Initiatives to improve energy efficiency can reduce the EU’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels. They can also help increase the union’s influence in the global south. Mats Engstrom discusses the issues in an article on the European Council on Foreign Relations website. Efficient influence: Energy initiatives for a geopolitical Europe Russia’s brutal war on … Continue reading Calling for greater energy efficiency to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels
Author: Rod Janssen
New EEA briefings: Europe not on track to reach 2030 targets for municipal waste recycling
The European Union (EU) circular economy action plan aims to halve the amount of municipal waste in the EU that is not recycled by 2030. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, achieving this target requires both reducing waste generation and considerably increasing recycling, possibly even beyond the binding recycling target … Continue reading New EEA briefings: Europe not on track to reach 2030 targets for municipal waste recycling
Arguably the world’s largest residential building retrofitted to the Passive House standard in Canada
The project team for the 18-story high-rise for seniors slashed the building’s greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent and its heating energy demand by 91 percent. Robert Cassidy discusses the retrofit in an article on the Building Design + Construction website. Ken Soble Tower becomes world’s largest residential Passive House retrofit Ken Soble Tower, … Continue reading Arguably the world’s largest residential building retrofitted to the Passive House standard in Canada
With limited supplies of key materials, the need to recycle old batteries becomes more important
Inayat Singh writes on the CBC News website about the importance of recycling old batteries as sources for lithium and cobalt become more concentrated in only a few countries. For example, 70 % of cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo alone. Battery recycling could help make electric vehicle production more sustainable The … Continue reading With limited supplies of key materials, the need to recycle old batteries becomes more important
California has set a new record of 97.6% instantaneous renewables on its grid early April
Joshua S Hill writes on the renew economy website about a new milestone for renewables achieved in California. “Re-imagining the grid:” California reaches record 97.6% renewable share California has set a new record of 97.6% instantaneous renewables on its grid, marking a major new milestone on the way to a carbon free grid by … Continue reading California has set a new record of 97.6% instantaneous renewables on its grid early April
Energy efficiency: the need to look at past successful messages rather than unproven new technology
In the April issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry, Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, sets out the reasons why the Government have managed to issue its' latest energy policy whilst omitting any initiatives to stimulate energy efficiency. It also sets out what needs to be done to rectify the position, … Continue reading Energy efficiency: the need to look at past successful messages rather than unproven new technology
Serious conversations between industry, consumers and governments about limiting resource use in the fashion industry are needed to make the industry sustainable
If things don’t change fast, the fashion industry could use a quarter of the world’s remaining global carbon budget to keep warming under 2℃ by 2050, and use 35% more land to produce fibres by 2030. Over the past 15 years, clothing production has doubled while the length of time we actually wear these clothes … Continue reading Serious conversations between industry, consumers and governments about limiting resource use in the fashion industry are needed to make the industry sustainable
Research shows that the tactics of climate change activists can yield significant advantages for their cause, but such radical actions also carry significant risks
Climate protesters who take radical and provocative action risk alienating their allies and repression from authorities, but their tactics can yield significant advantages for their cause. Alistair Walsh discusses the impact of climate change activists in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. What do you think? Disruptive climate protests — do they help or … Continue reading Research shows that the tactics of climate change activists can yield significant advantages for their cause, but such radical actions also carry significant risks
There are ways of conveying the hard scientific facts about climate change to young people while at the same time fostering resilience
Today’s teens and people in their 20s are experiencing increased anxiety, grief, fear or guilt about the planet’s future as well as their own. Fortunately, there are ways of conveying the hard scientific facts about climate change while at the same time fostering resilience. Simon Appolloni, Assistant Professor, School of the Environment at the University … Continue reading There are ways of conveying the hard scientific facts about climate change to young people while at the same time fostering resilience
Ranking the 12 most effective measures that European cities have introduced in recent decade
Kimberly Nicholas, Associate Professor of Sustainability Science at Lund University, in an article on The Conversation website, provides the results of latest research to provide evidence-based ways to reduce car use in cities. 12 best ways to get cars out of cities – ranked by new research Question: what do the following statistics have … Continue reading Ranking the 12 most effective measures that European cities have introduced in recent decade
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 