Sustainability


  • ING becomes first global bank with SBTi-validated targets

    The bank set targets to reduce its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions for 2030, as well as portfolio targets related to its fossil fuel financing.

    By March 27, 2025
  • The Google logo is displayed on a building.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Google announces four sustainability partnerships aimed at water stewardship, farming

    The projects build on Google’s target to restore the volume of freshwater consumed across its offices and data centers, on average, by 120% by 2030.

    By March 27, 2025
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference on February 01, 2023 in Sacramento, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    California Gov. Newsom uses judicial streamlining provision to advance 600 MW of solar, storage

    A BayWa r.e. solar and battery farm is the 24th project to benefit from the California Environmental Quality Act’s judicial streamlining provision.

    By Diana DiGangi • March 27, 2025
  • The facade of a JLL office.
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    Marlon Trottmann via Getty Images
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    JLL acquires renewable energy banking firm Javelin Capital

    The global commercial real estate firm said the acquisition will “significantly enhance” the company’s capabilities in the U.S. energy and infrastructure markets.

    By March 26, 2025
  • A facade of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signage on the wall of its building
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    Joe Cicak via Getty Images
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    EPA to review ‘waters of the U.S.’ rule

    The rule defines which wetlands or bodies of water fall under the Clean Water Act. The three previous presidential administrations have adjusted its scope.

    By Mary Salmonsen • March 26, 2025
  • The Amazon logo seen at Amazon campus in Palo Alto, California on February 18, 2020.
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    hapabapa via Getty Images
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    Amazon launches carbon credit service through sustainability hub

    The credits will be available to its U.S. supply chain partners, enterprise customers and Climate Pledge signatories with certain emissions reporting, net-zero targets and decarbonization strategies.

    By March 25, 2025
  • Al gore speaks onstage at a climate summit.
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    Bennett Raglin via Getty Images
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    CalSTRS, Microsoft anchor $175M funding round for Al Gore-backed Just Climate

    Just Climate’s Natural Climate Solutions strategy will focus on avoiding emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land use while also delivering “attractive returns.”

    By March 25, 2025
  • Stephen Lamar and Joanne Crevoiserat sit on a stage in conversation.
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    Courtesy of EPNAC
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    How fashion leaders are thinking about tariffs, textile sustainability

    Companies should focus on smart sourcing and responsible manufacturing in response to fluctuating tariffs, per Stephen Lamar, president and CEO of the American Apparel and Footwear Association.

    By Laurel Deppen • March 25, 2025
  • A JPMorgan Chase logo stands in front of a building on a city street.
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    subman via Getty Images
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    JPMorgan rebrands DEI, leaves Net-Zero Asset Managers initiative

    The bank said it will swap “equity” for “opportunity” in its DEI policy and that it left NZAM due to the net-zero group’s operational pause.

    By March 24, 2025
  • Circular Federal Triangle Environmental Protection Agency EPA Washington DC
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    bpperry via Getty Images
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    Federal judge blocks EPA’s $14B GGRF funding freeze

    The EPA “proffered no evidence to support their basis for the sudden terminations, or that they followed the proper procedures,” said U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. 

    By Diana DiGangi • March 24, 2025
  • Offshore wind turbines are seen standing in the ocean against a blue sky.
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    Fokkebok via Getty Images
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    EPA yanks air quality permit for 1.5-GW Atlantic Shores offshore wind project

    EPA Region 2 requested the permit remand as part of President Trump’s mandated review of offshore wind projects, the agency said.

    By Diana DiGangi • March 21, 2025
  • A conference participant walks past a spinning representation of Planet Earth during the UNFCCC COP27.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    SBTi releases draft of updated corporate net-zero standard

    The Science Based Targets initiative said this “Version 2” of the standard focuses on companies going “from ambition to progress.”

    By March 20, 2025
  • A factory is seen with a cloud of smoke behind it, demonstrating emissions.
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    Lukas Schulze/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    30 businesses launch initiative to scale carbon markets, harmonize carbon credit data

    The Carbon Data Open Protocol is backed by a group of corporations, nonprofits and public sector organizations and aims to “dramatically scale” the markets.

    By March 19, 2025
  • A person looks out over the turbines across the river.
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    Amid shifting views on ESG, investors retain climate focus: Berkeley Climate Summit

    Anti-ESG backlash, reporting hurdles and regulatory uncertainty have put sustainability at a crossroads, panelists said.

    By Suman Bhattacharyya • March 19, 2025
  • Amazon, AI, FlowMS, Base Building, Refrigeration monitoring
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    georgeclerk via Getty Images
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    Amazon to expand its use of in-house AI tools to conserve water, reduce energy use

    The tools have helped identify underground water leaks, faulty energy meters and malfunctioning refrigeration equipment at its facilities, the company says.

    By Brian Martucci • March 19, 2025
  • Business executive seen talking to an engineer in workwear in front of solar panels.
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    Max Kegfire via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Sustainability as strategy: Why smart companies keep ESG policies despite political headwinds

    ESG integration delivers operational benefits that transcend political viewpoints, says Aquent Sustainable Solutions Vice President Jody Mousseau.

    By Jody Mousseau • March 18, 2025
  • Newly-installed solar panels face the sky at the construction site of a new solar energy park as wind turbines spin behind in Germany.
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    IRA credits and energy demand continue to drive renewables investments

    Despite the Trump administration’s focus on fossil fuels and opposition to the IRA, analysts anticipate the renewables market will continue benefiting from high energy demand.

    By Diana DiGangi • March 18, 2025
  • Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, delivers a speech in front of the European Parliament
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    Johannes Simon via Getty Images
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    EU sustainability, supply chain simplification efforts face ‘split’ parliament, experts say

    Efforts to simplify compliance “shouldn't compromise the protection of the people and the planet,” a policy adviser to a member of the European Parliament said at a conference.

    By March 17, 2025
  • People seen walking down Wall Street.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    US banks turn to SEC to dodge climate, social shareholder proposals

    The agency has largely denied the requests, ruling that banks must put the requests to disclose its clean energy financing ratios and indigenous rights practices to a vote.

    By March 14, 2025
  • A power plant with stacks of coal sits at a bend in a river.
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    halbergman via Getty Images
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    EPA aims to roll back power sector regulations in broad deregulatory push

    It would likely take several years — potentially into the next presidency — to revise at least some of the targeted regulations, according to analysts.

    By Ethan Howland • March 14, 2025
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    Dan Kitwood/Getty Image via Getty Images
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    Lego ramps up sustainable investments, nearly tripling green spending over 2 years

    The Denmark-based toy manufacturer said its green investments last year were nearly three times what it spent on the sector in 2022.

    By March 14, 2025
  • A Walmart paper mailer.
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    Courtesy of Walmart
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    Walmart says it’s unlikely to meet 2025 plastic, recycling targets

    The largest U.S. retailer discussed challenges to increasing post-consumer recycled content adoption. More than two-thirds of its global private-brand packaging was recyclable, reusable or industrially compostable in 2023, according to a company update.

    By Maria Rachal • March 13, 2025
  • Nuclear power plant structures stand along a shoreline.
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    The image by Peretz Partensky is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Amazon, Google, Meta join pledge to help triple global nuclear capacity

    “This is not the end; it is just the beginning,” the World Nuclear Association’s director general said of the 14 companies who committed to help expand nuclear capacity by 2050.

    By March 13, 2025
  • An image of a man's face appears amid a soft foreground and background.
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    EPA revisiting dozens of climate, environment rules in ‘day of deregulation’

    The agency said it would roll back a range of rules and programs, including some that are foundational to its efforts to address climate change. A new “waters of the U.S.” definition is expected, as well as rollbacks to an emissions reporting program.

    By Jacob Wallace • March 13, 2025
  • The exterior of the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C.
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Supreme Court won’t hear lawsuit on Democrat-led states’ climate litigation

    The court declined to take up a suit that pitted 19 Republican-led states against five Democratic-led states that are pursuing lawsuits against major oil companies.

    By March 12, 2025