In this episode of the Climate Signals podcast, host Will Richardson delivers a rapid‑fire top‑10 rundown of the most consequential climate‑related developments for business and sustainability leaders in early 2026. He begins by urging listeners to engage via the show‑notes link, then moves through each trend: (10) climate journalism is migrating to video and podcast formats as traditional TV newsrooms shrink; (9) green‑wash and net‑zero claims face heightened legal and reputational scrutiny, especially in Europe; (8) ESG and climate alliances are under political attack from U.S. Republican attorneys general; (7) companies must build business‑case resilience that does not rely solely on policy, given rapid regulatory rollbacks; (6) public support for net‑zero targets remains strong despite vocal opposition; (5) backlash against climate policy is driven by elite media and political actors rather than consumers; (4) carbon markets and offsets suffer from systemic integrity problems such as over‑crediting and non‑additionality, prompting a shift toward real emission cuts and careful use of ETS revenues; (3) corporate climate standards (SBTi, IFRS‑aligned reporting) are tightening, demanding auditable targets and digitized validation; (2) record renewable energy growth is being driven by cost competitiveness, with renewables supplying the majority of new capacity even in a fossil‑friendly policy environment; (1) market forces continue to push clean‑energy adoption. The episode closes with three striking environmental facts—a kakapo population rebound, lengthening freeze‑free seasons in U.S. cities, and a decline in TV climate coverage despite a surge in billion‑dollar weather disasters—followed by a call‑to‑action for business leaders to join Richardson’s network and a plug for his Substack. The tone is conversational yet data‑driven, with a mix of caution about policy volatility and optimism about market‑driven decarbonisation.
Hey, thanks so much for listening. I would love to be able to help you more on what it is that you are listening to and why you're listening to, to me. If you could click on the link in the show notes, that would be awesome because it will help me define what it is that we should be talking about on this podcast.
Stay with me to the end because I'll share how single parrot species that can't fly properly is having a baby boom. Whilst most TV news quietly stops talking about the climate crisis. So coming in at number 10, climate news is shifting to video. This is relevant to media and marketing leaders, and they must track where climate stories are now live and how brands are framed in new video-first channels. Climate journalism is moving rapidly into podcast and video formats as traditional TV and newsroom climate teams are downsized with new independent shows stepping in to fill the gap. Number 9: Greenwash and net-zero language under fire. This is relevant to any consumer brands and really anyone really of large brands facing— apologies— facing legal and reputational risk if net-zero claims are not backed by robust evidence. Regulators and NGOs in Europe are forcing brands like Shein to drop or qualify net-zero claims that are not backed by credible science-based reductions, with courts supporting action against misleading climate marketing. Coming in at number 8, ESG and climate alliances are being politically attacked. This is relevant to global companies that need to be stress-tested collaborations and alliances that could be caught in the political US crossfire. Republican attorneys general— Republican attorney generals in the US are targeting core sustainability platforms such as SBTi, CDP, and packaging pacts, arguing that voluntary standards and collaboration are anti-competitive, though legal experts say the antitrust case is weak. Number 7, don't over-rely on policy. Build business case resilience. So this is for transition plans that must stack up commercially, even if policies are reversed or delayed. Sustainability leaders warn that the Trump administration rapid rollback of environmental rules shows how quickly decades of policy can vanish. So companies need strategies that stand on customer demands, cost savings, and risk reduction, not just regulation. Number 6: Net zero and climate policy remain popular with the public. This is relevant for businesses that can stay confident on net zero messaging despite noisy political pushback. UK polling still shows a strong majority supporting the 2050 net zero target, with opposition concentrated in a relatively small vocal segments of the electorate. Number 5: Climate policy. Greenlash is elite-driven, not customer-driven. This means that brands should not overcorrect their climate positioning based on elite media narratives alone. Researchers find that most of the backlash against green policies is coming from political and media elites, while mainstream consumers still broadly favour clean energy and climate action, even if they worry about near-term costs. Number 4, carbon markets and offsets face fundamental integrity challenges. This is really relevant to any net-zero buyers. So leaders should prioritize real emission cuts and treat offsets as a small, high-integrity last resort. A new review concludes many offset-based market mechanisms suffer from chronic over-crediting, non-additionality, leakage, and permanence risks that are structural, not just teething problems. ETS revenues could be the competitiveness lever, not the enemy. This is relevant to all large emitters, energy-intensive, food and beverage clients. So companies ready with credible projects can tap recycled carbon revenues to de-risk, Decarbonization. EU debates on weakening the emissions trading system risk handing a free pass to fossil fuels, while experts argue the smarter move is to keep a robust carbon price and recycle roughly €40 billion a year of ETS revenues into targeted support for genuinely exposed industries. Corporate standards. SBTI and reporting rules are tightening. So this is relevant to all, all clients, food and beverage, media, and really anyone. So larger firms will soon need auditable targets, plans, and data that stand up to investor and regulator scrutiny. The Science-Based Targets Initiative has launched a validation portal to standardize and digitize target setting, while the UK has published sustainability reporting standards aligned with the IFRS S1-S2, signaling more rigorous, comparable climate disclosure ahead. And number one, the most talked about in the news this week, is that market forces are still driving record renewables growth. This is relevant to anyone in the energy transition. And it's increasingly about cost and competitiveness, not just compliance or ethics. In the US, renewables hit record generation in 2025, even as federal policy favored fossil fuels, because wind, solar, and storage are now often the cheapest new capacity, with over 90% of upcoming new generation expected from clean sources. So, The end. Top 3 mind-blowing environmental facts from normal news. Mind-blowing fact number 1: a single light flightless parrot, the kakapo, has gone from just 51 known birds in the 1990s to more than 200 today, with one season producing roughly 240 eggs, thanks to intensive conservation Mind-blowing fact number 2: since 1970, the freeze-free growing season across 173 US cities has lengthened by 21 days on average, effectively adding 3 extra weeks of pollen and allergy misery to everyday life. Mind-blowing fact number 3: in the same year that US TV networks cut climate coverage by about 35%, The country still suffered 23 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, showing how extreme events are surging even as coverage shrinks. So I'm looking for business leaders and sustainability experts that want to join our network. DM me or comment me to comment me comment to learn more. And apologies for a few of the mistakes this time. I'm Anyway, thanks for watching and do let me know if you think I can improve or do anything more.
Grab free access to Will's Substack while it lasts. Every week we pull together the top sustainability stories from dozens of trusted sources. Then he breaks down the big issues facing business right now in plain, practical terms. Link in the description.
