Here’s a fresh edition of our Sustainability in the News roundup, covering last week’s most important stories in science, climate policy, and research.

Think of these updates as your quick-read guide to the headlines shaping the sustainability conversation right now. Our in-depth articles dive deep into the details and analysis, but here we focus on the essentials — major breakthroughs, shifting policies, and the trends worth watching — in a clear, no-nonsense format.

From new research findings to milestone climate agreements or concerns over research integrity, we’ll keep you in the loop with what matters most.

Here’s what caught our attention this week. As you might expect, summer slows things down a bit — but there’s still plenty worth noting.

Latest Developments in Sustainability

Latest Developments in Sustainability

Sept 1 – Pakistan floods devastate Punjab

Floods wash away thousands of farms and villages

A Reuters report detailed how heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Punjab province inundated more than 2,000 villages and forced authorities to evacuate around 760,000 people along with 516,000 livestock. The floods destroyed staple crops such as rice, sugarcane and cotton and flattened vegetable fields, wiping out 13 of one farmer’s 15 acres. Relief teams set up over 150 camps and erected 511 relief sites, 351 medical sites and 321 veterinary facilities to shelter displaced residents. At least 33 people died and Pakistan’s main dams were near capacity with more rain forecast. Economists warned that the loss of crops would push food prices higher and threaten Pakistan’s fragile economic recovery.

Sept 4 – Tax incentives reshape clean‑fuel markets, green steel, data centres and solar

U.S. tax credit change slashes biofuel imports

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that a switch from per‑gallon tax credits to incentives for domestic production cut biofuel imports to decade‑low levels. Biodiesel imports averaged 2,000 barrels per day in the first half of 2025, down from 35,000 bpd a year earlier, while renewable diesel imports dropped to 5,000 bpd from 33,000 bpd. The EIA said consumption might rise to meet Renewable Fuel Standard mandates, but imports would remain low because only U.S.-produced fuels qualify for the credit.

Climate change makes Iberian wildfire conditions 40 × more likely

An analysis by the World Weather Attribution group found that the combination of heat, drought and wind that triggered Spain and Portugal’s record fires is 40 times more likely in today’s climate than in pre‑industrial times. Scientists said similar conditions would now recur about every 15 years instead of once every 500 years, and heatwaves of comparable intensity would appear roughly every 13 years rather than once in 2,500 years. The 2025 summer fires burned more than one million hectares across the European Union, killing at least eight people and forcing thousands to evacuate. Researchers urged governments to manage vegetation on abandoned land and phase out fossil fuels.

Sweden’s Stegra seeks funding for green steel plant

Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel) began looking for additional capital beyond the €6.5 billion it raised in January 2024 to finish Europe’s first new steel mill in 50 years. The plant in Boden will use hydrogen produced from renewable electricity to replace coal, but cost pressures and the broader slowdown in green hydrogen investment have prompted the search for public funding, equity or debt.

Latin American data centres secure landmark green financing

ODATA, a unit of Aligned Data Centers, announced a $1.02 billion green financing package for energy‑efficient and renewable‑powered data centres across Latin America. The deal brings ODATA’s total green financing to $2.25 billion and will support projects in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Colombia that aim to improve energy efficiency, expand renewable‑energy use and adopt sustainable construction practices. ODATA’s CFO said the funds will help meet soaring cloud‑computing demand.

Malaysia selects reNIKOLA for 618 MWp of solar projects

Renewable‑energy producer reNIKOLA Holdings was shortlisted under Malaysia’s Large Scale Solar 5+ programme to develop two projects totalling 618 MWp. The projects will supply clean electricity for 21 years, driving about 1.2 billion ringgit (€285 million) of direct investment and are due to be commissioned by the end of 2027. Malaysia plans to more than double renewable‑power capacity by 2030 and increase gas‑fired generation by 50 % to meet data‑centre demand.

Sept 5 – EU engine ban criticised

BMW chief calls 2035 combustion‑engine ban a mistake

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse told Politico that the EU’s plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035 is a “big mistake”. He argued that a fixed cut‑off date ignores emissions across the supply chain and said fuel producers such as Shell and BP escape scrutiny. Zipse called for allowing climate‑friendly fuels after 2035 and emphasised that BMW still expects to sell over 2.5 million vehicles in 2025 despite tariffs, weak demand and Chinese competition.

Sept 7–8 – Electric‑vehicle targets under scrutiny

Report shows most European carmakers on track for 2025–27 carbon targets

Advocacy group Transport & Environment said all EU carmakers except Mercedes‑Benz are likely to meet the bloc’s carbon‑emission targets for 2025–2027, thanks to a surge in affordable EV models and faster charging‑infrastructure rollout. The report predicted battery‑electric vehicles would capture over 30 % of the EU car market in 2027, up from 18 % in 2025. T&E warned that weakening 2030 or 2035 targets would deter investment and let Chinese manufacturers extend their lead. It noted Mercedes plans to pool its emissions with Volvo/Polestar to avoid fines because the luxury brand continues to prioritise profitable combustion‑engine models.

Electric‑car bosses urge EU not to delay 2035 zero‑emission target

Over 150 CEOs from Europe’s EV sector – including leaders from Volvo and Polestar – signed a letter urging Brussels to stick to the 2035 ban on internal combustion engines. They warned that delays would stall Europe’s EV market, give rivals an advantage and erode investor confidence. Executives emphasised that existing investments in charging infrastructure and software depend on regulatory certainty and should not be undermined. Their letter came days after auto‑makers and suppliers wrote separately to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arguing that a 100 % reduction by 2035 was no longer feasible.

Stellantis CEO calls for broader support

Stellantis’s new chief executive Antonio Filosa urged EU leaders to grant more flexibility during the EV transition and to support hybrid cars and fleet renewal. Speaking ahead of a meeting with Commission President von der Leyen, Filosa argued that replacing older vehicles with newer models of various powertrains would reduce emissions more than solely focusing on annual new‑car sales. He warned that light‑commercial vehicles face an “emergency” and proposed extending the emissions‑averaging period for that segment to five years.

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Figen Sekin

I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.