Here is today’s sustainable IT services and climate tech news, research and analysis -- written for technology partners, green IT service providers, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and climate accounting professionals.
A. Sustainable IT, Talent, Partnerships and Green Tech Alliances
1. Executive Leadership - SBTi Names CEO: The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has hired EY veteran David Kennedy as CEO. Kennedy joins SBTi at a challenging time for climate- and sustainability-focused organizations. Some SBTi backers expressed concerns when the organization in 2024 said it was considering letting companies use carbon offsets to meet some emission goals, a move in contrast to its previous position, The Wall Street Journal noted. Fast forward to 2025, and some companies are considering leaving SBTi, the Journal reported.
2. Executive Leadership - Financial Services: S&P Global has named Lauren Smart as head of S&P Global Sustainable1 -- a group that offers benchmarking, analytics, evaluations and other services focused on sustainability.
3. Executive Leadership - Engineering and Consulting Services: Michael Baker International, a provider of engineering, planning and consulting services, has hired Joseph Ghougassian as Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS) principal market lead. The SRS vertical includes the firm's Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP), Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Cybersecurity, Fire Protection and Architectural services.
4. Executive Leadership - Market Research: Kynetec, a market research and data firm focused on agriculture and animal health, has hired Rob Fetter as global sustainability lead, according to his LinkedIn bio. Fetter previously was principal consultant for corporate sustainability and climate change at ERM.
5. IT Services - AI and Sustainability: IT consulting giant Tech Mahindra is leveraging "public-private partnerships and forward-thinking policies" to help businesses "enhance energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and create greener business models," according to Sumit Kumar Popli, president of Tech Mahindra's technology, media and entertainment (TME) business.
6. Partnership - Energy Efficient Data Storage: Pure Storage and Micron Technology are partnering to develop and promote "high-capacity and energy-efficient solutions" for hyperscale data centers, the two companies said.
7. Partnership - Nuclear for Data Centers: Deep Fission and Endeavour Energy are partnering to leverage Small Modular Reactors (SMR) to power Endeavour's data centers. The first reactors are expected to be operational by 2029, the firms said.
8. Data Centers - Nuclear Energy Pushback: Environmentalists, academics and American Indian tribes are gathering force against a nuclear energy revival in the Northwest United States, OPB reported. The pushback counters a plan from Amazon and Energy Northwest to develop and build nuclear reactors in southeast Washington that would power Amazon data centers in Umatilla and Morrow counties, the report noted.
9. Renewable Energy and AI Data Centers: Solar micro-grids are well-positioned to power AI data centers, according to this white paper.
10. AI Chip Sales: Nvidia CFO Colette Kress said the company's new Blackwell chip shipments are on track, while separately noting that the new fiscal year is "absolutely a growth year" for the data center business, SeekingAlpha reported.
11. Partnership - Automobile Manufacturing: Honda is leveraging proprietary software and Amazon Web Services to design software-defined vehicles and new EV services, the two companies said.
B. Sustainability M&A, Climate Tech Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. M&A - Energy Consulting Services: ICF has acquired Applied Energy Group (AEG), an energy technology and advisory services company with roughly 100 employees. AEG provides technology and advisory solutions to electric and gas utilities, state and local governments, and state energy offices nationwide. AEG annual revenue was roughly $30 million in 2024, and revenue growth is expected to be in the mid-teens rate for 2025, the buyer said. The seller was Ameresco. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
2. M&A - Supply Chain Risk Management Capabilities: Achilles Information Ltd of Abingdon, United Kingdom has acquired the assets of Global Risk Management Solutions (GRMS) of Irvine, United States. The deal reinforces Achilles' market focus on supply chain sustainability and risk management solutions.Â
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. United States - Trump and Windmills: President-elect Trump continued his criticism of the offshore wind industry, promising to support policies that would prevent wind turbines from being built during his administration, SeekingAlpha reported.
2. United States - Data Center Investments: President-elect Donald Trump announced a new $20 billion investment into U.S. data centers, with the money coming from Hussain Sajwani, a billionaire from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), SeekingAlpha reported. Sajwani is chairman of DAMAC Properties. The initial investments will come in Texas, Arizona, Illinois, and Michigan, the report said.
3. European Union - Funding Shortage: The European Union risks falling significantly short later this decade of the public funds it needs to achieve its climate goals, Reuters reported, based on a study published by the European Central Bank.
D. Sustainable IT and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Sustainable and Impact Investments International Conference 2025Â (January 14-15, Dublin, Ireland)
- World Future Energy Summit 2025Â (January 14-16, Abu Dhabi)
- Davos 2025Â --Â World Economic Forum 2025Â annual meeting (January 20-24, Switzerland)
- Sustainable Foods Summit 2025Â (January 22-23, San Francisco, California)
- Cleantech Forum North America 2025Â (January 27-29 in San Diego, California)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
