WSP has been appointed to all three lots of the Environment Agency’s National Groundwater Modelling Framework, covering strategic modelling, regional and catchment-scale studies, and site-specific assessments. The framework will support regulation of abstraction, flood risk and drought management by standardising numerical groundwater models used to assess aquifer behaviour, contaminant migration and interactions with rivers and infrastructure. Consultants working on EA-regulated projects should expect closer alignment to EA-approved modelling tools, datasets and calibration approaches over the framework term.

EcoVadis has awarded MKM Building Supplies a Gold medal, placing the independent merchant in the top 5% of 150,000 companies assessed worldwide for environmental, ethical, labour and human rights, and sustainable procurement performance. Key measures include opening its first two BREEAM Excellent certified branches in Cheltenham and Wolverhampton, rolling out electric forklift trucks across the network, and tightening supplier requirements via a strengthened Code of Conduct. For specifiers and contractors, MKM is also widening access to renewable heating technologies, energy‑efficient products and lower‑carbon construction solutions aligned with evolving UK building regulations.

New South Wales coal mining has cut direct emissions by 30 per cent since 2005 and net emissions by 35 per cent once the federal Safeguard Mechanism is included, making it the fastest‑reducing sector in the state. The industry is now on track to meet legislated 2030 emissions targets, driven by mine‑site efficiency gains, progressive rehabilitation and changes in operational energy use. For mine planners and environmental engineers, the data signal mounting pressure on lagging sectors and a likely tightening of baseline and offset settings beyond 2030.