Category: Comment

Are there reasons to be optimistic about the latest energy trends? It may be a rare case, but I always enjoy diving into the flagship reports from the big international energy and climate agencies. It’s the big picture stuff that gives the context to what every sustainability-minded business is doing. Though I do find that…

Investors and entrepreneurs don’t always speak the same language. That’s maybe even more true in cleantech. Just before the long Easter weekend, I spent the day at the Nexus building in Leeds for GreenTech Gathering‘s special event on funding for early-stage climate tech companies. The unwieldily-named Green Innovation Ecosystem Catalyst brought together northern entrepreneurs with…

Despite what some parties want you to believe, most people in the UK do support climate action.  A new report from the IPPR, Apathy and opposition: Understanding the real threats to net zero, repeats a message we’ve heard from plenty of other studies. Most people do support climate action, despite the rhetoric and denialism polluting the…

Do we need to reset the way we talk about climate change and sustainability? That was a common question across the discussions at this week’s Reset Connect North conference.  As pictured above, Professor Piers Forster of the UK’s Climate Change Committee had a clear message about the reality of the climate crisis. Aimed at what…

There’s hundreds of innovative energy technologies out there competing for attention and investment. What really matters? I always find plenty of food for thought in the regular Innovating to Net Zero reports from the UK’s Energy Systems Catapult. The 2026 edition is no exception.  These reports are wide-ranging studies of how innovative energy generation, transmission…

Is coal burning the biggest contributor to climate change? During a discussion this week about the legacy of the UK’s coal industry, I wondered aloud whether coal emissions were the biggest contributor to the world’s current excess of atmospheric carbon dioxide.  Coal has obviously played a huge role in our current crisis. Humanity has been…

Make 2026 the year that you get to grip with the risks of greenwashing.  Even if you’re not seeking to mislead, vague claims about your sustainability credentials can damage your reputation and your finances. You need to be clear and accurate in everything you say.   The term “greenwashing” isn’t new. It was coined in the…

B Corp status is a clear marketing win for a company, but the process can also unlock other benefits for effective and meaningful communications. I had an enlightening evening with the Yorkshire & Humber B Local network celebrating 10 years of the UK B Corp movement.  B Corps are companies which have demonstrated high standards…

Is the UK government greenhushing its flagship energy policy?  It’d be easy to miss the release of the latest Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan. It’s an ambitious but, I think, realistic plan to rewire and reenergise the national economy.  In line with the 2008 Climate Change Act, the plan sets out how the UK can…