A new report highlights how the fashion sector is accelerating its adoption of digital tools, data transparency, and sustainability measures to enhance resilience and competitiveness amid geopolitical tensions and eco-responsibility pressures. PARIS , In 2026 the fashion industry is accelerating a structural reset that places data, digitalisation and regulatory compliance at the centre of competitiveness. According to a report by Lectra published in January, persistent geopolitical tensions, growing eco‑responsibility requirements and rapid AI adoption are forcing brands and manufacturers to rethink sourcing, production and commercial models in ways that have direct consequences for industrial decarbonisation and operational resilience. Digital transformation…

An assessment by the World Benchmarking Alliance reveals that while over a trillion dollars could be mobilised from the world’s most influential companies for low-carbon investments, significant gaps remain in corporate action on climate, nature, and social responsibilities, posing a challenge to meeting global decarbonisation targets. The World Benchmarking Alliance’s (WBA) assessment of the planet’s 2,000 most influential companies argues that a substantial slice of the finance needed for the net zero transition sits squarely within corporate balance sheets. According to WBA, at least $1.3 trillion could be mobilised into low‑carbon investments if these firms shifted capital away from high‑emission…

The Middle East and North Africa region enters a new phase of rapid energy growth in 2025, driven by record solar, wind, and storage capacity additions, signalling a shift towards large-scale, market-driven clean energy development and regional integration. The MENA energy transition moved decisively into a new, higher-growth phase in 2025 as the region deployed nearly 15 gigawatts of new solar, wind and storage capacity and accelerated development of hydrogen and grid-scale batteries, according to the Dii Desert Energy outlook presented during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The report and complementary market data show a faster-than-expected shift from pilot projects to…

Indian Railways is rapidly transforming its locomotive fleet by integrating battery and hydrogen-powered trains, signalling a major step forward in its clean-energy modernisation and decarbonisation strategy amid infrastructure and industrial transitions. Indian Railways is accelerating a strategic shift away from diesel power, moving rapidly to integrate battery propulsion and low‑carbon fuels such as hydrogen into its locomotive fleet as part of a wider decarbonisation and clean‑energy modernisation drive. According to The Economic Times, the rail operator has stepped up plans to adopt battery and green‑fuel engines to lower greenhouse‑gas emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut operating costs through…

As Australia shifts focus from traditional biofuels to chemically engineered drop-in fuels like renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, government and industry are investing heavily to cut emissions, support domestic supply chains, and maintain existing energy infrastructure amidst the push for net-zero emissions across sectors where electrification remains challenging. For many Australians, “biofuels” still conjure images of ethanol blends such as E10, limited compatibility, modest emissions benefits and a technology that never scaled. That legacy helps explain why ethanol faded from policy attention as solar and wind surged. What is now drawing serious investment and government backing, however, is a…

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have created ‘Biobeton’, a load‑bearing material made from biomineralisation and human urine, offering a low‑carbon alternative to traditional Portland cement for prefabricated building components. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have demonstrated a significant step towards a low‑carbon alternative to Portland cement by producing a load‑bearing “Biobeton” using biomineralisation and human urine as a feedstock. According to the university, the material is formed when urease‑active microbes precipitate calcium carbonate that binds packed sand grains into a stone‑like matrix without the high‑temperature kiln firing typical of conventional cement production. The Stuttgart team combined several process…

Telamon has entered a strategic partnership with Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies to prioritise low‑carbon, clinker‑free cement in its real estate projects, marking a significant step towards reducing the environmental impact of construction across France. Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies and Telamon have signed a strategic partnership aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of Telamon’s real estate and logistics developments, according to World Cement and Hoffmann Green’s announcement. Under the agreement, Telamon, a B Corp certified developer and investor, will prioritise Hoffmann Green’s low‑carbon cement in future projects, reinforcing its stated strategy of delivering high‑performance, sustainable assets with measurable environmental, social and…

A detailed sectoral assessment reveals that India’s transition to low-carbon “green steel” will be gradual and contested by economic constraints and resource limitations, with significant policy and technological challenges ahead. India’s shift towards low‑carbon “green steel” will be gradual and contested by economics and resource constraints, according to a detailed sectoral assessment by rating agency ICRA, with corroborating analysis from government and independent research organisations. ICRA’s report, “Decarbonising Indian steel sector: Green steel remains a long‑term aspiration”, finds that Indian primary steelmakers currently emit on average around 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of steel (Scope 1 and 2), roughly…

A new report by Siemens and Latinometrics reveals Latin American manufacturers are rapidly transitioning from pilot projects to operational AI, driven by environmental and efficiency goals, with notable energy savings and CO2 reductions, but face challenges in scaling and talent acquisition. Latin American industry is shifting from experimental trials to operationalised artificial intelligence, driven as much by survival in a carbon-constrained economy as by efficiency imperatives, according to a new report by Siemens and Latinometrics. The Industrial Perspectives findings argue that “Industrial AI acts as a stabilizer that allows the pace of change to accelerate without compromising operational and strategic…

Research suggests that combining explicit carbon pricing with reformed VAT structures on food could significantly reduce Europe’s environmental footprint, encouraging shifts towards plant-based diets while safeguarding low-income households. A team of researchers led by C. Plinke, M. Sureth and M. Kalkuhl argues in Nature Food that the environmental footprint of European food consumption could be materially reduced through two complementary economic levers: explicit carbon pricing on food-related emissions and a reformed, progressive value‑added tax (VAT) that better aligns prices with environmental impact. The paper’s quantitative modelling shows that raising the price of carbon‑intensive goods and adjusting VAT rates across food…