Sustainability News for March 17th: Introduction
Welcome to this week’s Sustainability News for March 17th, where we spotlight the latest breakthroughs shaping a greener future. The mainstream media often dwells on doom and gloom, but we know that progress is happening – sometimes in unexpected places.
From businesses getting a boost to install EV chargers to a historic global biodiversity funding pledge and a major bank finally getting serious about its net-zero plans, these stories show that change is real, and it’s happening now. Let’s get into it.
Workplace Charging Scheme for EVs Extended for Another Year
Great news for businesses looking to go electric! The UK Government has extended the Workplace Charging Scheme for another year, giving companies a helping hand to install electric vehicle (EV) charge points.
Under the scheme, organisations can get up to 75% of the costs covered, capped at £350 per socket, with a limit of 40 sockets per business. Since 2016, over 59,000 charge points have been installed thanks to this initiative, and in 2024 alone, it supported 6,500 workplace chargers and another 1,400 outside schools and nurseries.
With public EV charging networks growing rapidly—over 19,600 new public chargers were installed in 2024—this extension helps businesses keep up with the accelerating shift to electric. And with EVs making up nearly 20% of all new UK car sales, demand is only going one way.
This extension is bringing both convenience and an acceleration of the transition to clean transport. As the UK works toward its 300,000 public charger target by 2030, businesses have a crucial role in making EVs the easy choice.
Nations Agree on Landmark $200bn Biodiversity Funding Deal
After years of negotiations and political wrangling, nations have finally agreed to mobilise $200 billion annually by 2030 to protect ecosystems. The deal, reached at COP16 in Rome, marks a major milestone in global biodiversity finance.
Probably the biggest win is a new commitment to raise $20 billion a year for conservation in developing nations by 2025, increasing to $30 billion by 2030. This will support pledges under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including protecting 30% of the Earth’s land and oceans and restoring degraded ecosystems.
To ensure industries contribute too, a new Cali Fund has been launched, encouraging businesses that profit from nature to invest in conservation. Meanwhile, environment and finance ministers from developed and developing countries will now work together for the first time to speed up biodiversity funding.
It’s a big step forward, but the hard work starts now. With only 17.6% of land and 8.4% of oceans protected, the world has a long way to go. Still, this agreement shows that even in today’s divided world, nature is something we can all get behind.
Standard Chartered Unveils First Transition Plan to Net-Zero
In a long-overdue move, Standard Chartered has finally published its first climate transition plan, mapping out how it will reduce emissions from the businesses it funds.
Banks have an outsized role in the climate crisis—over 98% of Standard Chartered’s emissions come from financed activities, not its own operations. The plan sets clear targets for cutting emissions in high-carbon industries like aviation, shipping, oil and gas, and real estate, with absolute cuts required for coal and fossil fuel financing.
The timing is interesting—this comes just days after HSBC quietly delayed its own net-zero targets, pushing its 2030 goals back to 2050. Standard Chartered, on the other hand, reaffirmed its net-zero by 2050 commitment, with short-term milestones for emissions reductions.
With $121bn already mobilised for sustainable finance and a goal of $300bn by 2030, the bank is betting big on green investment. In 2024 alone, it generated nearly $1bn in income from sustainable finance, showing that climate action isn’t just an obligation—it’s good business.
For banks, transition plans are more than PR exercises; they shape how trillions of pounds flow into—or out of—high-carbon industries. The question is, will Standard Chartered’s plan be enough?
Wrap-Up
This week’s Sustainability News for March 17th highlights the real-world impact of climate finance, EV infrastructure, and global conservation efforts. The Play It Green community knows that change doesn’t happen overnight, but every step—whether it’s charging stations in workplaces, global biodiversity funding, or major banks aligning with net-zero—moves us forward.
At Play It Green, we’re here to help businesses and individuals take action by reducing footprints, restoring nature, and supporting communities. Let’s keep the momentum going.
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