Last coal power station in UK shuts down, brings coal era to end after 143 years

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It’s an end of an era. The last coal power station in the UK has shut down, drawing a 143 years of power generation from coal in the UK to a close. Also in the UK, Londoners are seeing more children taking active transport after the introduction of low-carbon zones in the city.

Looking over to the Netherlands, the Hague has become the first city in the world to completely ban fossil fuels and high emitting industries from advertising. With the amount of greenwashing from the fossil fuel industry, simply stopping the advertising from happening in the first place seems an elegant solution. Now to see if the sports industry follows suit, as fossil fuel companies continue to sponsor sports to gain social capital and associate themselves with the positive health benefits that sports bring.

Curtailing fossil fuel advertising makes sense when consumerism continues to threaten our planetary boundaries. And while our best chance for change in the near-term is at a city and business level, when will the time for voluntary ecological measures from businesses pass? It is capitalism that is driving these ultra-consumerist behaviours, but curtailing it is a conversation no one wants to seem to have.

These ultra-consuming behaviours from the wealthy minority drive climate change, but the environmental impact of the rich is underestimated by rich and poor alike. It doesn’t help when our climate policies rarely involve fundamental changes to lifestyle or social status – almost justifying the actions of the wealthy.

Who is going to pay for the damage caused by climate-enhanced weather events? Insurance used to provide the answer, but the original models of insurance are becoming unsustainable. How about making those who caused the damage pay for it? We could make the fossil fuel industry liable for the damage caused from years of misinformation, and for driving our ultra-consumerist society.

But as previously mentioned, this is a discussion no one wants to seem to have. So how else can we ensure that wealth is redirected to the restoration of our environment? There could be lessons to be learned from California’s latest bill, which will making clothing companies themselves responsible for the recycling of the unwanted or damaged apparel that they sell.

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This week we open with the news that the after 143 years of power generation, the era of coal in the United Kingdom has drawn to a close. The 2GW Ratcliffe-on-Soar facility in the East Midlands officially ceasing operations at midnight on Tuesday 1st October, bringing to an end an era that began when the Edison Electric Light Station began operating in January 1882. “The UK was the first country to build a coal fired power station. It is right that it is the first major economy to exit coal power,” said Ed Matthew, from climate change think tank E3G. Read more…

Staying in the UK, we are now seeing the impacts of London fining high-polluting cars. Restricting the volume of high-emitting vehicles roaming city streets carries many benefits, from clearing the air, to quieting the urban din and beyond. Recognition of this simple fact has led to the proliferation of clean air zones, designated regions within a city where vehicles must meet strict pollution standards, or pay a fee to operate within it. In London, which boasts the largest ultra-low emissions zone in the world, a study has found a secondary benefit: kids started walking and biking to school more. Read more…

The Dutch city of The Hague passed a groundbreaking law on Thursday to ban advertisements promoting fossil fuel products and services, the first city in the world to do so. Effective from January 1, 2025, the new ban applies to fossil fuel products and high-carbon services such as cruise ships and air travel. The legislation is a crucial step in the city’s transition to net zero, which it aims to reach by 2030. For many, the ban will have repercussions beyond the local level and could act as a potential catalyst for similar actions worldwide. Read more…

Fossil fuel companies have invested at least $5.6 billion in global sports sponsorships, according to the New Weather Institute. This "sportswashing" tactic aims to divert attention from their role in driving the climate crisis. Major sports like motorsports, football, and golf, along with top athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are tied to over 200 sponsorship deals. Saudi Arabia’s Aramco leads with $1.3 billion in deals. These companies seek to gain social acceptance while benefiting from sport’s positive image. Critics liken the practice to tobacco sponsorship in earlier decades. Read more…

All of humanity could share a prosperous, equitable future but the space for development is rapidly shrinking, under the pressure from a wealthy minority of ultra-consumers. Consumerism has pushed the Earth beyond a series of safe planetary boundaries, degrading our environment and destabilising our climate. A fairer distribution of resources, rapid phaseout of fossil fuels, and a widespread adoption of sustainable technologies is a utopia to strive for. The best chance for change in the near term is at a city and business level, but action is required now! Read more…

If life on our planet is to be pulled back from the brink, the time for voluntary ecological measures from businesses has surely passed. We can only put so much blame on business practices and individual responsibility. Consumerism is a problem, but it’s capitalism that drives it. Capitalism’s objective is to maximise profit and accumulate profit, not to meet social or environmental needs. Being nature positive is about eliminating, or reducing as much as possible, the negative impacts to nature – but eliminating the root cause of these impacts is a conversation no one is wanting to have. Read more…

The personal carbon footprint of the richest people in society is grossly underestimated, both by the rich themselves and by those on middle and lower incomes, no matter which country they come from. An international group of researchers surveyed 4,000 people from Denmark, India, Nigeria and the United States about inequality in personal carbon footprints. The vast majority of participants overestimated the average personal carbon footprint of the poorest 50% and underestimated those of the richest 10% and 1%. Greater awareness can help build pressure to address these inequalities. Read more…

Extreme weather, from wildfires in Greece to African floods, is making insurance unsustainable. In 2022, weather related events cost $301 billion, pushing insured losses 70% above historical norms. As climate impacts worsen, the insurance model is collapsing, with premiums rising and some areas becoming uninsurable. The fossil fuel industry, which has fueled climate change while reaping profits, should be held liable for these costs. By taxing Big Oil and making them pay for damages, affordable insurance could be preserved, ensuring those causing the crisis to bear the financial burden. Read more…

California's Responsible Textile Recovery Act, a first in the U.S., would require clothing brands to recycle textiles, tackling fast fashion waste. If passed, it mandates producers to fund a statewide program for reusing, repairing, and recycling clothing and household textiles. The bill, supported by environmental groups and major retailers, aims to reduce 85% of textiles ending up in landfills, where they emit harmful chemicals and methane. Set to begin in 2028, the initiative could reduce environmental harm, create jobs, and shift the fashion industry toward circularity. Read more…

This week we have the following innovation articles we hope you find interesting:

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