Most UK climate litigation concerns challenges to the decisions of public authorities on projects with environmental effects or policies being adopted by Government that can have significant impacts on the environment. A series of five recent decisions in the courts – all of which have rejected challenges based on climate grounds – show that the UK courts are extremely reluctant…
Microsoft Signs One of Largest To-date Biochar Carbon Removal Deals
Carbon removal solutions provider Carbonfuture announced today a new offtake agreement with Microsoft for biochar carbon removal (BCR) credits, in collaboration with the Bolivia-based Exomad Green Concepción project. Set to deliver more than 32,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide removal credits to Microsoft by June 2024, the deal marks one of the largest-to date BCR purchase agreements. Carbonfuture CEO Hannes Junginger-Gestrich…
Chipotle Invests in Green Fertilizer, Robotic Regenerative Farming Startups
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced today two new investments in sustainable agriculture-focused startups, including regenerative farming AI and robotics solution company Greenfield Robotics, and low emissions fertilizer producer Nitricity. The investments were made through Chipotle’s $50 million venture fund, CULTIVATE NEXT. Launched in 2022, the fund makes early-stage investments in companies aligned with Chipotle’s mission to “Cultivate a Better World,” and…
Ecoworks Raises €40 Million for Climate Neutral Building Renovation Solution
AI-supported building retrofit provider ecoworks announced today that it has raised €40 million, with proceeds aimed at supporting the growth of its climate neutral renovations solutions business. Founded in 2018, Berlin-based ecoworks plans designs and installs prefabricated facade and roof elements, utilizing an AI-supported digital planning solution, enabling rapid apartment building retrofits to a NetZero standard. The company’s solution digitally…
BCG Signs 15-Year, 80,000 Ton DAC Carbon Removal Deal
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) announced today a purchase agreement with Direct Air Capture (DAC) company Climeworks. Spanning 15 years, the agreement is the largest corporate purchase announced to date by Climeworks at 80,000 metric tons of CO2 removal. DAC technology, listed by the IEA as a key carbon removal option in the transition to a net-zero energy system, extracts CO2…
Ara Partners Raises $3 Billion to Invest in Industrial Decarbonization
Industrial decarbonization-focused private equity investor Ara Partners announced that it has closed on more than $3 billion in new capital commitments, and concluded fund raising for its third fund, Ara Fund III. With commitments of $2.8 billion, the oversubscribed Fund significantly exceeded its initial $2 billion target. Ara’s predecessor fund, Ara Fund II, closed in September 2021 at approximately $1.1…
EU Lawmakers Reach Deal on New Environmental, Human Rights Sustainability Due Diligence Law
Lawmakers in the European Parliament and Council announced today that they have reached a provisional agreement on the EU’s proposed corporate sustainability due diligence directive (CSDDD), outlining rules for companies requiring large businesses to assess and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their value chains. The agreement follows the release of a proposed CSDDD directive by the European…