European cities are starting to show what happens when streets are built for people

Zeeshan Tirmizi writes on the Deutsche Welle website about a citizen-led campaign in Berlin that is collecting signatures to create a car‑free centre in the German capital. Other European cities also show what happens when streets are built for people. Here's what happens when cities kick out cars Berliners lost 60 hours to traffic … Continue reading European cities are starting to show what happens when streets are built for people →

Energy in Demand News, May 3-4, 2026

The big news this week was that more than 50 countries gathered in Colombia to work on trade measures to cut out fossil fuels, as reported below in EiD. The meeting was considered the “coalition of the willing,” and grew out of frustration of the UNFCCC process where there were simply too many fossil fuel … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, May 3-4, 2026 →

EEA’s latest official reported data on levels of key air pollutants in Europe

Most air quality monitoring stations in Europe achieve current EU legal standards for key air pollutants. However, the levels of key pollutants — like particulate matter, benzo(a)pyrene and especially ground-level ozone — remain a significant problem, according to the latest air quality assessments published this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Progress in … Continue reading EEA’s latest official reported data on levels of key air pollutants in Europe →

Energy in Demand News, March 8-9, 2026

The war in the Middle East could end up having a devastating impact on our global energy system. Daniel Yergin, the well-known energy analyst who is author of the 1991 ‘The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power’ asks in the Financial Times this week whether the nightmare scenario for global energy is … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, March 8-9, 2026 →

New EEA publication covering the links between air pollution, noise and chemical pollution to mental health issue

Reducing pollution, in line with the EU Zero Pollution action plan, could improve mental health across Europe, according to an EEA briefing published recently. The publication covers the links between air pollution, noise and chemical pollution to mental health issues, as well as opportunities for action – including the positive effects of nature-based solutions on … Continue reading New EEA publication covering the links between air pollution, noise and chemical pollution to mental health issue →

Energy in Demand News, February 22-23, 2026

In the rush to expand the use of coal in the US, the Financial Times reports that this week the US Environmental Protection Agency “rolled back strict controls imposed by former president Joe Biden’s administration on the volume of toxins that coal and oil-fired power plants can release into the atmosphere. The Trump administration has … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, February 22-23, 2026 →

Air pollution has become one of the deadliest public health threats in North Macedonia, clouding the country’s EU accession path

In an article on the Euractiv website, Bronwyn Jones argues that until North Macedonia can turn EU funds into cleaner air in the country’s towns and cities, environmental reforms will remain not just a public health challenge, but a test of its readiness for membership. How air pollution tests North Macedonia’s EU accession credibility … Continue reading Air pollution has become one of the deadliest public health threats in North Macedonia, clouding the country’s EU accession path →

Energy in Demand News, January 25-26, 2026

The Financial Times reported this week that Norway’s oil fund wants companies to be allowed to water down their climate goals, arguing the alternative was for a major net zero initiative to fall apart. “The $2tn oil fund told the FT it feared companies could back away from the idea of science-backed climate targets unless … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 25-26, 2026 →

What happens when we stop putting a price on clean air?

In an article on The Conversation website, Jenni Shearston, Assistant Professor of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, discusses the impact of air pollution to our health and well-being. Shearston questions why the US has recently stopped estimating the dollar value of lives saved in the cost-benefit analyses for new pollution rules. The New York … Continue reading What happens when we stop putting a price on clean air? →

Energy in Demand News, December 7-8, 2025

A World Meteorological Organization study finds that the Arab region is warming at twice the global average, reports the Financial Times. “The study found extreme events last year affected 3.8mn people and led to more than 300 deaths, mainly from heatwaves and floods. . . . The region covering 22 countries — stretching from the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, December 7-8, 2025 →