BOARDROOM
Africa’s only high-speed rail line gets extension
Morocco has launched construction of a 430km high-speed rail line linking Kenitra to Marrakech. Announced on 24 April by King Mohammed VI, the project aims to connect Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech, with speeds of up to 350km/h, halving current journey times. The extension is a major step in the country’s $9.5bn national rail strategy.
Already home to Africa’s only operational high-speed rail line, the Al Boraq, Morocco is cementing its leadership in sustainable transport. Once complete, travel from Tangier to Marrakech will take just 2 hours 40 minutes, with Rabat to Casablanca airport cut to 35 minutes.
The $5bn line is central to efforts to modernise transport, decongest roads and lower emissions. High-speed rail, largely powered by electricity, offers a greener alternative to car and air travel. It also frees capacity on existing lines for commuter trains in congested cities like Casablanca.
The government plans to source more than 40% of new train manufacturing locally, creating thousands of jobs and positioning Morocco as a rail industry hub.
UK pensions back £375m forestry fund
A coalition of UK pension funds and institutional investors has raised £375m for a forestry fund designed to combat climate change and restore biodiversity.
Gresham House, the specialist asset manager, announced the final close of its Forest Fund VI, which aims to sequester 4.7mnn tonnes of CO₂ over 25 years through woodland creation and sustainable timber harvesting across the UK.
The fund, the firm’s largest-ever forestry raise, will invest in unplanted land and established forests, with existing assets spanning more than 6,000 hectares in Scotland and Wales. Investors include London CIV, the Wales Pension Partnership, and South Yorkshire Pensions Authority.
As well as capturing carbon, the fund is expected to deliver flood mitigation, rural job creation and biodiversity enhancement. The latter is increasingly valuable under new government rules requiring property developers in England to achieve at least 10% biodiversity net gain for new developments.
Forestry is gaining traction as a natural capital investment, with 73% of UK asset owners open to backing climate adaptation, according to Gresham House – signalling a growing shift toward nature-positive finance.
Battery investment surges in Australia
Australia’s clean energy transition gained pace in early 2025, with $2.4bn invested in large-scale battery storage, marking the second-strongest quarter on record for the sector.
Six energy storage projects, totalling 1.5GW of capacity, reached financial close in the first three months of the year, including the 350MW Wooreen battery in Victoria. Supported by the federal government’s capacity investment scheme, Wooreen was the largest project of the quarter.
Batteries are playing an increasingly vital role in decarbonising the electricity grid by storing excess renewable energy and providing stability during peak demand. As coal plants retire and more solar and wind power comes online, storage is key to managing variability and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The surge in battery investment contrasts with a slower quarter for new renewable generation, with just two solar farms securing funding in Australia. In total, 82 renewable energy projects were either under construction or had reached financial commitment by March, representing 12GW of new capacity. The strong performance in battery storage follows record investment in 2024 and supports Australia’s goal of 82% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.
Zeppelins take flight again – and this time they’re greener than jets
Nearly a century after the Hindenburg disaster grounded the airship industry, a new generation of zeppelins is preparing for takeoff, this time with climate goals at their core.
Modern airships under development promise up to 90% fewer emissions than jet aircraft by using hybrid engines powered by diesel and batteries. Where planes burn thousands of litres of kerosene per hour, airships cruise using just a fraction of that fuel. Their low-speed, low-emission operation makes them ideal for moving cargo and passengers on routes where time isn’t critical.
The revival is attracting serious investment. The Washington Post reported that Google co-founder Sergey Brin is backing LTA Research, which is testing its 400-foot Pathfinder 1 inside a vast California hangar once used for Navy blimps. In the UK, Hybrid Air Vehicles is building a factory to produce two dozen airships annually by 2030. France has supported Flying Whales, a company that plans to build a production facility in Quebec by 2027 and begin commercial flights by 2029.
As aviation’s climate footprint continues to grow – cargo flights alone contribute emissions equivalent to 22m cars – airships offer an alternative. They require minimal ground infrastructure, can reach remote or disaster-stricken areas, and are suited for bulky or oversized cargo like wind turbine blades.
Tourism operators are also embracing the potential for slow, scenic journeys that make the flight part of the experience, with plans for routes over the Arctic, Scottish Highlands and Mediterranean.
While economic hurdles remain, companies in the US, UK, and France are building prototypes and factories. If they succeed, zeppelins could become a surprisingly modern solution to aviation’s emissions problem by offering quieter, cleaner, and far more planet-friendly travel.
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