Sustainability Industry News Update - April 2026

International Sustainability Updates

GHG Protocol Releases Phase 1 Progress Update of Scope 3 Guidance Revision

The GHG Protocol is in the process of updating its Scope 3 Guidance, with the Phase 1 Progress Update document now released.

The GHG Protocol has released its Phase 1 Progress Update document on the revision of the Scope 3 Standard and Guidance. The key changes include tiered data-quality disclosures, a 95% reporting threshold for required Scope 3 emissions, updated treatment of Category 15 – Investments, and a proposed new optional Category 16 for facilitated activities. A separate draft will be developed and released for public consultation in the future; the date is yet to be released.

For more information and key takeaways see: GHG Protocol Scope 3 Revision (Phase 1): Key Takeaways

India Sets Updated 2035 Climate Targets

India updates its 2035 climate targets but avoids absolute emission reduction commitments.

India has set updated climate targets through the Paris agreement, including a new target to reduce emissions intensity, its ratio of GHG emissions to GDP, to 47% by 2035. This represents an extension of its previous 45% by 2030 target, from its 2005 baseline. India is wacurrently aiming for net zero by 2070 which is significantly later than the 2050 target for net zero called for by climate science.

Whilst India is currently meeting its existing climate targets, with some notable successes such as its shift away from fossil fuels in its national electricity generation mix, some commentators have noted that very little real term emissions cuts have been achieved to date, expressing the opinion that India should have opted to set absolute emissions reductions targets, decoupled from its GDP.

Fashion Brands Launch Circular Fibre Collective

Fashion industry leaders launch the Circular Fibre Collective, scaling textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling.

Fashion industry leaders under The Fashion Pact, Fashion for Good, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, have launched the Circular Fibre Collective (CFC). The CFC aims to accelerate the adoption and scaling of textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling.

It is estimated that across the industry up to 2 million tonnes of T2T can be recycled, representing 8% of global fibre production. Currently, less than 1% global fibre consumption is generated by post-consumer T2T recycling.

The Collective focuses on two ‘pillars’: adoption enablers and practical adoption tools. Adoption enablers include non-binding commitments, material supply mapping, facilitating voluntary forms of aggregated demand, and financing unlocks. Practical adoption tools such as Fashion for Good’s Fiber Club and T2T Recycled Materials Cohorts help brands overcome commercial barriers to adoption. 

T2T recycling will have an impact on Scope 3 reporting for fashion brands. Tackling end-of-life treatment of sold products the CFC could help address the carbon reduction in Scope 3, which is an area all brands have struggled with.

EU Sustainability Updates

AccelerateEU Packages is presented by EU Commission

The EU Commission has presented its AccelerateEU Package, with a focus on secure clean energy, amidst energy concerns related to current fossil fuel-based systems due to the Iran War.

On the 7th April, the Vice President of the European Central Bank, Frank Elderson, released a statement questioning whether Europe can afford not to make the energy transition, arguing due to the complicated nature of maintaining price stability while relying on imported energy. Clean energy options were considered as lower overall costs, with low running costs once infrastructure is implemented.

The statement detailed the many benefits outside of climate stating “It strengthens macroeconomic stability, lowers long‑term costs, supports economic growth, delivers health benefits and enhances Europe’s strategic autonomy.”

Later in the same month, the AccelerateEU package was presented by EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, to develop affordable and secure energy particularly clean energy. This she said [referring to the EU] “will give us energy independence and security and mean we can better weather geopolitical storms.” This plan was pushed into action due to the impact of the war in Iran on fuel imports, the second shock for fossil fuel dependent nations in 5 years, showing the need to “accelerate electrification, the roll out of additional domestic clean energy production and the energy transition.”

The program looks to ensure lower taxes for electricity than natural gas and increase low carbon energy through extending nuclear and rolling out clean energy infrastructure for both electricity and biomethane as well as consolidating the tracking of energy imports.

Switzerland Announces New Proposed Sustainability Reporting

A new Federal Act has been proposed in Switzerland updating sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations.

The Swiss government has announced a proposed new sustainability reporting in line with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).  This new Federal Act outlines new obligations for both sustainability and due diligence reporting obligations.

Companies with at least 1,000 employees and €488 million in revenue (CHF 450 million) would be required to report in line with the new proposed sustainability reporting requirement, which would need to be in compliance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) or an equivalent standard. Under the new Federal Act, the due diligence reporting obligations would apply to companies of 5,000 employees and a revenue of €1.6 billion (CHF 1.5 billion).

UK Sustainability Updates

New Voluntary Assurance Scheme for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

RFAS Aviation has been launched in the UK to provide voluntary assurance of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

A new voluntary assurance scheme, RFAS Aviation has been launched in the UK, with the aim of standardising the reported emissions impact of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the approach to traceability. This is hoped to ease difficulties encountered by users of SAF when attempting to report the benefits of its use versus conventional fuel in the UK emissions trading scheme (ETS).

RFAS Aviation acts as an expansion to the aviation sector for renewable fuels assurance, moving beyond the existing Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS), used for road transport. A key output of the scheme will be a declaration featuring core data relating to the production and lifecycle emissions of the assessed fuels among other information, serving as a uniform auditable record for reporting organisations.

This scheme is expected to become increasingly relevant as the UK governments SAF mandate, in force since 2025 continues to drive up the proportion of SAF used to fulfil jet fuel demand, targeting 10% of demand by 2030. This will have an associated knock-on effect on the importance of high confidence sustainability reporting information for consumers of SAF, as it forms an ever-increasing proportion of their carbon footprint.

Nature Market Standards Released Covering Biodiversity Credits and Nutrient Benefits in Waterbodies

Two updated British Standard Institution (BSI) standards for nature markets came into effect 31st March 2026.

Two new SI standards have been released for nature markets on the 31 st of March 2026, called the BSI Flex 702 and the BSI Flex 704. Both standards introduce four principles covering transparency, methods for quantification of credits, governance, and openness to innovation.

BSI Flex 702 v2.0 covers biodiversity credits and works to complement the existing standard for nature credits through adding specific principles related to biodiversity market requirements.

High quality biodiversity credits are defined as “providing verified outcomes for Nature, equity and fairness for people, and good governance for markets” and must have robust evidence demonstrating durability, additionality, and equity and rights with coverage of the full ecosystem lifecycle. For a offset biodiversity credit, adverse effects must be addressed through support for either the same community of species or local ecosystems.

BSI Flex 704 v2.0 covers nutrient benefits created to address the fact that markets have not thus far accounted for impacts on ecosystem services, such as water, nutrient flows and finite resource use. This standard also works to complement existing standards for nature credits.

The main aim of nutrient markets is to manage nutrient pollution in waterbodies, achieved either through reducing pollution to or removing pollutants from the relevant bodies.

Regulations are in place to ensure nutrient pollution does not exceed environmental limits in protected habitat sites where developers must demonstrate proposed projects will not increase nutrient pollution. This has resulted in a compliance market for nutrient reduction and removal interventions.

Network Rails Signs PPA with Offshore Wind Farm

Network Rails has signed a PPA with Offshore Wind Farm, helping cut 168,000 tonnes of CO2e.

Earlier this month Network Rail announced a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) of 300 GWh will be supplied by RWE Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind Farm.

This will contribute to 65% of Network Rail’s non-traction (non-train) electricity demand, helping them to cut 168,000 tonnes of CO2e. This PPA brings Network rail significantly closer to their target of having all non-traction energy from sustainable sources by 2030, including all of its depots, offices, and 20 stations.

In May 2025, Network Rail signed a PPA with EDF which included 49.9. GWh of Solar energy.

To find out more about Power Purchase Agreements for decarbonisation, read here.