Hello, and welcome to another edition of Transform magazine.
This summer has seen another set of weather records broken around the world, whether for heat in Europe and the US, or rain
in Australia. While the hot weather brings many challenges, not least in keeping vulnerable people cool and comfortable, politicians and energy providers in Europe are becoming increasingly concerned about energy supply in the autumn and winter. The war in Ukraine, and the subsequent deterioration of relations between Russia and its western neighbours, means that European leaders might need to build new capacity in record time.
It’s an opportunity for renewable energy – but can you balance security of supply with the sort of cross-border networks needed to make the most of energy from the sun and wind? Chris Seekings finds out on page 28.
The increased construction costs caused by the current energy crisis might also be an opportunity for organisations to move towards a circular economy. However, implementation of circular processes is not without its challenges – for example, around transparency. Might digital product passports be a solution? Aoife O’Donnell and Ellie Walshe consider the pros and cons on page 32.
As more and more companies start to investigate a business path to sustainability, there are increasing accusations of ‘greenwashing’ from activists and commentators. Indeed, the outgoing chair of the Environment Agency warned businesses against this in a recent intervention. On page 22, Huw Morris ponders whether businesses are talking about, but not walking towards, genuine sustainability.
I hope you enjoy this edition as much as I have. As always, please do keep your ideas and comments coming in – we love to hear from members about what articles they love, and what they would like to see more of.
In the meantime, have a productive couple of months, and see you soon.
“Can you balance security of energy supply with the sort of cross-border networks needed to make the most of energy from the sun and wind?”
