Greenprint

What happened?

The Science Based Targets initiative released its first Financial Institutions Net-Zero Standard, enabling banks, asset managers, investors and other financial institutions to set science-based targets aligned with net-zero by 2050 for their lending, investing and underwriting activities.

What does this mean for businesses?

Financial institutions can now set credible net-zero targets covering their portfolio activities, whilst companies seeking finance should prepare for enhanced climate scrutiny as lenders and investors adopt science-based climate requirements.

What happened?

The International Court of Justice ruled that governments can be held legally responsible for climate inaction, stating that existing international law obliges all countries to fight global warming regardless of Paris Agreement membership status.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies should expect increased government climate action driven by legal obligations, whilst preparing for potential liability exposure as climate attribution science advances and courts establish precedents for climate-related damages and compensation.

What happened?

PwC's 2025 State of Decarbonisation report reveals corporate sustainability initiatives are quietly progressing and becoming more rigorous, with renewable energy adoption surging and companies finding business value through climate and decarbonisation efforts.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies should maintain and strengthen climate commitments as sustainability delivers competitive advantage through supply chain resilience, cost efficiency and market positioning, despite political noise about corporate backpedalling on climate goals.

What happened?

The UK government confirmed plans to integrate greenhouse gas removals into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme by 2029, creating new compliance market opportunities for removal developers whilst maintaining strict 200-year permanence thresholds and ex-post issuance only.

What does this mean for businesses?

Removal project developers gain access to new compliance market demand improving project scalability, whilst companies should prepare for enhanced carbon removal procurement options, though EU ETS alignment could alter these timelines significantly.

What happened?

The Met Office warned that the UK is breaking heat and rainfall records increasingly frequently as its climate continues to warm, with extreme weather events becoming the new normal rather than exceptional occurrences across Britain.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies must integrate extreme weather resilience into core business planning, requiring enhanced infrastructure protection, flexible operations, and comprehensive risk management strategies as climate impacts intensify and become routine.

What happened?

UK green jobs have surged by 34% in under a decade as the clean economy gains momentum, with businesses in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and recycling sectors steadily transforming the UK's workforce and creating sustainable employment opportunities.

What does this mean for businesses?

The expanding green economy presents significant recruitment and growth opportunities. Companies should invest in workforce retraining and green skills development to capitalise on the clean energy transition and meet evolving market demands.

What happened?

The Office for Budget Responsibility found that government investment needed to reach net zero has halved to 6% of GDP over the next 25 years, to 2050, down from 11% estimated four years ago, while unchecked global warming could cost 8% of GDP by the 2070s.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies can accelerate net-zero investments with confidence, as costs have fallen dramatically, while the economic case for climate action strengthens, given that the severe financial risks of inaction significantly outweigh the transition costs.

What happened?

Heavy rains in South Korea killed at least 17 people, with 11 missing, after five days of torrential downpours caused landslides and flooding, including a deadly landslide at a campsite in Gapyeong that left families stranded and missing.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies must strengthen extreme weather preparedness and supply chain resilience, as intensifying monsoons and flooding events threaten business continuity and require enhanced emergency response capabilities.

What happened?

NHS England launched a market sounding seeking views on draft technical requirements for the April 2027 milestone, requiring all suppliers to publicly report targets, emissions and carbon reduction plans for global Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions aligned to NHS net-zero.

What does this mean for businesses?

Healthcare suppliers should participate in the consultation running until September 2025 to influence final requirements, whilst preparing for mandatory comprehensive emissions reporting and net-zero alignment that goes beyond current PPN 006 standards.

What happened?

The European Commission proposed amending the EU Climate Law to set a 2040 climate target of 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies operating in Europe must prepare for accelerated decarbonisation requirements, to meet the ambitious intermediate target on the road towards 2050 climate neutrality.

What happened?

The Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has approved the Mona offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea, capable of generating 1.5GW annually to power over one million homes, boosting clean energy capacity within the UK.

What does this mean for businesses?

The UK renewable energy sector gains momentum with major infrastructure approvals, potentially reducing energy costs and supporting corporate renewable energy procurement strategies.

What happened?

Catastrophic flash floods across Central Texas have killed dozens of people, with many still missing. The Guadalupe River rose rapidly after excessive rainfall, sweeping away mobile homes and holiday cabins.

What does this mean for businesses?

Devastating events such as these highlight the need for extreme weather preparedness as climate change increases flood frequency and intensity, requiring robust emergency planning, insurance coverage, and operational strategies for weather-related disruptions.

What happened?

The Climate Change Committee's 2025 progress report found improved government policies for emissions reduction but warned that adaptation efforts remain constrained, with only 5% of adaptation recommendations achieved and significant gaps in delivery.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies should accelerate both mitigation and adaptation strategies as government policy gaps persist, requiring enhanced climate resilience planning and proactive risk management to address physical climate impacts independently of policy support.

What happened?

A new study has found that European cities now endure extreme heat for up to five months annually, with Athens experiencing around 145 days of high temperatures from mid-May to early October, far beyond traditional summer months.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies must adapt operations for extended heat seasons, requiring enhanced cooling systems, flexible working arrangements, and supply chain adjustments, whilst healthcare and energy sectors face increased demand during prolonged extreme temperature periods.

What happened?

The Science Based Targets initiative is calling for companies to pilot test its draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2, following public consultation that ended in June, with the pilot running until August to ensure the standard is effective and practical.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies can help shape the future of net-zero target-setting by participating in the pilot, whilst those with existing SBTi targets should prepare for updated requirements that will enhance scope 3 emissions approaches and continuous improvement.

What happened?

The UK government published updated GHG conversion factors for 2025, showing changes such as a 15% decrease in electricity emissions, 16-42% reductions in air travel factors, and a 25% increase in water supply emissions reflecting grid decarbonisation.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies will see notable changes in reported emissions across all scopes, with electricity and travel footprints likely decreasing whilst water-related emissions increase, requiring updated carbon accounting and potentially revised net-zero strategies.

What happened?

The United Nations recognised three new World Restoration Flagships in East Africa, Mexico, and Spain for their ecosystem restoration efforts, collectively restoring nearly five million hectares of marine ecosystems as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies can learn from these flagship restoration models to enhance their own nature-based solutions and biodiversity strategies, whilst demonstrating that large-scale ecosystem restoration delivers measurable benefits for both planet and business resilience.

What happened?

Over 35 senior UK academics from ecology, economics, and public health delivered an open letter to the Prime Minister on 9 June, urging the government to place nature at the centre of economic and climate policy decisions for enhanced resilience and sustainability.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies should anticipate stronger integration of nature considerations into UK economic policy, creating opportunities for nature-positive business models whilst requiring enhanced environmental impact assessments and biodiversity strategies.

What happened?

Leading climate scientists warn that the planet's remaining carbon budget to achieve a 66% chance of staying below 1.5°C warming is just 80 billion tonnes of CO2 from 2025, which will be exhausted within two years at current emission rates.

What does this mean for businesses?

Companies must dramatically accelerate emissions reductions immediately as the window for 1.5°C is rapidly closing, requiring urgent implementation of decarbonisation strategies across all operations and value chains.

What happened?
The COP30 President has issued his third letter to attending governments, emphasising that COP30 can be “that pivot point” to move beyond the status quo, with priorities including tripling renewables, fossil fuel transition and adaptation frameworks.

What does this mean for businesses?
Companies should prepare for accelerated climate expectations as Brazil positions COP30 as decisive for global cooperation, with renewed focus on renewable targets, fossil fuel transitions and adaptation frameworks.