Chart of the Week

Renewables produced more electricity than coal for the first time on record in the first half of 2025

Renewables overtook coal in global electricity supply for the first time, making renewables the largest electricity source during the first half of 2025. Analysis from energy think tank Ember found that solar and wind generation grew by 31% and 7.7% respectively during the six-month period, compared to a 1% drop in coal’s share of the global electricity supply. [Ember]

Energy Transition

German and French energy companies RWE and TotalEnergies won a French government contract for a $4.5 billion offshore wind farm 40km offshore from Normandy, set to supply energy to 1 million households. Alongside additional planned developments, the project will increase France’s total wind capacity from under 2 GW to 7.8 GW by 2033.[France 24]

The European Union announced a $600 million investment package for boosting renewable energy supply and energy access across Africa, contributing to the EU’s target of creating 38 million green jobs in Africa by 2030. The package will support projects including electrifying rural communities in Cameroon, installing mini grids in Madagascar, and boosting wind and hydropower supply in Lesotho. [Wired]

China’s wind industry proposed a target to double wind capacity to 1,300 gigawatts by 2030, up from a current capacity of 520 gigawatts. Meeting the target will require wind installation rates to double to 120 gigawatts of new installed capacity annually for the next five years. [Bloomberg]

Green Mobility and Sustainable Fuels 

The Singaporean Parliament unanimously passed a bill imposing a green aviation fuel levy on all departing flights, raising funds to meet at least 1% sustainable aviation fuel usage in Singapore from 2026 onwards. Airline operators, regardless of fuel mix, will pay the levy to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which will dedicate proceeds to creating a fund for the procurement and management of sustainable aviation fuel. [TheStraits Times]

Duracell launched a $200 million ultra-fast EV charging network for commercial and passenger vehicles across the UK, with rapid rollout underway across high-traffic sites. The charging sites reach fast-charge speeds of 1,000kilowatts, improving access to EV infrastructure and convenient charging across urban areas and highways nationwide. [Electrek]

Swiss engine manufacturer WindGD will introduce the world’s first fully ethanol-powered ship engines, allowing low-carbon biomass fuels to power maritime transport. Following introduction next year, deliveries for the engines as newbuilds and retrofits for customers will begin in 2027. [Reuters]

Sustainable Materials & Products

CF Industries made its first transatlantic shipment of blue ammonia from Louisiana to Belgium, where the fuel will be used to produce low-carbon caprolactam, an input for nylons, fibers, and plastics. The low-carbon ammonia is produced from natural gas by separating hydrogen from carbon at CF’s Louisiana Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) facility. [Yahoo Finance]

Italian hosiery producer Calzedonia launched an EU-backed Re-Tights initiative, creating the first circular value chain for tights in Europe. The program collects used tights in Calzedonia stores and then uses chemical separation technology to recover polyamide fibers and produce new tights. [Fashion Network]

Energy giant TotalEnergies and French civil engineering firm Colas announced a renewed three-year partnership striving to decarbonize the Cola’s construction processes, which produce concrete, bitumen, and asphalt mixes.The partnership will reduce the carbon footprint of these materials through advancing renewable energy deployment, battery storage systems, and biofuel usage. [ESG Today]

Notable Corporate Commitments

National Australia Bank (NAB) delivered AU$2 billion in lending to businesses leading Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy, supporting businesses targeting commercial energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and electric vehicle production. The lending is one of several ongoing initiatives towards the bank’s ambition to deliver AU$80 billion in sustainable finance solutions between 2024 and 2030. [NAB News]

Mercedes F1 achieved 99% biofuel usage in their trucks and generators during their 2025 European season, cutting their lifecycle emissions by 81%. Mercedes F1 achieved near-total coverage across the team’s operations with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a second-generation biofuel produced from 100% renewable feedstock. [ESG News]

Global Climate Commitments and Progress

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will double climate adaptation financing to $32 billion between 2026-2030, prioritizing climate resilience in agriculture, vulnerable communities, and urban environments. The decision to boost adaptation funding responds to an increase in extreme weather events within the EU, and the funding will provide assistance to both member states and small island states and indigenous communities outside of the EU. [ESG News]

The High Seas treaty entered conservation and protection of international waters into law, with Morocco’s signature marking the agreed minimum threshold of 60 UN Member States. The treaty improves the environmental protection of the High Seas through regulating fishing and resource extraction and requiring environmental impact assessments for projects in international waters. [BBC News]

Multimedia Insights

In honor of Jane Goodall’s life and legacy, the World Economic Forum’s “Meet the Leader”podcast revisited a 2021 interview with Goodall. The discussion dives into Goodall’s unique approach to engaging climate communication, her impact on conservation and the natural sciences, and the importance of hope in advancing climate and nature solutions.

This installment of the BBC World Service’s “Climate Question”travels to Indonesia, Germany, and Iceland to investigate why the majority of the globe’s geothermal energy resources remain untapped. In the process, the podcast explores innovative solutions to delivering more of this renewable, reliable, and powerful energy resource.

Climate Events 

VERGE – Premier Climate Tech Conference 2025

Dates: October 28-30 2025 

Preview: Over three days, VERGE explores the practitioners, businesses, and innovations driving transformative change in climate technologies. The conference will bring NGOs, technological innovators, and policymakers to San Jose for a discussion on technology driven climate solutions from the perspectives of diverse stakeholders.

Second World Summit for Social Development

Dates: November 4-6 2025 

Preview: The United Nations General Assembly passed resolutions to convene the World Social Summit in Doha in 2025, working to implement the UN’S 2030 Agenda for Social Development. The conference will convene Heads of States and Governments to discuss delivering sustainable social development in light of rapid environmental change and deepening inequalities.

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