Daily Sustainability Briefing — 21 September 2026
Global renewable capacity hit a record high in 2025 even as scientists confirm another year of record ocean heat and ice loss, while EU policymakers move to tighten emissions rules for shipping and aviation and ban the destruction of unsold clothing from 2026 — changes that will increasingly touch Nordic freelancers, artists, and small businesses.
Renewables added a record ~692 GW globally in 2025, IRENA reports
IRENA's Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026 finds total renewable power capacity reached 5,149 GW after a 15.5% annual increase, with solar accounting for roughly three-quarters of additions. The agency frames homegrown, low-cost renewables as a way to reduce exposure to volatile international fuel markets, though it flags persistent regional disparities and the growing importance of grid flexibility.
Commission proposes ETS overhaul that tightens rules for aviation and shipping
On 17 July 2026 the European Commission proposed a targeted revision of the EU Emissions Trading System to support the 2040 climate target, updating free-allocation and CBAM rules and strengthening the ETS for aviation and maritime transport. Separately, from 2026 the maritime ETS also begins covering methane and nitrous oxide emissions, not only CO2.
EU ban on destroying unsold clothing takes effect from 2026
Under the EU's ecodesign regulation, destruction of unsold clothing, footwear and accessories becomes prohibited in the EU from 2026, and large companies must report the number of unsold goods they discard and the reasons why. The rules sit alongside separate producer-responsibility measures for textile waste, part of a broader push toward more durable, repairable and recyclable products.
State of the Climate 2025: record ocean heat and continued ice loss
The American Meteorological Society's 2025 State of the Climate report, led by NOAA scientists, found the planet's oceans reached record high temperatures for a third consecutive year and the Greenland Ice Sheet lost about 129 gigatons of ice. It identifies continued fossil-fuel burning as the primary source of record greenhouse-gas levels; in Europe, average temperatures have risen about 3.6°F since the 1960s.