The Financial Times reports that Elon Musk’s SpaceX “was awarded the lowest possible environmental, social and governance rating by index provider MSCI [Morgan Stanley Capital International] ahead of the company’s record $75bn public float this month. The triple C assessment means SpaceX has the same score as that awarded to the Russian state on MSCI’s ESG government rating scale in the wake of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It leaves SpaceX “lagging its industry based on its high exposure and failure to manage significant ESG risks”, according to MSCI.” ESG assessments by major index providers have previously drawn Elon Musk’s ire. After Tesla was dropped from the widely followed S&P 500 ESG Index in 2022 over concerns including claims of racial discrimination and a lack of details on its low-carbon strategy, Musk described ESG as a “scam . . . weaponised by phoney social justice warriors.” Really?
Dassault Aviation has won a legal challenge against the EU’s green taxonomy rules after a court ruled that the European Commission unfairly excluded private jets from being classified as environmentally sustainable. the Financial Times reported this week. The court found that the Commission failed to properly consider factors such as the use of sustainable aviation fuels and relied too heavily on CO₂ emissions per passenger. The ruling could potentially improve Dassault’s access to green financing and prompt the EU to reconsider its classification criteria.
In another legal ruling discussed in the Financial Times, “TotalEnergies must account for its customers’ greenhouse gas emissions, a Paris court found, ruling that it had a legal obligation to disclose its full climate impact. It was a partial victory in the case brought by a group of non-profit campaign groups and the city of Paris, which were also aiming for specific measures to limit the energy group’s fossil fuel activities. Instead, the court gave the company six months to report back on its climate impact and set out measures to address the risks. The decision is the latest in a series of rulings in court cases being closely watched for an indication of how far corporate responsibility extends to emissions from burning fuel for energy, driving and flying.”
There is disturbing news reported by Politico. In one report, “EU member countries made a deal on Wednesday that would make it easier for private investments earmarked for green activities to flow into companies building new fossil fuel projects. It would mean big oil and gas companies that are spending billions on new oil wells and gas fields could still find themselves in sustainable investment funds, as long as they are also investing in things like wind turbines, solar power, hydrogen, or carbon capture and storage.
In a separate Politico report, 12 member states are putting pressure on the EU to delay a measure that will require companies to monitor, report and verify methane emissions beginning in January. Politico’s leads its report by pronouncing that Big Oil’s campaign to stop EU methane restrictions is working. The fossil fuel industry and the US government are gaining ground in their fight to postpone EU rules. Energy Intelligence wrote that the EU stood firm despite rising opposition. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen has reiterated that he does not plan to amend the methane regulation. Given the opposition it appears the story has not ended
Watch this – Energy Efficiency: The Most Underrated Solution to Climate Change | Energy 101, Ep 9 In this video, Chris Jardine explores why energy efficiency may be the most underrated solution to climate change, drawing on insights from one of the UK’s leading energy efficiency experts, Professor Nick Eyre.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here are some useful ideas to help you along:
- Check out the Good Night Train website for the unique way to travel through Europe while you sleep.
- There’s never been a more important moment to travel right in Europe with masses of overdevelopment, cruise ships, walking pollution and captive cetaceans still hot topics when it comes to responsible tourism issues in Europe. Check out the Responsible Travel website.
- World Walks provides us with walking holidays in Europe.
- Here are 15 remarkable mountain peaks in Europe to conquer in summer.
- Cycling for Softies provides us with the 15 best cycling holidays in Europe in 2026.
Richard Bach (b. 1936), an American writer who has written numerous flight-related works of fiction and non-fiction, gives us an important message this week: “You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New EEA report on treating protein diversification as a deliberate, long-term strategy in Europe
- The catalytic converter: the environmental technology that changed everything
- The legacy of climate misinformation and corporate responsibility
- New EEA data on CO2 emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles or vans registered in Europe
- Scientists fight back as US climate research faces deep cuts
- Urban heat Is the new climate frontline
- Why Europe is betting on sleeper trains again
- The petrostate meets the electrostate
- China’s new five-year plan accelerates the energy transition
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 