Validated targets refer to ​decarbonization and emissions reduction goals developed ​by the SBTi, which provides a framework ⁠for companies to establish and validate these ​targets.

By the end of 2025, 9,764 companies had validated science-based targets. Over the same period, the number of companies with validated net-zero targets grew even faster, rising by 61%.

Key report findings include:

• A 40% increase in companies with validated science-based targets in 2025.
• Asia is the fastest-growing region (+53%), now expanding at a scale comparable to Europe.
• Strong sectoral growth led by healthcare, information technology, and materials. The healthcare sector grew 76% year-over-year in science-based targets.
• Europe accounts for the highest number of companies with targets overall, at 49% of all targets, followed closely by Asia at 36%, and then North America at 11%.

Japan continued to lead as the territory with the highest total number of companies with validated targets, with 2,091 at the end of 2025, followed by the United Kingdom (1,363) and the United States (943).

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Growth in household cleaning

Advancements in green chemistry and biotechnology

Future opportunities

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Each month, ServiceForge plants one tree for every employee and every customer. What began as a simple commitment to give back has grown into a meaningful, long-term impact effort, now surpassing a major milestone. This accomplishment reflects the company’s continued dedication to environmental stewardship and community-focused values.

For context, two million trees adds up to:

• Approximately 4,000 acres of forest.
• Roughly 3,000 football fields.
• Trees sufficient to remove an estimated 44,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year (equivalent of taking 9,500 cars off the road).

“This milestone reflects the kind of work we believe in: steady, intentional and rooted in real impact,” said Jane Blanchard, head of brand and marketing for ServiceForge. “In the skilled trades, success isn’t about quick wins; it’s about the slow, human work of strengthening homes, businesses and communities. Planting trees is a natural extension of that mission. It’s a way for us to contribute to something lasting, something that grows alongside the businesses we serve.”

ServiceForge partners with verified reforestation organizations that plant trees in areas affected by deforestation, wildfires and climate change. Partners include Trees for the Future, Save the Redwoods League and Friends of Pando, ensuring that each tree contributes to restoration efforts where it’s needed most.

“We’re in the business of fixing things,” Blanchard said. “What better way to exemplify that commitment than by planting trees, which clean the air, restore habitats and ultimately make the world a better place.”

For more information about ServiceForge and their Giving Back initiative, click .

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Last month was the hottest March on record for the U.S., and the amount it was above normal, 9.35 degrees F, beat any other month in history for the Lower 48 states. The average March temperature for the continental U.S. is 50.85 degrees F.

Last month’s average maximum temperature was especially high at 11.4 F above the 20th century average temperature. This February, which was 6.57 F above 20th century normal, was the tenth highest above normal.

January through March also was the driest period on record for the continental U.S., AP reported. A record warm March melted an already abysmal snowpack across the West, and CNN reported the impacts . The decreased snowpack is raising alarms ahead of summer in a region that relies heavily on mountain snow for its water supply.

Snowpack in the western US typically reaches its peak by late March or early April, but it is currently at record lows, which means a host of potential impacts, including greater wildfire risk and reduced water availability in river basins, meteorologists told CNN. As of mid-March, moderate to exceptional drought conditions exist across 55% of the continental U.S., according to for April through June.

Drought conditions are forecast to worsen or develop for many areas in the West and south-central Plains. Forecasters from  also predict above-normal temperatures for most of the U.S.

By the end of the year, the U.S. is forecasted to transition to a strong super El Niño pattern, . Most of the U.S. will see a warmer winter. The jet stream during the winter months is strongest over the southern U.S., often roasting the Northern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. This can reduce the amount of snowfall that the Great Lakes and Northern Rockies can see.

On the other hand, from the Southwest to the Southeast, an amplified storm track and active jet stream often reduce winter temperatures while bringing heavier rain from California to Florida and an increase in severe weather for the Southeast.

The post US’s Warmest March on Record Raising Alarms Ahead of Summer appeared first on Cleanfax.

Join Cleaning & Maintenance Management (CMM) on April 2 for a free webinar, . Discover how sustainable cleaning practices aren’t just good for people and the planet—they’re good for business. Learn essential strategies to create healthier spaces, differentiate your services in a competitive market, and keep your customers informed about your commitment to sustainability all year long.

During this fast-paced, one-hour interactive session, you will learn strategies from your peers to:

• Differentiate your business with measurable sustainability practices.
• Select certified green products and technology that build year-round trust.
• Improve indoor air quality while reducing chemical exposure and health risks.
• Align with LEED certification and corporate sustainability goals.
• Lower operational costs through smarter chemical, energy, and water use.

The expert panel for this webinar includes:

• Elizabeth Christenson (moderator), CMM Editor
• Jennifer Corbett-Shramo, CEO/Manager, Innovative Cleaning Services LLC
• Ashley Gladney, Sustainability Program Manager, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
• Tavis Pike, Director of Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management, Marsden Services

Seize this chance to learn proven best practices from industry leaders and make sustainability your top priority every day of the year. In doing so you will promote Earth Day 2026’s global theme in support of clean air, water, and energy, along with protected natural resources and a stable climate—all of which are vital to health and economic welfare. Sign up now for .

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For the second consecutive year, Massachusetts held onto the top spot while Illinois remained in second place in the annual ranking. Colorado climbed six spots to third place while Georgia cracked into the Top 10 States for LEED for the first time since 2023.

In 2025, LEED adoption continued to accelerate nationwide, with thousands of projects designed, built, and operated to save energy, reduce waste and improve occupant health. While office buildings and higher education projects remain strong sectors in LEED adoption, innovation-focused sectors—life sciences, data centers, and advanced manufacturing—are fueling notable growth in several top states. With the U.S. remaining the world’s leading market for LEED certification, recertifications are helping raise performance in existing buildings, signaling a market-wide commitment to continuous improvement and high performance in the built environment.

“LEED is helping states accelerate and scale their approaches to lower carbon, healthier spaces, and smarter operations across every sector of the economy,” said Peter Templeton, USGBC president and CEO. “This year’s Top 10 States demonstrate how innovation and performance come together to deliver measurable results. Their leadership shows that high-performing buildings are not the exception—they are the expectation.”

Innovation-led sectors are particularly expanding their LEED footprints. For example, data center growth is strong in Virginia and California, where owners are prioritizing energy efficiency, grid readiness, and operational resilience.

U.S. LEED adoption among office buildings also remains strong, driven by owners investing in healthier, more efficient spaces that support productivity and employee well-being. A growing share of activity is focused on recertification and performance upgrades. Across states such as New York, Illinois, and Georgia, owners are leveraging LEED to modernize existing buildings, validate performance for tenants, and demonstrate measurable progress toward corporate and environmental commitments.

High-performance building is also widening in scope, reaching large-scale projects such as airports and sports and entertainment venues. Prominent projects such as the and in Chicago illustrate how major event destinations can advance energy, water, and waste performance while maintaining world-class visitor experiences.

Across the country, the U.S. saw . These projects demonstrate deeper carbon reductions, grid-interactive efficiency, and enhanced human health. LEED v5 provides a practical, outcomes-focused framework. Among the LEED v5 early adopter projects, the anchors this shift and signals how iconic buildings can lead the way—pairing decarbonization strategies with strong indoor environmental quality and performance verification.

“The Empire State Building is the first in New York to achieve LEED v5 Platinum certification,” said Dana Robbins Schneider, senior vice president, director of energy and sustainability at Empire State Realty Trust. “This is an award that is recognized and respected by tenants and aligns with Empire State Realty Trust’s goal to stand out in our pursuit of environmental leadership with operational excellence, healthy spaces, and long-term value for our stakeholders,”

The Top 10 States for LEED are ranked based on newly certified space in 2025. While not officially part of the rankings, the District of Columbia is also recognized for its nation-leading concentration of LEED-certified space. The 2025 Top 10 States for LEED rankings are as follows:

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) event aims to amplify the amazing work happening across the bioeconomy to support rural communities and grow U.S. manufacturing and jobs.

Biobased products that are not used as food, feed, or fuel are eligible to participate in the BioPreferred Program provided they meet one or more of the and the product’s biobased content meets the applicable minimum. The BioPreferredÂź Program has two major initiatives: mandatory federal purchasing and voluntary labeling.

Through the Voluntary Labeling Initiative, companies may apply for certification to display the USDA-Certified Biobased Product label on a product that states its third-party tested and verified biobased content. The purpose of this label is to make it easy for consumers to locate and compare biobased products for purchase.

Numerous and other supplies used by custodial services are USDA-Certified Biobased Products. To see a complete list of USDA-Certified Biobased Products, click .

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In 2025, the average global temperature was about 2.65 degrees Fahrenheit higher than from 1850 to 1900—the period scientists use as a reference point, since it precedes the industrial era in which massive amounts of carbon pollution have been pumped into the atmosphere.

Air temperature over global land areas was the second warmest last year, while the Antarctic saw its warmest annual temperature on record and the Arctic its second warmest.

The last three years, 2023-2025, were exceptionally warm for two main reasons, Copernicus explained. The first is the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from continued emissions and reduced uptake of carbon dioxide by natural sinks. Secondly, sea-surface temperatures reached exceptionally high levels across the ocean, associated with an El Niño event and other ocean variability factors, amplified by climate change. Additional factors include changes in the amounts of aerosols and clouds, and variations in atmospheric circulation.

As in 2023 and 2024, a significant fraction of the globe was much warmer than average in 2025. Air and sea surface temperatures in the tropics were lower than in 2023 and 2024, yet still much above average in many areas outside of the tropics. The lower tropical temperatures compared to 2023-2024 were partly due to the persistence of near-average or weak La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific throughout 2025. Temperatures over the tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean were also less extreme in 2025 than in 2024.

“The fact that the last eleven years were the warmest on record provides further evidence of the unmistakable trend towards a hotter climate,” said Carlo Buontempo, Copernicus Climate Change Service director. “The world is rapidly approaching the long-term temperature limit set by the Paris agreement. We are bound to pass it; the choice we now have is how to best manage the inevitable overshoot and its consequences on societies and natural systems.”

In 2025, half of the global land area experienced more days than average with at least strong heat stress—defined as feels-like temperature of 32°C or above. Heat stress is recognized by the as the leading cause of global weather-related deaths. In areas with dry and often windy conditions, high temperatures also contributed to the spread and intensification of exceptional wildfires, which produce carbon, toxic air pollutants like particulate matter, and ozone, which also impacts human health. These emissions significantly degraded air quality and had potentially harmful impacts on human health at both the local and larger scales in both North America and Europe.

The post Last Year Recorded as Third-Hottest Year appeared first on Cleanfax.

Still, EPA’s fiscal year 2026 budget will be at an . The budget also includes cuts that would eliminate the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and defund the Office of Energy Justice and Equity.

At the same time,Ìęis rolling out his promised “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” aimed at eliminating 31 environmental and public health protections. For example, last week, the it would stop considering the impact on . The EPA will stop calculating how much money is saved in health care costs avoided and deaths prevented from air pollution rules that curb two deadly pollutants—fine particulate matter and ozone, .

The compromise spending package ,Ìęthough, including one that would have led to the sale of public lands,Ìęand sets legally binding spending requirements to help ensure the White House can’t withhold or misuse funds.

The set of bills provides funding at near previous levels for agencies such as the Health and Human Services (HHS),ÌęNational Park Service (NPS), National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Department of Energy (DOE),ÌęU.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Science Foundation (NSF),Ìęand U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that play an important role delivering science, environmental, and energy programs.

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Energy-efficiency experts from , a company developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools for energy efficiency in real estate, said the sector is stuck not for lack of ambition but because three systemic failures—stalled demand, unclear financial value, and weak operational follow-through— remain unresolved.

Global demand for sustainable buildings has been sliding for several years now, with the latest RICS report showing another drop from 41% to 30%. Investors and developers mostly blame unclear returns: 35-46% cite uncertain return on investment, payback periods, or operational savings as their main barrier to investing.

“Investors aren’t against building sustainably—they just need proof it pays back,” said Donatas Karčiauskas, Exergio CEO. “If a project requires expensive materials, equipment and certifications but the real-world performance doesn’t translate into measurable savings, why would anyone scale it? Until buildings can demonstrate clear, verifiable returns, demand will keep sliding.”

RICS data reveals a growing split between what building owners value and what investors prioritize. Building inhabitants favor performance—94% cite indoor environmental quality and 88% name energy efficiency as top priorities—while investors still focus on certification (86%) and resilience features (78%).

“Occupiers care about how a building works; investors care about how it’s labeled,” Karčiauskas said. “Until performance and certification point in the same direction, we’ll keep building assets that look sustainable on paper but don’t deliver it in practice. The real solution is to measure what happens inside the building, every day— that’s when both groups finally get what they’re paying for.”

The RICS report showed that this kind of measurement is still the exception, not the rule. Across regions, roughly half of respondents don’t measure embodied carbon at all, and only about 16% say their assessments change design choices. Just 17% believe the industry has enough sustainability knowledge, and only 10% are very familiar with whole-life carbon methods.

Karčiauskas believes this is because the respondents do not know how to measure the emissions: “You can’t improve what you don’t measure, and you can’t measure what you don’t have the skills to assess,” he explained. “Right now, most carbon decisions are built on assumptions instead of real evidence.”

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