Most popular on Blue Green 15 Jan – 28 Jan 2016

Here’s the articles that were read by most people in the last week.

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The Guide to Sustainable Banking 2016

has set aside a further £2.5bn to cover the cost of past misdeeds (£39 for every man, woman and child in the UK who own 70% of the bank). This month Chancellor George Osborne, who has privately met representatives of major banks five times since the general election, encouraged the city regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, to ditch a review into banking culture. Read more.

Blue & Green Marbles: Caroline Lucas MP, Our Sustainability Personality of the Year

Despite the obvious differences in public awareness and profile between the popular Brighton MP and the less well known CEO of ShareAction, Catherine Howarth gathered well over a third of our well-informed readers’ support. Having led the field since round four, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, surges to the top of our poll with 63% of the initial and eleven rounds of transferred votes. We all stand in ovation to these two incredible and fearless and formidable women. Read more.

New Global Commission to Put Business at the Centre of Sustainable Development

Commission of business, labour and civil society leaders, established by Unilever CEO Paul Polman and former United Nations Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch-Brown, will highlight the massive rewards to businesses who take a lead in poverty reduction and sustainable development. Businesses which join global efforts to end extreme poverty and protect the planet’s finite natural resources can reap great rewards and protect their long-term performance, a proposition that will be tested by a new commission launched today at the World Economic Forum. Read more.

Coal Dropped From Vietnam’s Future Energy Plans

Vietnam will effectively shelve the equivalent of 70 large coal power plants following an announcement from the Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung that the country would drop all further coal-fired power plant projects and move towards cleaner energy. Read more.

Triodos Corporate Finance Raises £17 Million in 2015

Triodos Corporate Finance has raised over £17 million in 2015 for 11 organisations delivering a wide range of positive impact: alleviating youth homelessness, providing work for ex-offenders, housing people with a learning disability, engaging young people in education and creating clean electricity. This brings the total capital raised on behalf of clients in the last five years to £72 million. Read more.

The Guide to Sustainable Funds 2016

Do you want your investments to have a positive impact on people and our planet? Are you tired of being sold unsustainable, irresponsible and unethical investment? Do you worry about the future you are creating for your family by what you invest in? Read more.

Reckless EDF’s Survival Threatened by Hinkley Point C

According to the French newspaper, Le Figaro, EDF could make a final decision on the proposed construction of Hinkley Point C at its Board of Directors meeting on 27th January 2016. Stop Hinkley spokesperson Roy Pumfrey said: “I’ll believe it when I see it. This is the ninth time EDF has said a final investment decision is imminent. Just last October the chairman of EDF, Jean-Bernard Levy, said work would be starting before the end of 2015. It would be completely reckless of the Board to give the go-ahead to this £25 billion project when the Company is in such a parlous state.” Read more.

Most Polluted Streets 2015 Revealed

Friends of the Earth Scotland have released a list of the most polluted streets in Scotland which confirms that many streets are still failing to meet Scottish safety standards. The environmental campaign group analysed official Scottish Government data for two harmful pollutants, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and coarse particles (PM10) which are known to be linked with serious health problems including heart attacks, strokes, respiratory illness and early death. Read more.

Pharrell Williams and Oliver Letwin Hook Awards For Marine Conservation At Inaugural UK Ocean Awards

American musician and producer Pharrell Williams is recognised for his work to promote awareness of the plastic waste filling up the oceans through sustainable fashion label, Bionic Yarn while Oliver Letwin, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, gets “visionary” award for engineering UK government’s key commitment to “Blue Belts” around its Overseas Territories. Retailers M&S and Selfridges also scooped awards among the 12 categories for their efforts to address ocean issues. The Awards event, held at Mark’s Club in Mayfair, was attended by judges including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Sir Charles Dunstone and Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Read more.