4 trends that will shape ESG in 2026

After an eventful 2025, the next year holds further regulatory changes and a growing disclosure landscape, as companies quiet on sustainability talks.

By Lamar Johnson , Zoya Mirza • Jan. 8, 2026

Blackstone buys environmental services platform ATG from Morgan Stanley

The private equity giant called Alliance Technical Group a “clear market leader in emissions testing and monitoring” that would help serve a broad range of clients.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 7, 2026

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The evolution of the voluntary carbon credit market

Companies are increasingly relying on carbon credits to cut their emissions and meet climate goals, despite a dynamic regulatory environment and increased ESG scrutiny.

By ESG Dive staff

Energy-as-a-service provider Redaptive closes $216M financing for novel securitization

The company said the deal, which was underwritten and structured by Deutsche Bank, is the first securitization backed by EaaS contracts.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 6, 2026

Ørsted, Equinor challenge Trump administration’s offshore wind stop work order

The December stop work order is estimated to be costing the 700-MW Revolution Wind project at least $1.44 million per day, project attorneys alleged.

By Diana DiGangi • Jan. 6, 2026

Alphabet acquires clean energy developer Intersect for $4.75B

The acquisition follows a prior partnership between Google and Intersect and represents a new tactic being adopted by the tech giant’s parent company in its decarbonization journey.

By Lamar Johnson • Jan. 5, 2026

Transportation company Trimac begins Hyundai hydrogen truck pilot

The data collected will aid carriers in building knowledge of hydrogen systems.

By Larry Avila • Jan. 5, 2026

Mercedes settles emissions-cheating lawsuits for nearly $150M

The total value of the multi-state settlement could reach $347 million, according to one state attorney general.

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 23, 2025

Ford cancels $6.5B battery supply contract with LG Energy Solution

Last week, the automaker also dissolved its BlueOval SK battery joint venture with SK On as it shifts away from EVs.

By Eric Walz • Dec. 23, 2025

Trump administration halts all large-scale offshore wind projects under construction in US

The action affects five major offshore wind farms under development in federal waters, including the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. The administration cited classified “national security risks” for the move.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 23, 2025

Court agrees to rehear $14B climate funding freeze case

The nonprofit recipients of $14 billion in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants frozen by the EPA are scheduled to have their case reheard by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in February. 

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 22, 2025

Frontier inks $44.2M deal with biowaste carbon removal company

Biomass carbon removal and storage platform Nulife GreenTech will remove 122,000 tons of CO2 for Frontier’s buyers, including Google, Stripe and Shopify.

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 19, 2025

Whole Foods to launch in-store food waste infrastructure

The Amazon-owned specialty grocer will be the first to deploy Mill Industries’ automated, on-site food recycling technology.

By Peyton Bigora • Dec. 19, 2025

Hybrid heating: A bridge to decarbonization or a road to obsolescence for gas utilities?

Combining heat pumps with gas furnaces can help manage winter peaks, lower energy costs and cut carbon emissions. But this approach requires well-structured regulatory frameworks and cost-recovery mechanisms, West Monroe experts write.

By Andrew Biondi, Margaret Oloriz and Estelle Mangeney • Dec. 19, 2025

Ford scraps EV plans, shifts to stationary energy storage

The automaker will focus its North American EV development on a new family of smaller, highly efficient and less expensive models.

By Eric Walz • Dec. 18, 2025

Ford, EV battery manufacturer dissolve joint venture

The automaker’s planned investment in the joint venture announced in 2021 was the largest-ever manufacturing commitment in company history, Ford said at the time.

By Eric Walz • Dec. 16, 2025

Google, CalSTRS, others back $462M funding round for geothermal plant

The funding will support Fervo’s 500-megawatt geothermal power plant in Utah, expected to be the “world’s largest next-generation geothermal development.”

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 12, 2025

Apple’s environmental, social chief to retire next month

Lisa Jackson, the tech company’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, will depart in late January 2026 without a direct replacement.

By Zoya Mirza • Dec. 11, 2025

New York targets power sector carbon allowances in proposed climate regulations

The amendments would reduce the annual budget of CO2 allowances through 2037, including the number of voluntary renewable energy purchases. 

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 11, 2025

AT&T drops DEI, gets $1B acquisition of UScellular greenlit

The telecommunications company committed to scrapping policies and programs focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in a bid to get a deal approved by the FCC.

By Zoya Mirza • Updated Dec. 9, 2025

Green economy now worth over $5 trillion annually: report

The market has been the second-fastest growing sector in the past decade and is expected to reach $7 trillion annually by 2030, according to Boston Consulting Group and the World Economic Forum.

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 5, 2025

Trump proposes ‘reset’ of fuel economy standards, gutting Biden-era climate policy

The White House claims that the current standards have imposed “unrealistic fuel economy targets” on automakers.

By Eric Walz • Dec. 5, 2025

U.S. data center power demand could reach 106 GW by 2035: BloombergNEF

The forecast is 36% higher than BNEF’s April estimate. Other experts warn that an AI bubble or speculative data center proposals could be fueling excessive load growth projections.

By Brian Martucci • Dec. 4, 2025

Amazon taps clean energy, greentech investments to reduce carbon footprint

The e-commerce giant, which has a goal to reach net-zero status across its operations by 2040, has backed a number of sustainable initiatives this year.

By Zoya Mirza , Lamar Johnson • Dec. 4, 2025

Food giant Kellanova leans on regenerative agriculture to slash supply chain emissions

The deal with Varaha will transition 12,500 acres of corn farms in the food manufacturer’s supply chain to sustainable practices to reduce around 100,000 tons of CO2.

By Lamar Johnson • Dec. 3, 2025

Smart permitting, phase-out of diesel generators could curb data center environmental impacts

A look at what’s happening in California shows that even in an environmentally progressive state, unhealthy emissions and resource depletion is a problem needing a solution, an academic report says.

By Robert Freedman • Dec. 2, 2025