UK’s EV drivers are now saving £1100 each a year – and £3bn in total

Battery EVs (BEVs) are roughly four times more efficient than combustion-engine cars, making them far cheaper to run, particularly since the Iran crisis caused a spike in fossil-fuel prices. The savings from driving BEVs are also more than three times higher than for “plug-in” hybrids (PHEVs), which evidence analysed by Carbon Brief shows are mostly driven with their combustion engines. In total, the more than 2 millions BEVs, 1 million PHEVs and 100 000 electric vans on UK roads are saving drivers around £3bn a year in total, an analysis performed by Carbon Brief shows.

In addition, these EVs are avoiding the need for nearly 2.5 billions litres of fuel and cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 7 millions tonnes each year. Despite recent news that EVs are now cheaper to buy than petrol cars, as well as having far lower running costs, BBC News says the government is “set to water down” its EV sales targets. The broadcaster explains that the current goal, under the UK’s “zero-emissions vehicle” (ZEV) mandate, is for 80% of new car sales to be BEVs by 2030. It says that the government is set to consult on weakening this to between 50% and 70%, following “lobbying” by carmakers and trade unions. The car industry has consistently claimed there is insufficient demand for BEVs to meet the targets under the ZEV mandate, yet the government says manufacturers have “over-complied” to date. Independent analysts say the industry is on track to continue beating the ZEV mandate goals.

Source: Carbon Brief

A bachelor’s in rare earths? In China, there are schools for that

Every year several hundred young adults study rare‑earths at schools such as Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, part of a network of at least 11 Chinese universities and technical colleges that enroll more than 500 students annually in dedicated degree programmes. Graduates can work on the six‑lane Rare Earths Street in Baotou or continue at the Baotou Rare Earth Research Institute, 150 km from the world’s largest rare‑earth mine.

China’s talent pipeline is backed by over 40 specialist rare‑earth laboratories. Former Neo Performance Materials chief Constantine Karayannopoulos said Chinese graduates are productive immediately, whereas elsewhere three‑year training is needed. Beijing is now tightly guarding this expertise: It has over the years increased restrictions on exports of rare earths technology and equipment. China has also limited contact between industry professionals and foreigners, with some technicians having been ordered to surrender their passports. They did not identify the government entity that confiscated the travel documents but said the crackdown intensified after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025.

The U.S. awarded just over 200 general mining‑engineering degrees in 2023 and is pouring billions into domestic production; DOE spokesperson Olivia Tinari cited investment in workers and innovation. Valor Metals claims a University of Illinois process could be ten‑times cheaper, while Colorado School of Mines plans new critical‑minerals facilities for 2027. Gansu Rare Earth New Materials refined 50 000 t in 2023, five times Australia’s Lynas’ 2025 output.

Source: Reuters

Italy could be the next country to build a solar railway after Switzerland’s successful trial

The Swiss start‑up Sun‑Ways installed a 100‑metre test track in Buttes, Val‑de‑Travers, fitting 48 specially‑designed photovoltaic panels with a combined capacity of 18 kWp. The trial, originally set for three years, was extended after one year because the system performed well, prompting plans for a permanent installation.

Sun‑Ways says the panels, mounted flat between the tracks, lose only about 10% of production compared with optimally‑tilted roofs and have already generated roughly 16 000 kWh in a year – about the electricity used by an average UK home annually. Extrapolating to Switzerland’s 5317 km rail network could yield around 1 TWh per year, roughly 2% of the nation’s total energy consumption.

The company reports no safety incidents, stating “the plant worked perfectly” and that no special maintenance was required. Panels are built with anti‑reflection filters and sensors, and brushes on train wheels keep them clean. Sun‑Ways has now signed a collaboration with Italy’s Rete Ferroviaria Italiana to launch a pilot project in the coming months.

Source: Euronews

Stockholm city crowned EU’s most climate-resilient capital

Northern and Eastern European capitals are emerging as the continent’s most climate-resilient, while southern capitals including Madrid, Paris, and Lisbon fall outside the top 10. The COOLCITY Index, covering over 11 000 urban areas, evaluates resilience against heat, flooding, drought, vegetation health, water systems, and biodiversity. Stockholm leads the ranking, with Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn following closely

Europe has been identified as the fastest-warming continent, facing increased risks from heatwaves, forest fires, and flooding. The European Union underscores the urgency for emission reductions and enhanced urban adaptation measures. Stockholm’s high resilience scores stem from forested surroundings, innovative urban tree pits, extensive waterways, and healthy green spaces.

Climate resilience in urban areas reduces the environmental impact of extreme events, protects biodiversity, and strengthens ecosystem services like water absorption and cooling. Cities that fail to adapt risk worsening heat islands, increased flooding, and long-term ecological degradation. Other European capitals, particularly in the south, will need to invest in urban greening, sustainable water management, and heat mitigation strategies to close the resilience gap and prepare for ongoing climate change impacts.

Source: Illuminem

McDonald’s to miss 2030 value chain decarbonization goal

-          Company: McDonald’s Corp

-          Sector: Food & Beverages

-          Clover rating: 2/5

McDonald’s announced it will miss its 2030 value‑chain decarbonisation target, but reaffirmed its ambition to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050. In a statement, Jon Banner, Global Chief Impact Officer, and Warren Anderson, Global Chief Supply Chain Officer, said the company “knows this depends on many external variables” while remaining committed to the long‑term goal.

The firm said it is on track to exceed its Scope 1 and 2 goal, cutting those emissions by 55% versus the 2018 baseline as of end‑2024, and achieving 95.8% of primary guest packaging from renewable, recycled or certified sources. However, Scope 3 emissions have fallen only 3%, despite representing about 99% of its 2018 footprint.

McDonald’s cited rising energy demand, supply‑chain fragility and geopolitical disruptions as barriers to Scope 3 reductions. It plans to invest at least $1 billion over the next decade in supply‑chain resilience, focusing on regenerative agriculture and farm‑level solutions, and stressed that “we’re proud of the progress we’ve made—and clear‑eyed about what may take longer”.

Source: ESG Today

VW weighs up to 100,000 job cuts, four plant closures in biggest overhaul yet

-          Company: Volkswagen AG

-          Sector: Automobiles

-          Clover rating: 1/5

Volkswagen is weighing the closure of four German factories – Hanover, Zwickau, Emden and Audi’s Neckarsulm – putting more than 45,000 jobs at risk and adding to the 50,000 cuts already planned, for a possible total of 100,000 layoffs. The supervisory board has been briefed and will discuss the plan at a July 9 meeting as the group faces pressure from Chinese rivals, US tariffs and weak European demand.

CEO Oliver Blume and CFO Arno Antlitz have outlined a 15% investment reduction to just over €130 billion over five years and a spin‑off of the core VW brand and parts business. Unions IG Metall and the works council have vowed to resist, while the Lower Saxony premier says the state will not agree.

The restructuring would be the largest in automotive history, comparable to GM’s 2009 bankruptcy cuts. Chinese EV makers have eroded non‑Chinese market share to 32% in 2025 from 57% in 2020, pushing VW to third place in China behind BYD. Analysts say weak sales, not costs, are the root problem.

Source: Reuters

Google loses fight against record €4.1 billion EU antitrust fine

-          Company: Alphabet

-          Sector: Technology

-          Clover rating: 1/5

A Luxembourg Court of Justice dismissed Google and Alphabet’s appeal, confirming a €4.1 billion antitrust penalty for abusing its dominant position in Android. The fine stems from agreements that forced phone makers to pre‑install Google Search, Chrome and the Play Store and barred rival systems, trimming an original €4.34 billion sanction imposed by the European Commission.

Google said the judgment ignored its investment to keep Android open, interoperable and free, and that it had already adapted its agreements to the 2018 decision while staying focused on innovation. The company has accumulated nearly €11 billion in EU fines over the past decade for various antitrust breaches.

The record fine, less than 3% of Alphabet’s annual profit, may encourage other regulators and firms to pursue damages. A Swedish court recently ordered Google to pay about $1.5 billion to price‑comparison site PriceRunner, and further penalties are expected over alleged search‑result bias and app‑store practices under the Digital Markets Act.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg

Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level in a decade

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell to its lowest level in a decade in the first half of 2026, with the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE, Brazil’s space research center) reporting 1,295 square kilometres cleared from January to June, which corresponds to a 38% drop from the same period in 2025 and the smallest total since 2016. President Lula hailed the result, saying, “They don’t understand the work we are doing to bring deforestation down to zero by 2030”.

The decline follows Lula’s relaunched anti‑deforestation action plan, which reinstated stricter penalties for environmental crimes. Researchers have credited Brazil’s measures with a major share of the global drop in rainforest loss last year. In 2022, under former President Jair Bolsonaro, deforestation peaked at an area 13 times the size of New York City, highlighting the reversal under the current administration.

Environmentalists warn the newly approved “devastation bill” removes federal approval for deforestation, and a possible return of a far-right president could reverse gains. Malu Ribeiro, SOS Mata Atlântica public‑policy director, called the law a “distortion” that threatens Brazil’s Paris‑agreement commitments. Pinto however believes zero deforestation could be reached within three years if the trend continues.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Guardian