The past twelve months have been a busy time within the sustainability sector and as we begin 2025, what better time than now to review the major stories from the past year. Below we summarise the most read insights released by Zero Carbon Academy in 2024.
Data released in 2024 showed that UK businesses see cutting carbon emissions as both a priority and an opportunity. In May, research revealed that a quarter of UK SMEs view cuts to carbon emissions as a route to prosperity. The survey of 2,000 UK-based businesses also found that an overwhelming majority – more than 80% – said that they wanted to improve their sustainability credentials
Read more here: Green shoots of growth: a quarter of UK SMEs view cuts to carbon emissions as a route to prosperity
In September ‘The UK Net Zero Census’, which was released by the UK Business Climate Hub & Planet Mark, found that just under half of UK businesses rated net zero as a high, or very high strategic priority for the next twelve months. The research revealed that 80% of businesses are prioritising sustainability goals, with the majority (90%) anticipating a positive impact on public perception and reputation, and 88% expecting a benefit towards gaining new customers.
Find the full article here: Almost half of UK businesses rate net zero as a high, or very high strategic priority for the year ahead
Regenerative farming hit the headlines early in 2024 with several supermarkets announcing schemes to help support farmers in the adoption of regenerative practices. This included a new partnership between Ocado and the Soil Association to create five ‘nature-friendly’ demonstration farms, as well as expansion of Waitrose’s regenerative agriculture programme which has been underway since 2020 at its Hampshire-based Leckford Estate farm.
Explore the announcements: Regenerative farming: supermarkets ramp up their support for British farmers
In a further development in August, Sainsbury’s supermarket announced its new agroforestry scheme launched in collaboration with long-time charity partner the Woodland Trust. Agroforestry incorporates trees, hedges and shrubs into farming systems, the benefits of which include additional shade and shelter for animals and crops, improved biodiversity and soil structure, all the while supporting a reduction in soil erosion alongside the capture of ammonia from the atmosphere.
Access the full insight: Sainsbury’s and the Woodland Trust set to launch a new agroforestry scheme
The 5th September was crowned as plastics ‘overshoot day’ for 2024, the annual point where the amount of plastic waste generated exceeds the world’s capacity to manage it. This means that effectively in the first 248 days of 2024 plastic waste was collected and then either recycled, incinerated, or deposited in a sanitary landfill. For the remaining 117 days, plastic waste was mismanaged, ending up as pollution in the environment. A staggering 220 million tonnes of plastic waste (equivalent to more than 600 Empire State buildings) was predicted to be created in 2024 according to EA- Earth Action.
Read more here: A staggering 220 million tonnes of plastic waste will be generated this year as ‘overshoot day’ is passed on 5th September
Ending 2024 on a positive note was the news that researchers at Japan’s RIKEN Center had created a durable plastic which is not only fully-recyclable, but also dissolves in sea water. The new plastics have been created by combining two ionic monomers that form cross-linked salt bridges, which provide strength and flexibility. Initial tests combined a common food additive ‘sodium hexametaphosphate’ with guanidinium ion-based monomers. Both components can be metabolised by bacteria, ensuring biodegradability once the plastic is dissolved into its components. The researchers found that in soil, sheets of the new plastic degraded completely over the course of 10 days, supplying the soil with phosphorous and nitrogen, similar to fertilizer. This presents a revolutionary alternative to traditional plastics which are polluting oceans with harmful microplastics.
Access the full article here: Bye-bye microplastics? Japanese researchers create ‘revolutionary’ plastic which dissolves in salt water
As we move further into the new year, keep an eye on your inbox for our upcoming Top Trends for 2025 research, this free whitepaper aims to identify the major sustainability trends set to play out over the coming months.
In addition, ZCA has a fantastic schedule of content planned for 2025, including new editions of our Green Skills research, Cleantech, and our Electric Vehicles & Charging Infrastructure report, alongside new research into the digital infrastructure space.
We also have exciting plans for our Cleantech awards with the 2025 edition promising to be bigger and better. Watch this space…
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
