HSBC departs Net-Zero Banking Alliance, following US banks

The U.K.-based bank became the latest to exit the United Nations-backed NZBA, following in the footsteps of Wall Street's exodus from climate alliances.

Mars unveils emissions reduction progress, launches $250M green investment fund

The confectionery giant has reduced its emissions by over 16% from a 2015 baseline, while scaling growth by 69% in the same time frame.

Flexible work is ‘non-negotiable’ for gender equality, UN Women report says

“For the first time, gender equality ranks alongside healthcare and climate change as a top global concern,” according to the report.

Trump seeks tighter restrictions on wind and solar with executive order

The order seeks to “ensure that policies concerning the ‘beginning of construction’ are not circumvented” by wind and solar projects.

Microsoft signs offtake deal for waste-to-energy facility CCS retrofit

The deal with Gaia, a Denmark-based carbon removal venture, will deliver the tech giant 2.95 million carbon removal credits with delivery beginning in 2029.

California walks back environmental law for housing, advanced manufacturing

The changes to the California Environmental Quality Act could greatly speed up the issuance of building permits.

European Commission proposes simplifying sustainability taxonomy

The changes would reduce the number of reported data points by 89% for financial institutions and 64% for non-financial companies.

Coach’s leather could pose deforestation threat: report

An investigation by environmental nonprofit Earthsight said the Tapestry-owned brand is at risk of sourcing leather linked to illegal cattle ranching in Brazil.

Amazon releases waste diversion metrics as part of larger sustainability plan

The company says it reached an 85% waste diversion rate in 2024. Amazon’s waste and biodiversity director, Justine Mahler, says that’s driven partly by organics diversion programs and ongoing data collection investments.

Allianz launches platform to help businesses assess, mitigate climate risks

The group’s commercial insurance unit unveiled CAReS last week, which aims to help companies better understand climate-associated risks and the impact they have on company assets.

JPMorgan launches carbon market blockchain app

In a bid to boost data standardization and transparency, the bank is working with three global carbon registries to test the viability of tokenizing the voluntary carbon market.

House passes Senate version of Trump’s megabill, altering clean energy economy

President Donald Trump promised additional executive branch restrictions on wind, solar and EV subsidies in exchange for Freedom Caucus members' support of the bill, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said.

EU legislators work to simplify sustainability reporting requirements

The European Union has delayed sustainability reporting for the CSRD and CSDDD while legislators work to simplify the underlying requirements for businesses.

Updated July 8, 2025

Google’s emissions still rising, despite data center decarbonization, energy procurement progress

The search engine and tech conglomerate’s overall emissions are up 51% from a 2019 baseline, despite making headway in procuring carbon-free energy last year.

Senate passes megabill that curbs IRA tax credits, drops wind and solar tax

The amended bill also offers an exception to the onerous “placed in service” deadline of 2027 for projects that begin construction within a year of its passage.

House committee clears bill to limit retirement fund managers from using ESG factors

The bill, which reverses course on a Biden-era regulation, would issue a variety of documentation requirements for any use of “non-pecuniary” factors by retirement plan managers.

Federal agencies, including FERC and DOE, revoke environmental review rules

The agencies eliminated all references to consider climate change, environmental justice and other key environmental issues in their permit reviews, Earthjustice said.

As the GHG Protocol eyes the homestretch in its scope 2 revisions, are the right voices being heard?

A requirement for hourly matching and the dramatic narrowing of the geographies in which companies can make clean energy investments could stifle the voluntary market.

ESG and sustainability conferences to keep watch for in 2025

Agendas for 2025 events show an increased focus on compliance and how to meet climate goals as companies navigate the current U.S. political environment.

Updated June 30, 2025

Senate reverses course on IRA cuts, proposing harsh tax on renewables

Former Trump senior adviser Elon Musk on Saturday said the Senate’s latest draft of the bill “gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”

Sierra Club drops BlackRock as asset manager over failure to address climate risk

The environmental group’s charitable arm is shifting its funds to Nia Impact Capital and Xponance, which it described as “more financially responsible” investment firms.

Companies are recalibrating ESG strategies in response to US policy shifts: report

Executives have decided to expand legal oversight of ESG and refine sustainability communication in response to backlash against ESG, a report from The Conference Board found.

New York offering up to $750K for facility decarbonization projects

The Large-Scale Thermal program is accepting applications through July 31 for heating, cooling and hot water systems in single buildings of at least 100,000 square feet or campuses of 250,000 square feet and up.

K-leather ban reintroduced in US Senate in effort to curb kangaroo skin trade

The Kangaroo Protection Act prohibits the sale and manufacturing of products made from kangaroo skin and carries fines of up to $10,000.

Consumers care about climate change and expect businesses to act, new report finds

A study from Getty Images found that the vast majority of consumers believe businesses should use their resources to improve society and the environment.