This week the IEA used language it has never used before. The Iran War has created the largest oil supply disruption in the history of the global market. Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped from 20 million barrels per day to a trickle. And the UK's Climate Change Committee just confirmed that delivering net zero costs less than a single fossil fuel price shock.

In this video I break down the 10 sustainability stories that every business leader and sustainability professional needs to know this week, ranked by what the world is covering most.

Here's what I cover:

00:00 Hook

00:30 #10 Flexible plastic packaging and the ocean plastic crisis

01:10 #9 Africa's energy poverty is getting worse, not better

01:50 #8 The UK's first PFAS forever chemicals strategy

02:30 #7 Internal carbon fees: 220+ companies, and F&B near the bottom

03:10 #6 Beer, hops and why F&B supply chains are under direct climate threat

03:50 #5 Biodiversity: $44 trillion of global GDP at risk

04:30 #4 US climate policy rollbacks and what they mean for global business

05:10 #3 UK nuclear reforms and 160M litres of SAF per reactor

05:50 #2 Net zero is cheaper than fossil fuels. The CCC just proved it.

06:30 #1 The Iran War and the largest oil supply disruption in global market history

07:30 Top 3 mind-blowing environmental facts of the week

If you work in sustainability, advise organisations on net zero, or lead a business navigating the energy transition, this is your weekly brief. No greenwash. No filler. Just the stories that matter and what they mean in practice.

Subscribe so you never miss the weekly round-up.

If you want to find out how 51toCarbonZero helps organisations reduce carbon, meet compliance and unlock competitive advantage, visit: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com

Or if you're a sustainability consultant or advisor interested in working with our tools and network, take a look at the referral programme: https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/referral/

#sustainability #netzero #carbonaccounting #energytransition #climatechange

Mentioned in this episode:

Keep informed on Sustainability News

I'm Will Richardson, Head of Ecosystems at 51toCarbonZero and a sustainability advisor with 25 years in the field. I founded Green Element in 2004 and spent two decades building it into one of Europe's most respected sustainability consultancies before it merged with 51toCarbonZero in November 2025. Climate action is both an obligation and an opportunity, and that's the thread running through everything I write here. I co-created Compare Your Footprint, carbon accounting software recognised as a key player in the Global Carbon Accounting Software Market, and I'm a Fellow of IEMA and a Chartered Environmentalist. Each week, I break down what's actually happening in sustainability: the data, the regulation, the greenwash worth calling out, and the practical steps businesses can take right now. No jargon, no doom-mongering, just clear thinking for people who need to make real decisions. I also host the Sustainability Solved podcast with Charlie Luxton, 200+ episodes and counting, where we talk to the people building the solutions. Based in Scotland. Writing for business leaders who want sustainability to make commercial sense, not just moral sense.

My Personal Substack

UPCOMING WEBINAR: The Scope 3 Blind Spot: What Your Supplier Data Isn't Telling You

Scope 3 emissions are often the biggest contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data. In this webinar, we’ll explore the biggest blind spots in supplier emissions data, why they matter for reporting and decarbonisation, and how leading organisations are moving beyond spreadsheets and assumptions to build a more accurate, scalable approach to Scope 3. LIVE ATTENDANCE BONUS: complimentary gap audit of your top 10 suppliers. Wednesday 16 September | 1pm BST https://www.51tocarbonzero.com/webinar-supply-chain/

September Webinar