This week, Europe is sweltering through another record heatwave, Brussels has torn up a chunk of its own sustainability reporting rulebook, and two of the biggest names in food and drink have quietly stepped back from their climate targets.

I run through the top 10 sustainability stories that mattered this week, from AI's rising energy bill to why private equity is suddenly obsessed with climate risk. If you work in net zero strategy, carbon accounting or corporate reporting, this is your shortcut to what's actually worth knowing.

I cover: the EU's CSRD reporting overhaul, Starbucks and JBS pulling back on climate goals, AI data centres and Scope 3 emissions, superpollutants, and the UK heatwave numbers that should worry every business leader.

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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.

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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contributor to an organisation’s carbon footprint, yet many businesses are making decisions based on incomplete, outdated or estimated supplier data.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/

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