Search Results for: content

UNESCO welcomes major step forward for the ocean with the entry into force of the BBNJ agreement

Stuart Mitchell

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, welcomed the recent entry into force of the BBNJ agreement, reinforcing effective ocean protection. Adopted in 2023 after almost two decades of negotiation, and now surpassing the crucial threshold of 60 ratifications, this treaty offers new hope for the high seas—vast ocean territories that cover nearly half the Earth and have long lacked enforceable safeguards. This agreement marks a historic moment in global ocean governance, paving the way for the protection and sustainable management of our planet’s largest ecosystem. UNESCO will continue to work alongside…

National Trust announces creative commission on second anniversary of Sycamore Gap tree felling

Stuart Mitchell

Two years on from the illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, the National Trust is today announcing a major creative commission, inviting artists, organisations and creative agencies to breathe new life into the wood saved from the felled tree. One of Britain’s most loved and photographed trees, the sycamore was an emblem for the north-east of England and visited by people from around the world. Its unexpected felling on 28 September 2023 led to an outpouring of emotion across the UK and globally and sparked a widespread conversation about…

WRAP sets out Commitment to Action for India at Clinton Global Initiative talks

Stuart Mitchell

Global environmental action NGO WRAP has been chosen to be part of the 2025 cohort of Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action Makers. Director of International Development David Rogers will brief delegates on WRAP‘s plans to reduce food waste in India, with support from partners Rainer Climate Group and the Food Pact Network. According to the World Resources Institute, India is one of the largest producers of food waste with approximately 78.2 million tonnes* of food going to waste each year, enough to feed 377 million people. Despite the…

UKRI publishes 2025 equal pay audit

Stuart Mitchell

The 2025 equal pay audit builds on the 2022 audit and is delivered in line with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) methodology. The audit sits alongside the organisation’s annual gender pay gap reporting and forms part of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) wider reward and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategies. Equal pay findings The 2025 equal pay audit shows there are no significant differences in pay for equal work across UKRI, as defined by the EHRC threshold of plus or minus 5%. When analysing the gap between…

Global Property Linked Finance Initiative launched to create new global asset class unlocking trillions to fund building decarbonisation and resilience

Stuart Mitchell

The Green Finance Institute (GFI) and the Climate Bonds Initiative (Climate Bonds) have recently announced the launch of the Global Property Linked Finance Initiative (GPLFI) during Climate Week New York City. This landmark initiative aims to scale Property Linked Finance (PLF) into a globally recognised asset class capable of unlocking billions in private capital for net-zero and climate-resilient buildings. PLF is a proven, innovative, financing mechanism that links repayments to the property rather than the owner, enabling long-term, affordable finance for building upgrades and overcoming the barrier of prohibitive upfront…