SZ Sustainability Summit – Has ESG failed?

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Times have been better for green investments. In 2019, the EU set the target of transforming the economy in the direction of climate protection. And as governments cannot achieve this alone, private investors should also help. A spirit of optimism arose around the topic of ESG, which stands for ecology (environment), social and governance (corporate management). Rating agencies defined criteria for how companies should ideally behave in this area, many companies made efforts to transform their business in this direction and investors increasingly demanded green investments.

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Brussels wants to soften climate targets for 2040

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The EU Commission presented its climate targets for 2040 in Brussels on Wednesday. Under pressure from some member states, it wants to create more leeway. The goal remains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 90 percent by 2040 compared to 1990. However, from 2036, up to three percent of 1990 emissions are to be offset through international certificate trading. More flexibility was also promised.

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A big factory is discarding much smoke into the environment.

New EU rule forces military to take unprecedented CO2 step

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For the first time, the military in the EU has to disclose its emissions. For many, this is an opportunity to think about CO2-saving technologies.

Under a new international regulation, the military’s greenhouse gas emissions can now be publicly documented for the first time. As the NATO states meet for their summit in The Hague and military spending reaches new records, a previously concealed significant contribution to the climate crisis is coming under the spotlight.

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EU energy label for smartphones and tablets soon to be mandatory

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Smartphones and tablets launched on the EU market from Friday will have a new energy label. According to the European Commission, this will enable consumers to assess how durable and repairable a device is in future. The label indicates how energy-efficient a product is and how long the battery lasts.

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Climate researchers wrote guidelines for companies to curb greenwashing

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With the guide “The path to climate neutrality”, the Climate Change Center Austria wants to help companies become credibly climate-friendly

What do the confectionery company Katjes, the sporting goods manufacturer Adidas and the airline AUA have in common? They have all falsely advertised themselves as climate-friendly companies and have been convicted by the courts for misleading the public.

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‘A home for trees and birds, and also humans’: How high-rise forests can transform city life – and make us happier

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It’s been 10 years since the creation of the first vertical forest, Milan’s Bosco Verticale. How has it inspired other buildings – and affected their residents’ happiness and health?

In 2007, Italian architect Stefano Boeri witnessed the frantic construction of a city in the Dubai desert dominated by energy-wasting skyscrapers covered in glass, ceramic and metal.

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A field with wind mills on it to represent green energy and the revolution of sustainability in Europe.

Microsoft’s 2030 Plan Revealed as Emissions Rise by 23.4%

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Microsoft has released its 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report, marking the halfway point to its 2030 climate commitments.
In the 90-page document, the US-based tech giant reflects on the progress it has made against the pledges it made in 2020.
The goals it had aimed to accomplish by 2030 were various and ambitious.
They included becoming carbon negative and water positive, whilst also producing zero waste and protecting more land than it used.

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Despite growing electricity consumption: China’s CO2 emissions fall surprisingly

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China is the world’s largest energy consumer – driven by rapid economic growth, industrialization and a population of over 1.4 billion people. For decades, the country relied on coal to cover its huge electricity needs. But a change has begun: In the first quarter of 2025, China’s CO2 emissions fell for the first time, although demand for electricity has continued to rise.

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Menschen verschiedener Hautfarben legen ihre Hände zusammen über der EU Flagge um eine Einigung zu zeigen.

EU Commission does not want to abolish supply chain law

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Chancellor Merz faces headwind from Brussels. One of his prominent demands has been rejected – even by his own Vice-Chancellor.

The EU Commission is opposing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s call to abolish the European Supply Chain Act. The Commission’s position on the Supply Chain Directive is public knowledge and it is about simplification, said a spokeswoman for the authority in Brussels. “It is not about abolishing it.”

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Composition of the average annual greenhouse gas balance per person in Germany

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One person in Germany (as of 2025) produces an average of 10.4 tons of greenhouse gases per year in CO₂ equivalents. 22% (2.2 tons of CO₂ equivalents) is attributable to housing, 15% (1.6 tons) to food and 28% (2.9 tons) to other consumption (such as clothing and leisure activities). This average greenhouse gas balance is higher than the usual figures for Germany’s per capita emissions, as it takes into account emissions caused by the consumption of products manufactured abroad.

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