNVEILED
New, long-term environmental targets have been announced by the Government to boost biodiversity, protect habitats, reduce water consumption and pollution, and halve waste. The new targets will be consulted on and, if supported, will be enshrined in law through the...

RICS LAUNCHS NEW INTERNATIONAL BUILDING OPERATION STANDARD FRAMEWORK
A new framework, the International Building Operation Standard (IBOS), has been developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) which is expected to improve building use and support more flexible working environments. The Framework has been unveiled...

THE JOURNEY TO A ‘B’ GRADE EPC
A Strategic Approach to the New Requirements with the Net Zero Carbon Context An estimated 1 million non-domestic buildings will need to undergo upgrade works to meet the government’s proposed ‘B’ grade Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) by 2030. The government...

CLEAR LACK OF COMMITMENT TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AS GOVERNMENT SLASHES SUBSIDY
The Government has announced cuts to the Plug-in Car Grant for the second time this year demonstrating a lack of commitment to the future of electrifying vehicles. Given the recent hike in fuel costs, this has not been well-received by car manufacturers and motorists....

UK CCC CALLS FOR GREATER GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO NET ZERO
The Climate Change Committee has called for the Government to demonstrate greater ambition to achieve the measures outlined in the Glasgow Climate agreement signed at COP26. The UK's climate watchdog has called on the UK Government to deliver a "genuine increase in...

WORLD LEADERS AGREE GLASGOW CLIMATE PACT AT COP 26
With the COP26 Summit drawing to a close In Glasgow, world leaders have agreed a new 'Glasgow Climate Pact'. All nations have agreed to set new climate targets by the end of next year, the phasing down of unabated fossil fuel use and the ending of inefficient...