Initiative to help businesses in Guernsey be more sustainable
She said: "There's an incredible amount of vital environmental work happening at the local level, from restoring habitats to monitoring wildlife to educating children, but many projects are underfunded or lack visibility."This initiative is essentially a directory that helps to bridges that gap, providing the opportunity for businesses to support local conservation and nature enhancement initiatives."
The NC said organisations including the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) and the Association of Guernsey Charities were supporting the initiative.Alice Gill, CoC executive director, said it was important to support the initiative. She said: "It presents a practical and simple way for businesses to align their values with local action, while also offering meaningful opportunities for staff development and community engagement. "We encourage all businesses, large and small, to explore how they can get involved and contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for our island."
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Pushing airport expansion while rail travel languishes – so much for Labour's green agenda
August is peak flying time, and airports are on many minds. The government has signalled its support for colossal expansions, whose extra flights would bust its carbon pledges. The excuse is that supertechnology will magic away the extra CO2 pumped into the atmosphere, though it must know that clean, green flying is still futurology. Here's the pity of it: until now this government has rightly boasted of its green credentials, making massive investments in sustainable energy and retro-insulating cold homes. Expanding air travel is not on any green agenda. Heathrow has just submitted proposals for a £50bn third runway, as approved by Labour in 2009 and the Tories who voted it through parliament in 2018. Covid applied the brakes but now Heathrow is back with gold-plated, 'shovel-ready' plans. Its owners, including Qatar, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, expect the planning bill to prevent newts or judicial reviews blocking the runway. Their pitch to an investment-hungry government is that expanding Europe's busiest airport would create 100,000 new jobs, propelling growth with 750 extra daily flights. Flying gets a green light from the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander: she agreed to double the size of Luton airport, favours Gatwick's second runway for 100,000 more flights and gives Stansted's expansion a fair wind. These allow a 70% increase in flights above 2018 levels, and cancel out all the carbon savings from the government's clean power plan. Rachel Reeves promised to be 'Britain's first green chancellor', but her plans live or die on growth, so billions in private investment is hard to resist. But beyond construction, the growth-potential claims for extra flights look highly dubious. The promised global 'connectivity' imagines business people zipping into Britain with briefcases full of contracts. But that's not who these extra flyers will be. Most will be frequent flyers flying more frequently, not for business but for leisure, according to the New Economics Foundation and Possible, the climate campaign. National Travel and Civil Aviation Authority passenger surveys show only one in 14 UK passengers are business travellers. The pandemic showed that meeting online saves money and time; business travel has already peaked. Would extra flights bring in tourist income? No, 70% of flights are British tourists off abroad to spend vastly more than foreigners spend here. Of extra flights in 20 years, 83% were taken by already frequent flyers, mostly for leisure. Growth will not be from more families taking an annual holiday: half the population doesn't fly in any year, while just 15% consume 70% of flights. Nearly a third are 'ultra-frequent flyers' taking six or more journeys a year. Instead of these heaviest users paying more for their pollution, airlines reward frequent flyers. The Flying Fair report from the New Economics Foundation suggests imposing a high levy on those flying six or more times a year, not added to ticket prices but raised in tax returns. That makes the cost of their excessive air travel highly visible, and could raise £6bn a year, while cutting aviation CO2 by 28%. Newly nationalised trains would gain from disincentivising flight. But UK prices are a bizarre deterrent. I'm planning to go to Edinburgh next week – a train journey I love. Checking prices, I found a £29.99 flight each way, while LNER costs £181.69 return. France has banned domestic flights where trains can do the journey in less than two and a half hours and so should we: start by banning airlines charging less than rail. Switch the 39m domestic journeys being made annually by plane to train. The good news is the extra potential capacity in the Channel tunnel, which could be realised with a little investment. Twelve trains an hour run each way, but the tunnel could run 2.5 times more, and prices would fall. That's where investment should go, instead of to airports, as new European routes open up. Yes, it takes longer. It means adding train time to the concept of a holiday. But if it were cheaper, what luxury it would be compared with the hell of holiday airports and flights that don't land you in city centres. Climate damage is the real cost of avoidable flying. The chancellor says: 'Expansion must be delivered in line with UK's legal, environmental and climate obligations.' But the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the government's statutory adviser, warns that airport expansion would breach UK carbon budgets for net zero emissions by 2050. The aviation industry and government claim that wonder technology will deliver carbon-free flying with electric planes, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and carbon capture. None is anywhere near available, says the CCC, which expects 17% SAFs by 2040. It advises no extra flying before 2030, and only 2% more by 2035, to allow time for new technology to be developed. Let's hope clean flight arrives soon, but it's not here yet: currently, suppliers must only guarantee that SAFs comprises 2% of the total. Here's the honesty test for those claiming carbon-neutral flight is imminent: agree to no extra flying until it arrives. The government's mood music is all pro-flying, not urging climate-conscious travel. To change habits and attitudes, it should start by banning frequent flyer bonuses. Why allow private jets? Seat for seat they are 30 times more polluting, paying less tax as a proportion of ticket price, as was exposed by Possible's Jetting away with it report. The government's airport policy will reveal its seriousness on the climate crisis. Politically, it shows whether Labour is sufficiently alarmed by serious threats from the left, from Greens, Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn revivalists pledged to invest in trains, not airports. But refusing airport expansion allows Tories and Faragistes to add those lost foreign billions to their dishonest tally of net zero costs. A YouGov poll found that 61% of people regard airport expansion as the wrong priority, alongside mayors Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan. But the Treasury's dilemma is obvious: climate or cash? Its answer should also be clear: just call a moratorium until green flying arrives. Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
Coin Geek
7 hours ago
- Coin Geek
Shell LiveWire 2025 announces 3 tech startup finalists
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Manila, Philippines — Shell Pilipinas Corporation continues to fuel the growth of local innovation through Shell LiveWire, the company's flagship enterprise development program that champions Filipino entrepreneurship. Designed to empower startups and local enterprises, the program has named its top three tech startup finalists following the pitch event in June. These startups were selected for their forward-thinking solutions in agricultural, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Entrepreneurial Excellence on Display By continuing to strengthen its commitment to empowering Filipino entrepreneurs who are driven to deliver solutions, Shell reinforces its role in advancing innovation, most notably by identifying the following top business ventures to enter the finale: Among these startups is Agridom, a startup from SF Group of Companies Inc., which introduces drone-powered precision framing tools designed to improve agricultural efficiency and sustainability for smallholder farmers in the Philippines. Also recognized is the Greentech Ecobooster, a fuel optimization device aimed at enhancing combustion engine performance while lowering fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Itʼs looking to improve engine performance, reduce fuel consumption, lower operational costs, and support broader climate goals. Rounding out the top three is Pili AdheSeal Inc., a green tech company transforming agricultural waste into sustainable adhesive and sealant products. The startup promotes a circular economy that supports both Pili farmers and the environment. These three startups are now undergoing Shell LiveWire's acceleration phase, where they receive mentorship, financial support for team and product development, and expert guidance to refine their businesses. They also stand the chance to win up to PHP 1,000,00.00 in equity-free cash for the first-place winner, and PHP 500,000 each for the second and third placers, providing essential runway to scale their startups. Community enterprises, another track of the program, are represented this year by 51 participants from diverse regions and industries across the country. These enterprises receive in-kind or grant money support to further strengthen their operations. Nascent Technologies Corp. was also awarded the A-Lister recognition, Shell LiveWire's special citation given to promising startups still in their development phase. Shell has appointed PwC as the official auditor of the 2025 Shell LiveWire Philippines to ensure transparency and integrity. Shell envisions a bright future for Filipino entrepreneurs A recent study revealed that the country's startup ecosystem nearly doubled in value, from US$3.5 billion in 2023 to US$6.4 billion in 2024[1], driven by increased investments and the growth of scalable, tech-enabled enterprises. Key sectors such as climate and cleantech, agritech, as well as education and health technology, continue to generate significant economic value while advancing human development and sustainability[2]. Shell LiveWire continues to play a vital role in cultivating this ecosystem by helping Filipino entrepreneurs thrive and create inclusive employment opportunities. Watch out for the Shell LiveWire 2025 finale this September at the Echelon Event, where this year's top startup will be awarded and the next wave of innovation will take center stage. About Shell Pilipinas Corporation For more than 100 years, Shell in the Philippines continues to power the nation's progress through its growing network of mobility stations, robust B2B partnerships and expanding Non-Fuels offers, enabled by its integrated supply chain and strong corporate governance. Shell also supports local communities through the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI) by providing programs on access to energy, health, safety, education, and livelihood development. For more details on Shell Pilipinas Corporation, visit [1] Department of Trade and Industry (2024). Manila startup ecosystem value surges to USD6.4B. Source here. [2] The Asian Development Bank (2023). The Philippines' Ecosystem for Technology Startups. Source here.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Electric cars eligible for new government grants revealed
The first electric car models eligible for new government grants have been revealed. The discount will be automatically applied at the point of sale. These are the first models approved under the new £650 million electric car grant. This will enable motorists purchasing a new electric car to save either £1,500 or £3,750, depending on sustainability criteria. It is hoped the measure will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring. Drivers will be able to save £1,500 with the purchase of new Citroen e-C3, e-C4, e-C5 and e-Berlingo cars, the Department for Transport (DfT) said. The DfT said many drivers cite upfront costs as a 'key barrier' to buying an EV, and the grant will bring down prices so they 'more closely match their petrol and diesel counterparts'. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'With the first four models approved today, and more to come over the next few weeks, this summer we're making owning an electric car cheaper, easier and a reality for thousands more people across the UK. 'Once again we're delivering our plan for change by standing firmly on the side of motorists and manufacturers, driving down costs for consumers, supporting jobs and putting money back in people's pockets.' Greg Taylor, managing director of Citroen UK, said: 'We want everyone to have the opportunity to make the switch to an electric car, and this support will help make our cars more accessible for our customers.' Edmund King, AA president, said 'any government support to boost the demand for EVs is welcome', adding: 'This discount of £1,500 for some more affordable EVs will help a number of those with tighter budgets. 'We look forward to seeing the full list of discounts up to £3,750 on more models to really push the market forward.' Dan Caesar, chief executive of lobby group Electric Vehicles UK, welcomed the announcement and called for manufacturers to 'support a scheme which the EV industry needs to be conspicuously successful'. Under the government's zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, at least 28 per cent of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero emission, which generally means pure electric. Across all manufacturers, the figure during the first half of the year was 21.6 per cent. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in April that sales of new hybrids that cannot be plugged in will be permitted to continue until 2035. Changes to the Zev mandate also mean it will be easier for manufacturers who do not meet the targets to avoid fines.
