Othersfield Sustainable Communications

Innovating to net zero - Othersfield Thoughts on the Energy Systems Catapult's Innovative to Net Zero 2026 report, by low-carbon tech PR specialist Tim Chapman.

The regular Innovating to Net Zero reports from @energysyscat.bsky.social are always an interesting read.

Here's our thoughts on what the 2026 edition says about:
🤜 Renewables and nuclear
🤜 Carbon capture
🤜 Hydrogen
🤜 EVs and flexibility
🤜 AI
🤜 Technology mapping
othersfield.com/comment/inno...

Reasons to be (mildly) cheerful, part 3 -

Coal's legacy of emissions - Othersfield Are coal emissions the biggest driver of climate change? Analysis of historic data by sustainable communications specialist Tim Chapman.

Is coal the biggest contributor to climate change?

I wondered that at a recent meeting about the legacy of the UK coal industry.

No one in the meeting could say for sure, and web searches didn’t turn up anything definitive. So I crunched some numbers myself.
othersfield.com/comment/coal...

How to avoid greenwashing - Othersfield Good practice for avoiding greenwashing, drawing on recent rulings from UK regulators, written by sustainability PR specialist Tim Chapman.

Great to speak at today's Green Economy event in Huddersfield to discuss what greenwash means, and how companies can best avoid making misleading claims about the environmental credentials of their goods.
Here's the accompanying blog, with extra info and links -
othersfield.com/comment/avoi...

Not long to go, and registration is still open - www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/green-econ...

Green Economy Networking Brunch (Kirklees) Join us for our Green Economy Networking Brunch!

The free networking brunch is at Cedar Court Hotel Huddersfield on Friday 16 January 2026.
Registration link - www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/green-econ...

Green networking Register now! Cedar Court Hotel Huddersfield 16 January Tim Chapman - Othersfield I will be speaking at the Green Economy Networking Brunch

Make 2026 the year that you get to grips with greenwashing risks.
Our Tim Chapman will be speaking at the first Green Economy event of 2026 to discuss greenwashing regulation, recent rulings, and what you can do to make sure your marketing communications are sustainable in every sense of the word.

NESO publishes cost analysis of decarbonisation pathways | National Energy System Operator Our analysis of the Future Energy Scenarios 2025 (FES 2025) looks at the costs of three ways to m

Link to the @neso-energy.bsky.social release and full docs - www.neso.energy/news/neso-pu...

NESO's “holistic transition” scenario would have the lowest cost over the next 25 years, saving £36bn a year.

In simple terms, investing to cut emissions is a lot cheaper than not doing so. That's not a surprising conclusion, but it's not as commonly known as it should be.

One of the recurring messages from #ISEPConnect2025 is the key role of communication and story-telling skills in the effective delivery of sustainability projects.

If you need expert comms support, drop us a line!

Nike, Superdry and Lacoste ads banned in UK over ‘misleading’ green claims Advertising watchdog says all three firms misled shoppers by using term ‘sustainable’ in paid-for Google adverts

Big clothing brands are getting slapped down for misleading claims about their products' sustainability. Good.

Greenwashing is bad business, in more ways than one.

If you need support in making sure that your comms are sustainable, get in touch.

www.theguardian.com/media/2025/d...

Great overview of the energy and environmental bits of yesterday's budget statement. No real delights, but no real horrors either.

Reeves to announce £1.5bn boost in EV subsidies amid pay-per-mile concerns Industry experts welcome extra incentives but fear a consultation on a mileage tax sends mixed messages

Subsidising the cost of getting an EV, then gradually reclaiming that through running costs, actually seems like a decent and fair idea.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

A decade of UK B Corps - Othersfield Thoughts on a decade of the B Corp movement in the UK, by business sustainability PR specialist Tim Chapman.

B Corp status can be a clear marketing win for a company, but the process can also unlock other benefits for effective and meaningful communications.
Some thoughts following last night's Yorkshire B Local network event celebrating 10 years of the movement in the UK.
othersfield.com/comment/b-co...

North Wales to pioneer UK’s first small modular reactors Anglesey set for thousands of new jobs as Prime Minister confirms Wylfa will host UK's first small modular nuclear reactors.

Confirmation that the UK's first small modular reactors will be built on Ynys Mon by the mid-2030s - 10 years to the month after the then-government first announced its SMR competition to identify the best-value technology for deployment in the 2020s.
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Reasons to be cheerful(ish) -

Let's not greenhush growth - Othersfield Thoughts on the UK government's growth delivery plan and other recent clean energy measures, by sustainability PR specialist Tim Chapman.

Is the UK government greenhushing its flagship energy policy?

It’d be easy to miss the release of the latest Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan. It’s an ambitious but, I think, realistic plan to rewire and reenergise the national economy.

othersfield.com/comment/grow...

“This study demonstrates why we should reframe our understanding of green investment from costly environmental subsidy to a high-return national investment.” 👍

Postcard from the Camargue - Othersfield Photos and thoughts on preserving the Camargue's unique landscape, from sustainability PR specialist Tim Chapman.

Some thoughts and photos from a holiday in the Camargue.
It’s a unique landscape, with the highest point just a few metres above sea level.
That makes it extremely vulnerable to climate change. The flamingos will survive, but it could be bad news for people.
othersfield.com/photo/camarg...

As Tories vow to scrap ‘failed targets’, how do their climate claims stack up? We fact check Kemi Badenoch and her party after she promised to repeal Climate Change Act if they win power

A nice example of how to demolish lies about energy and emissions reduction - www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Get your teeth into Doughnut 3.0!

But while it's a brilliant tool for understanding the physical boundaries of a closed economic system, I do wish it had a better name - ideally something that wasn't also a colloquial insult.

87 hours over nine months might not seem that much, but this is a big deal -

Story-telling for case studies - Othersfield Advice on turning case studies into compelling stories, by sustainability-focused PR specialist Tim Chapman.

How do you create a compelling story from a corporate case study?
Here's some basic advice, distilled from many years' experience -
othersfield.com/comment/case...

Also worth noting that there's been a lot of detailed modelling of potential energy systems for the UK, and there's not many that don't have a big chunk of nuclear in their optimal mix.
Big nuclear does have huge upfront costs, but it does have a very long life and reliably steady outputs.

You might be able to retrofit every suitable home for that sum, but making a functional grid out of it would be the big challenge.
I suspect the politics and logistics would also be a lot more difficult than one would hope.

Countryside just outside Huddersfield, looking over a broken stone wall to a field of sheep, trees and Castle Hill beyond.

Happy Yorkshire Day to everyone working towards a green and prosperous future for the region.

We can help you take a plain-speaking no-nonsense approach to the most complex topics in low-carbon tech, energy and sustainability.

Here's the view from t'other side of the hill. Proper Yorkshire.

Some provocative framing, but the essential recommendations here are solid - bring in effective carbon pricing, and stop subsidising fossil fuels.

One interesting point about the new financing arrangement is the return of Centrica, who originally had a 20% stake in the HPC/Sizewell C venture. They pulled out in 2013 citing uncertainty about overall project costs and the construction schedule (with some justification).

Hate to say it, but that is somewhat unfair. The delay was mostly due to EDF not committing. The principle that the government wouldn't invest in new nuclear was set under Blair and Brown.

Possible review - Othersfield Book review of Possible by Chris Goodall - review written by low-carbon technology PR specialist Tim Chapman.

Chris Goodall's Possible is a nuts and bolts guide to the technologies that could help the world reach net zero emissions by 2050.
It could do more to bring the projects to life, but is still a valuable addition to any sustainability bookshelf.
Read our review -
othersfield.com/review/possi...