Day: 3 December 2025

Campaigners warn UK government is failing on trees as swathe of woodland could be lost in Harrogate factory expansion

Stuart Mitchell

A new national report, published in October by the Woodland Trust, National Trust, Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), has warned that the UK Government will miss its climate and biodiversity targets unless urgent action is taken to properly support tree growing and nature recovery. The report stresses the essential role trees play in sustaining biodiversity, mitigating climate change and enhancing wellbeing, and makes recommendations to the Government on how to increase the availability of homegrown trees across England, Scotland and Wales.  Yet at the same time, North Yorkshire Council is recommending the approval of final details…

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SNIPEF welcomes clean energy jobs plan but warns electricity costs must be addressed to deliver fair transition

Stuart Mitchell

Federation says recognition of plumbing and heating engineers is vital, but affordability and clarity on energy pricing remain key The Plumbing and Heating Federation (SNIPEF) has welcomed the UK Government’s announcement of a UK-wide clean energy jobs plan (19 October), describing it as an important and positive move that finally recognises the essential role of plumbing and heating engineers in delivering clean energy systems. SNIPEF said the announcement rightly celebrates the professional trades who will install, maintain and decommission the low-carbon systems that make clean energy possible in homes and…

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Stars unite for powerful ’24 Hour Rape Truce’ film

Stuart Mitchell

Well-known actors, musicians, and public figures – 123 in total – have joined forces in a short film to highlight the issue of sexual violence for this year’s UN 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Singer-songwriters Self Esteem and Lianne La Havas, and actors Jason Isaacs, David Morrissey, Dame Harriet Walter, Saffron Burrows, Nathan Fillion and Lennie James are among the stars who feature in ‘I Want a 24 Hour Rape Truce…’ The film, being released on 25 November to coincide with the UN campaign, is inspired by a…

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Wood Mackenzie analysis reveals the European Union’s (“EU”) carbon storage injection capacity targets face a significant shortfall given challenges to project delivery

Stuart Mitchell

The EU’s ambitious carbon storage targets, set in mid-2024 under the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), face a significant shortfall, with expected available injection capacity by 2030 falling well below the required 50 million tonnes per annum (“mtpa”), according to new Wood Mackenzie analysis. This independent study reveals widespread project delays and regulatory challenges are undermining Europe’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) ambitions. The widening gap Wood Mackenzie’s assessment shows that the EU’s CO₂ injection capacity available by 2030, as assessed in October 2025, is projected to be around 28.5 million…

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New Mesothelioma UK report calls for better support for families navigating the coroner process

Stuart Mitchell

Mesothelioma UK, the national asbestos-related cancer charity, has published a new report entitled ‘Mesothelioma and the Coroner: Understanding and Improving the Process for Families’. The report reveals that many bereaved families experience confusion, distress and a lack of clear information when a loved one dies from mesothelioma – an incurable cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The report, produced in collaboration with the Mesothelioma UK Research Centre at the University of Sheffield, explores how the coronial process affects families and highlights opportunities to improve communication and consistency across the UK. In Scotland,…

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