This week, the New York Times had a news item (behind paywall) entitled: “Climate Disasters Daily? Welcome to the ‘New Normal.’” There were two especially worrying points. The first: “And yet even as storms, fires and floods become increasingly frequent, climate change lives on the periphery for most voters. In a nation focused on inflation, political scandals and celebrity feuds, just 8 percent of Americans identified global warming as the most important issue facing the country, according to a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.” Just 8 percent? The second may be more worrying: “As climate disasters become more commonplace, they may be losing their shock value. A 2019 study concluded that people learn to accept extreme weather as normal in as little as two years.” At a symposium last weekend in Freudenstadt, Germany, we discussed the “passiveness” that leads people to accept these disasters. But losing this shock value in as little as two years is a real concern. The clock really is ticking for us to ramp up our crisis efforts. With reports appearing regularly these days, we can only hope that enlightened policies and strong implementation will reverse these trends.
EiD would like to draw your attention to a new podcast series co-produced by the Global SDG7 Hubs and The Energy Talk focusing on how distributed renewables can transform livelihoods and lives in the Global South. In the first episode, Distributed Energy for People and the Planet, host Marilyn Smith is relieved that such distressing statistics are balanced with exciting news from Harish Hande (SELCO Foundation) and Gauri Singh (IRENA). The combination of ‘practical solutions and policy action’ for distributed energy holds the power to transform socio-economic development at local scales. Listen in for brilliant examples of how joint efforts are already delivering a ‘just, clean energy transition’.
This year the European Environment Agency invites avid photographers across Europe to capture both the good — sustainable, and not so good — unsustainable — production and consumption patterns, habits and behaviours in our daily lives. This year’s EEA photo competition ‘ZeroWaste PIX’, launched this week, calls us all to reflect on the state of modern lifestyles. The aim of ZeroWaste PIX is to raise awareness and inspire change, conveyed through photographs, whether it is an image of factories, landfills or a community garden that bring people together around a shared sense of purpose. Participants can enter photos in four categories: Circular and smart; Eco-lifestyles; Wasteful production; and Consumption mania. The competition remains open until October 3rd. More information on the categories, how to enter and contest rules are here.
Train travel is becoming more fashionable and sustainable. It is encouraging to see the growing interest. Check out the best new European train routes launching in 2023 and 2024, according to Euronews.
How is your country progressing in energy efficiency? The “Energy Efficiency Watch” collects opinions from experts in all EU member states on how they see the progress of energy efficiency in their own country in the last 3 years. Make your voice heard by completing their survey. It will only take you about 10 minutes. Like the three previous surveys, results will be presented to the European Commission, the EU Parliament and national policy makers. Note that EEW has already received more than 600 answers from all over Europe. However, more input from France is still needed! Well, really from all member states!
Marcel Proust (1871-1922), the French novelist, critic, and essayist, considered by critics and writers to be one of the most influential authors of the 20th century gives us an important message this week: “We must never be afraid to go too far, for truth lies beyond.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 