A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year 2023 from edie!

The edie team will be signing off for a festive break today (Friday 23 December) and will be returning refreshed on Tuesday 3 January. Here, we round up some of the articles and interviews you can access during the break, and look ahead to some key dates for your diary in early 2023.

As we look forward to the New Year, it’s worth taking some time to reflect on all of the trials and tribulations of 2022, with the energy price crisis bringing efficiency and renewables into focus but also prompting concerns about survival for small business and social sustainability here in the UK, as well as in international value chains.

From an international environmental diplomacy standpoint, the agreement struck at COP27 in Egypt last month was historic in terms of inclusions on climate adaptation and loss and damage financing. The summit was held parallel to the G20 meeting in Indonesia, where a $20bn just energy transition partnership was agreed upon and where Germany made progress on its ‘climate club’. Of course, we still need to go much further and faster to close the emissions gap, adaptation gap, and finance gap.

This winter has also seen another cop – the biodiversity COP15 – wrapping up. More than two years after nations were meant to do so, they have finally agreed on a historic treaty for nature with a headline commitment to end nature loss and degradation this decade. This agreement came despite huge challenges in finance-related discussions until late in the meeting in Canada, with wealthy nations stubbornly avoiding demands from some of the most biodiversity-rich low-income countries for more international support.

Whichever way you see it, it’s been another hugely busy year for anyone working in environmental sustainability. To help you recap on the COPs, the energy crisis and more, edie has rounded up some of our most popular stories of the year – especially for those of you in need of some reflection.

-RECAP ON THE SUSTAINABILITY STORIES OF 2022 HERE –

Also in a reflective mood this month is edie’s content editor Matt Mace. Building on from his analysis this summer, asking whether the UK’s approach to the net-zero transition could be rectified in line with scientific recommendations, he’s asking: Will 2022 mark the beginning of the end for the net-zero movement? Or will we need to, instead, write a new chapter as geopolitical crises roll on?

–READ MATT’s NET-ZERO ANALYSIS HERE-

Readers keen to get into the festive mood, meanwhile, will be happy to know that we’ve lined up some Christmas-themed articles to help you get into the spirit of the season.

The first of these is a Christmas-themed edition of our new Sustainability Uncovered podcast, hosted in partnership with Lloyds Bank.

Whether you’re a business leader, climate expert, environmental professional, youth activist, or just someone with a passion for all things sustainability and climate action – this podcast is for you.

This special edition includes interviews relating to biodiversity conservation and restoration with the Lloyds Bank team, who were live on the ground in Montreal; Patagonia’s country manager for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics; and ‘regreening’ programme JustDiggit.

These discussions invite listeners to think about how we can go beyond incremental change to deliver a net-positive impact for nature, collaboratively.

— CLICK HERE TO STREAM THE EDIE PODCAST —

Additionally, we’ve put together this fun ‘in numbers’ explainer, tracking just how much waste and emissions will be generated by festivities in the UK this season, and this roundup of the biggest green innovations of the month, in association with our innovation partner Springwise. Did you know that Brits will bin 74 million mince pies this week? Or that you can now 3D-print a house that is self-sufficient from energy and water systems?

For your diaries in 2023

We hope that all of our readers have a relaxing festive break, ready to return refreshed and with renewed ambition for 2023.

To kick-start the year, we will be hosting a focus week on the topic of sustainability reporting, communications and engagement on the week beginning 23 January. Yes – edie’s ever-popular ENGAGE is back for another year!

We will be publishing exclusive interviews, a podcast special, downloadable reports and much more during this week. We are also hosting a free-to-attend online event on the afternoon of Wednesday 25 January, with three live and interactive Sustainability Reporting & Communications Sessions lined up featuring a range of expert guest speakers. Register now to join us.

Then, on 1-2 March, edie is hosting its biggest annual event – edie 23. Formerly known as the Sustainability Leaders Forum, the world’s largest corporate climate action event for business, sustainability and net-zero leaders is back in London and set to be bigger than ever.

The event will unite hundreds of professionals for inspiring keynotes, dynamic panel discussions, interactive workshops and facilitated networking across three stages at the state-of-the-art 133 Houndsditch conference venue in central London.

Speakers confirmed so far include revered Kenyan climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, Climate Change Committee Chair Lord Deben, Leon Restaurants co-founder Henry Dimbleby, Pukka Herbs’ chief executive Anuradha Chugh, Holcim’s chief financial officer Géraldine Picaud, INGKA Group’s deputy chief executive and chief financial officer Juvencio Maeztu, Unilever’s chief sustainability officer Rebecca Marmot, and climate justice activist Mikaela Loach.

View the full list of edie 23 speakers here and purchase your ticket here.

The edie Awards, which have previously taken place directly after the conference, are being held separately this year, on 30 March. After a record-breaking year of hundreds of entries from across the spectrum of sustainable business, winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at the Park Plaza London Westminster hotel. It is highly recommended that you book your place at the Awards as soon as you are able, as tables are limited. Click here to see a list of shortlisted entries.

So, that’s well and truly it for another year. We’ll be back on 3 January 2023 and in the meantime, from all of the edie team, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Luke Nicholls (content director), Matt Mace (content editor) and Sarah George (senior reporter)