Episode 38

full
Published on:

24th May 2026

5. Oil at $114, SBTi Cuts 2030 Goals & 98% of AI Energy is Unaccounted For | Top 10 Sustainability Stories

SBTi has quietly halved the minimum emissions reductions companies need to hit by 2030 — no announcement, no press release, just an appendix edit. That's story #2 this week. Story #1? Oil hit $114 a barrel and the IEA has declared the fossil fuel industry "broken forever."

This week's top 10 sustainability stories ranked by what the world is talking about — including the EU's 70% CSRD simplification, a $67 billion clean energy merger, Big Tech locking in 2GW+ of renewables, and why 98% of AI data centre energy is unaccounted for.

If you run a business, advise organisations on sustainability, or work in Food & Beverage or Media and Marketing, these are the stories shaping strategy right now.

TIMESTAMPS:

  • 00:00 — Hook: SBTi cuts 2030 targets
  • 00:30 — Intro
  • 01:00 — #10: Germany drops fossil heating phase-out
  • 01:30 — #9: CDP $900bn extreme weather losses
  • 02:00 — #8: GHG Protocol appoints first CEO
  • 02:30 — #7: Carbon removal goes mainstream
  • 03:00 — #6: Big Tech clean energy deals
  • 03:30 — #5: NextEra acquires Dominion $67bn
  • 04:00 — #4: EU CSRD simplified 70%
  • 04:30 — #3: AI data centre energy — 98% unaccounted for
  • 05:00 — #2: SBTi halves 2030 targets
  • 05:45 — #1: Iran war, $114 oil, IEA "broken forever"
  • 07:00 — Top 3 mind-blowing environmental facts

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About the Podcast

Will Richardson (51toCarbonZero.com)
An Insight into sustainability news, my life and the experiences I faced in running previous businesses.
I am trying to change the way we work, the relationship we have our work and the world around us. We live in a complicated world with a lot of noise. But we need to be making decisions now and those decisions will have ramifications for decades. Will we always make the right decisions; no. But are we doing it for the right reasons I would like to say yes to that - speaking from my heart. This is an audible blog on what I am doing and what we as a business are doing. Some could say it is self promotion, it probably is a bit, I am trying to change the world and be a part of the solution BUT it is also my way to articulate where I am and keep a log of it for my future self and maybe others will learn from my mistakes as I am sure there will be loads!!

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Will Richardson