The German city of Mannheim heats thousands of homes using ice-cold water

River heat pumps? Mannheim started using one last year. With the concept gaining ground around the world, Tim Schauenberg writes on the Deutsche Welle website to find out how it works and how it is being used in Mannheim. Could large heat pumps revolutionize how we warm our homes? Standing in my swimming trunks … Continue reading The German city of Mannheim heats thousands of homes using ice-cold water →

German’s energy transition faces backlash

The right and far-right are taking advantage of growing public concern about measures to climate change, promoted by the Greens. In an article on the Le Monde website, Thomas Wiede discusses latest happenings in German. Germany's backlash against environmental policies It was Thursday, January 11. For the previous three days, German farmers had been … Continue reading German’s energy transition faces backlash →

Climate activists starting to take adaptation more seriously

In an article on The Conversation website, Joost de Moor, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics at Sciences Po in Paris writes about how the adaptation has been thrust into the spotlight like rarely before and that climate activists have realised how important it is to focus on it. … Continue reading Climate activists starting to take adaptation more seriously →

The coming months will determine if COP29 will be a success and whether benefits will trickle down to vulnerable communities in developing countries

Evans Njewa, chair of the Least Developed Countries group and an official in Malawi’s environment ministry, writes on the Climate Home News website argues that rich nations always say they need their parliaments approval for climate finance at COPs – now is the time to start For Cop29 to succeed, rich nations must get … Continue reading The coming months will determine if COP29 will be a success and whether benefits will trickle down to vulnerable communities in developing countries →

Norway’s district court in Oslo recently made a decision on fossil fuels that compels energy firms to account for the industry’s entire carbon footprint

In an article on The Conversation website, Daria Shapovalova, Senior Lecturer in Energy Law, University of Aberdeen writes about a recent court ruling in Norway that requires energy companies seeking oil and gas licenses to consider scope 3 emissions. Oil firms forced to consider full climate effects of new drilling, following landmark Norwegian court … Continue reading Norway’s district court in Oslo recently made a decision on fossil fuels that compels energy firms to account for the industry’s entire carbon footprint →

Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024

There is encouraging good news that carbon emissions dropped in the EU in 2023. The Guardian reported on analysis from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) showing that the EU “pumped out 8% less carbon dioxide from the fossil fuels it burned in 2023 than it did in 2022.” Crea analyst … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 28, 2024 →

“Discussions of AI overlook one significant environmental risk: a potential increase in energy consumption from using it in everyday activities”

In an article on The Conversation website, Felippa Amanta, PhD Candidate, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford writes about how AI could actually lead us to wasting more energy. AI is supposed to make us more efficient – but it could mean we waste more energy The European Union is negotiating an Artificial Intelligence … Continue reading “Discussions of AI overlook one significant environmental risk: a potential increase in energy consumption from using it in everyday activities” →

Toxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands have been dramatically underestimated

Matthew Taylor writes on the Guardian website about a recent study that shows pollution at Canada’s tar sands vastly exceeds industry-reported levels. Canadian tar sands pollution is up to 6,300% higher than reported, study finds Toxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands – already one of the dirtiest fossil fuels – have been dramatically … Continue reading Toxic emissions from the Canadian tar sands have been dramatically underestimated →

The troubling trend of SUVs getting wider

Spurred on by rising sales of large SUVs, newly-sold passenger vehicles are getting one centimetre wider every 2 years. Bigger cars more likely to kill people, release more toxic gas and are outgrowing design of cities. Ajit Niranjan writes on the Guardian website about new analysis about this latest trend. Note also that on February … Continue reading The troubling trend of SUVs getting wider →

Gone are the days when UK government pledged to be the most energy-efficient nation in Europe

When Prime Minister, the present Foreign Secretary, Lord David Cameron pledged to make Britain the most energy-efficient nation in Europe. In the January issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry, Andrew Warren, Chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, says the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, should heed Lord Cameron’s words. This is an important … Continue reading Gone are the days when UK government pledged to be the most energy-efficient nation in Europe →