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Published every week, this series charts how businesses and sustainability professionals are working to achieve their ‘Mission Possible’ across five key campaign pillars – energy, resources, infrastructure, mobility and business leadership. We’re back with this series after a two-week break around COP27.
Across the UK and the rest of Europe, leading businesses, cities, states and regions are turning environmental ambitions into action. Here, we round up five positive sustainability stories from this week.
ENERGY: Construction competed with a 50MW wind farm in Greece
Last month, EY published its latest bi-annual ranking of national markets in terms of how attractive they are to renewable energy investors. Austria and Greece were the biggest climbers, each ranked five times higher than the previous edition. EY noted that Greece’s work to streamline onshore wind licensing contributed to its improved score.
Now, Greece has another new onshore wind farm. Iberdrola confirmed this week that installation is complete on the 12-turbine Askio III wind farm in Galatini, Western Macedonia. The project includes the extension of the nearest substation and the laying of 30km of cable.
Iberdrola stated that if the project is not completed before winter, there could be significant delays, as snow accumulates in the surrounding mountains for most of the year. Today, 54,000 homes will benefit from the clean electricity generated at the facility this season.
RESOURCES: Asda ensures that refills will be cheaper than pre-packaged products
A survey of more than 2,000 UK adults earlier this year, carried out by City to Sea, found that 40% believe that refillable or other plastic-free options are always more expensive than pre-packaged products. Cost concerns were found to be a major barrier to replenishing the cost of living crisis.
It’s welcome news, then, that Asda has promised shoppers using one of its stores with a refill offer that refills will always be cheaper than packaged alternatives. Supermarkets, such as City to Sea, found that cost perception was a major blocker in scaling refills, through research it conducted in partnership with WRAP.
Refills are available at Asda stores in York, Milton Keynes, Glasgow (Toryglen) and Leeds (Middleton). Shoppers at these locations get refillable cereals, pet food, snacks, tea, coffee, pasta, rice and pulses. Also offered are ‘pre-filled’ cleaning products, shower gels and hand washes from Unilever-owned brands.
Asda’s senior director of sustainable commercial activity, Susan Thomas, said: “As well as being cheaper, refills allow customers to buy the exact amount they need, helping them stick to budgets, while at the same time reducing food waste at home.
MOBILITY: Ford has committed £150m to EV manufacturing in Britain
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) made a call to action to the UK Government earlier this week, calling for a concerted “action plan” to safeguard the future of car manufacturing. The influential trade body said would-be investors are being put off by high energy prices and skill shortages around electric vehicles (EVs).
Then, on Thursday (1 December), Ford confirmed it would increase investment in EV-related skills and infrastructure at its Halewood hub in Merseyside from £25m to £150m. The investment ensures jobs for 500 people.
Ford said in a statement that the location is “integral” in delivering its EV plans across Europe. It will end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in Europe by 2030; a 2035 date was set for the vans. The investment should enable the plant to increase EV production capacity by 70%.
“This is a very important next step for Ford towards having nine EVs on sale in two years,” said Ford UK chairman Tim Slatter. “ Our UK workforce has played a major role in Ford’s all-electric future, demonstrated by Halewood’s pivot to a new zero-emission powertrain, and E:PRiME’s innovation at Dunton in finalizing production processes. “
THE BUILDING ENVIRONMENT: Fiera Real Estate is setting a 2035 net-zero target
British real estate investment manager Fiera, which manages more than 330 properties worldwide worth more than $5.6bn, pledged this week to become a net-zero business by 2035. Covered by target emissions across all ranges, including embodied carbon and financed emissions.
Fiera worked with Planet Mark to measure its emissions and develop a plan to address its Scope 1 and 2 emissions. It recognizes that these emissions have a “small” proportion of its total footprint, making progress on it a priority first step.
The business has pledged to target net-zero for all new developments, updating requirements for all assets held within its UK development fund. It will also develop plans to address emissions from existing properties.
“We all have a responsibility to accelerate action against climate change and contribute to achieving credible carbon reduction targets,” said Fiera UK’s global head of ESG, Jessica Pilz. “Our net-zero carbon pathway makes a clear commitment to achieving net zero by 2035 and our goal is to deliver this, despite the headwinds we face in the market.”
PLACEMENT LEADERSHIP: Three UK universities have signaled the end of campus oil and gas recruitment
It is often said that one of the biggest challenges in the net-zero transition is the need to dramatically change education and training offerings to create a skilled workforce. There was some positive movement in this space this week as the UK Government unveiled a £9.2m plan to upskill workers in the energy, heating and buildings sectors to prepare them for installation of energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heating.
Elsewhere, the University of Bedforshire, University of the Arts London and Wrexham Glyndwr University went all out this week to prevent graduates from taking up careers in high-carbon industries. Universities have adopted a policy that explicitly prohibits oil, gas and mining companies from employing their career services, meaning such companies cannot attend recruitment fairs or post listings. in their digital services.
The move follows campaigns by student-led charity People and Planet. The organization has already succeeded in getting Birkbeck to make the same commitment.
Wrexham Glyndwr University Students’ Union president Lauren Hole said the news was “another example of our University’s ongoing efforts to implement positive change for our students.” He added: “We hope this will act as a catalyst for neighboring Welsh institutions to follow suit in striving for excellence in both ethical and sustainable practice.”
© Faversham House Ltd 2022 edie news articles may be copied or forwarded for individual use only. No other reproduction or distribution is permitted without prior written permission.
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