Author: Rod Janssen

Important breakthrough in producing carbon-free aluminium

We are all interested in seeing innovations that support the low-carbon energy transition. The aluminium industry is one of the most energy intensive and it is encouraging to see new developments that will significantly reduce carbon emissions. A news item on the Fastmarkets website explains the latest developments.   Alcoa, Rio Tinto in Apple-backed JV … Continue reading Important breakthrough in producing carbon-free aluminium →

The challenge of sustainable development together with free trade

Alf Hornborg, Professor of Human Ecology at Sweden’s Lund University discusses a modern dilemma in an article on The Conversation website: free trade promoted by most economists and politicians continues to drive a substantial part of the greenhouse gas emissions that they want to reduce, and yet the sustainable technologies they propose to cut emissions … Continue reading The challenge of sustainable development together with free trade →

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! Sounding out electric vehicles

We definitely don’t need a bell ringer walking in front of every electric vehicle, but we do need to hear them coming (well, for us who are not wearing noise-cancelling headphones as we walk). James Doward writes in The Guardian that from next summer, all new electric vehicles will be required to have sound emitters … Continue reading Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! Sounding out electric vehicles →

Stunning improvements in urban air quality in American cities starting to slow and in danger of reversing

Oliver Milman provides an important article in The Guardian about the current situation in the United States relating to climate change, urban air quality and the low-carbon energy transition. Readers will be amazed to know the gains that have been made in the US in recent decades. They will also be concerned that those gains … Continue reading Stunning improvements in urban air quality in American cities starting to slow and in danger of reversing →

How 885 cities in Europe are addressing climate change

In the most comprehensive survey to date, over 30 researchers investigated the local climate plans of 885 cities in Europe. Oliver Heidrich, Senior Researcher in Urban Resource Modelling at Newcastle University and Diana Reckien, Associate Professor for Climate Change and Urban Inequalities at University of Twente provide a summary of the results in an article … Continue reading How 885 cities in Europe are addressing climate change →

Understanding the benefits in switching to renewable energy

Ben Smee discusses in The Guardian about a new report in Australia that explains what the benefits will be by a shift to renewable energy. Hopefully the energy transition also included significant improvements in energy efficiency. It would be good to know.   Shift to renewables would save Australians $20bn a year – report A … Continue reading Understanding the benefits in switching to renewable energy →

Developing countries still struggling to get sufficient funding for climate change measures

Climate change is a global concern. Unfortunately many of the most vulnerable countries are also amongst the poorest. The north has made commitments to provide funding but, as Fiona Harvey explains in The Guardian, the funding is well behind their pledges.   Climate change aid to poor nations lags behind Paris pledges Finance for poor … Continue reading Developing countries still struggling to get sufficient funding for climate change measures →

Barclays Bank makes new move into sustainable finance

The Climate Action website provides a news item about Barclay’s Bank announcing a new green trade loan for businesses. Climate Action works in a unique, contractual partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).   Barclays unveils new ‘green trade loans’ for businesses Barclays’ annual general meeting in London may have been disrupted by climate … Continue reading Barclays Bank makes new move into sustainable finance →