Progress
Plastic bag charge progress in England 2026: the 98% reduction test
Plastic bag charge progress in England 2026: official data shows almost 98% fewer main-retailer single-use carrier bags than 2014, but 2024 to 2025 sales rose again.
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Kieran Simpson
Founder of The Planet Brief and The Carbon Workbench, writing practical explainers on carbon markets, ESG reporting, net zero, climate claims and green finance.
Latest articles
Progress
UK Woodland Carbon Code progress 2026: the 45,467 hectare climate test
UK Woodland Carbon Code progress 2026: official data shows 45,467 hectares of validated new woodland and 907 validated projects, but most carbon units are still future delivery.
Progress
UK electric bus rollout progress 2026: 12% of England's fleet is zero emission
UK electric bus rollout progress 2026: official data still shows 12% of England's local buses were zero emission in March 2025, and the Department for Transport backed 484 more buses in March 2026.
Progress
Global renewable capacity progress 2026: the 692GW buildout and the grid test
Global renewable capacity progress 2026 explained: IRENA says 692GW was added in 2025, but grids and uneven geography decide what the buildout proves.
Progress
ISSB adoption progress 2026: from standards to reporting rules
ISSB adoption progress 2026 explained: jurisdiction profiles show sustainability disclosure moving from standards into rulemaking, but adoption is not the same as comparable data.
Progress
UK grid connections progress 2026: queue reform and the clean power test
UK grid connections progress 2026 explained: NESO says 37GW across more than 700 projects now have offers, but queue reform still has to become connected capacity.
Carbon Markets
Carbon credit retirement explained: registry evidence, serial numbers and claims
Carbon credit retirement explained: how registry records, serial numbers, vintage, beneficiary details and claim wording create a defensible evidence trail.
ESG & Reporting
Sustainability reporting controls explained: how ESG data becomes assurance-ready
Sustainability reporting controls explained: how data lineage, source evidence, owners, checks and sign-off turn ESG reporting into assurance-ready information.
ESG & Reporting
Climate scenario analysis explained: why it is a stress test, not a forecast
Climate scenario analysis explained: how transition, physical-risk and hot-house-world scenarios help companies, investors and pension trustees test resilience.
ESG & Reporting
Internal carbon pricing explained: shadow prices, carbon fees and climate decisions
Internal carbon pricing explained: how shadow prices, internal carbon fees and carbon cost signals shape climate decisions, reporting and transition plans.
Carbon Markets
Climate claims hierarchy: carbon neutral, net zero and climate contribution explained
Climate claims hierarchy explained: what carbon neutral, net zero, climate contribution and carbon negative claims need before they are credible.
Progress
UK battery storage progress 2026: 4.75GW live, 7.29GW building
UK battery storage progress 2026: 4.75GW is operating, 7.29GW is under construction, and the 2030 battery range still depends on commissioning, duration and grid connections.