EU announces 2040 emissions reduction target ahead of COP30

Taking a pioneering approach to technology, financing, policy, energy security, stakeholder engagement and markets, Vulcan Energy is pursuing an innovative geothermal and lithium production project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. Chapter Zero member Josephine Bush chairs its Audit, Risk and ESG Committee. Here, she explains how stakeholder collaboration, and a board that combines the necessary skills and experience, aims to deliver one of Europe’s most transformational projects – Phase One Lionheart.

The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (effective from 1 January 2026) requires EU importers to report on and purchase CBAM certificates to cover the emissions embedded in their imported goods. This UK Government briefing helps NEDs keep up to date with the latest regulatory requirements for EU imports, including: iron and steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen, and traded electricity.

For boards, COP30 is a lighthouse reminder that evolving climate policy is reshaping regulation and markets, making it essential to "integrate climate, biodiversity, and social factors into strategy."