Reviewing the issues in the upcoming Swiss referendum on energy

We get so involved in EU energy and climate policies that we often miss out on important developments in neighbouring countries. Le News provides a good assessment of the issues in the upcoming public vote in Switzerland to approve the draft energy act.   Some numbers behind the divisive Swiss vote on energy On 21 … Continue reading Reviewing the issues in the upcoming Swiss referendum on energy →

Understanding attitudes to climate change

Denise Balkissoon writes an article in Canada’s Globe and Mail about that group between climate change deniers and climate change believers. What do you think?   ‘Climate-change agnosticism’ is a cop-out Is it possible to be a “climate-change agnostic?” And what would that even mean? It’s easy to identify a climate-change atheist, like the President … Continue reading Understanding attitudes to climate change →

Re-thinking the design of buildings

We are well aware that the built environment is a key area that has to be addressed in our climate change strategies. Matt Mace explains in an article on the Edie website about some important new design innovations that could have an important impact.   Lego block' buildings: Adaptability essential for building stock to combat … Continue reading Re-thinking the design of buildings →

What will drive the fourth industrial revolution?

Itai Palti, Director of architecture and design at The Centric Lab, a cognitive neuroscience research lab providing useable and practical insight to the built environment industry, provides an important article on the Quartz website about the role of creativity for our next industrial revolution.   Creativity will be the source of our next industrial revolution, … Continue reading What will drive the fourth industrial revolution? →

Latest update on climate finance

The SDG Knowledge Hub of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides the March and April update on global developments in climate finance   Climate Finance Update: Major Emerging Market Green Bond Fund Launched During the months of March and April, the boards of two major climate funds met, approving a total of US$815 … Continue reading Latest update on climate finance →

An idea that morphed into a company that plans to make solar energy the most accessible form of energy in the world

The energy transition requires innovation and not only in technologies but in techniques and business models. Katie Fehrenbacher writes in The Guardian about a company that started with crowdfunding and is now a major accelerator and an incubator in the growing renewable energy world.   Powerhouse: the startup making solar the most accessible energy in … Continue reading An idea that morphed into a company that plans to make solar energy the most accessible form of energy in the world →

African clean energy programme in turmoil

The African head of a $10 billion programme has recently quit, accusing donors of a deliberate strategy to “railroad” Africans into rubber-stamping projects selected by Europeans. Megan Darby writes on the Climate Home website about the turmoil   EU, France accused of hijacking ‘Africa-led’ clean energy scheme A $10bn clean energy programme launched at the … Continue reading African clean energy programme in turmoil →

Revisions to EU car emissions enforcement strategy opposed by Germany

A German car manufacturer has been at the centre of a global emissions testing scandal. Even given the controversy, the Reuters news service has found out that the German government is going to oppose any overhaul of the enforcement system.   Germany opposes key EU car emission test reforms Germany is opposing key elements of … Continue reading Revisions to EU car emissions enforcement strategy opposed by Germany →

A not-so-quiet repair revolution – repair “pop-up parties”

Getting on a sustainable pathway is a complicated effort that all of us must make. Christine Cole, Research Fellow, Architecture Design and the Built Environment and Alex Gnanapragasam, Research Fellow in Sustainable Consumer Behaviour, both from Nottingham Trent University have written a good article on innovative approaches to repair equipment instead of simply throwing them … Continue reading A not-so-quiet repair revolution – repair “pop-up parties” →