Energy in Demand, May 26, 2024

With elections for the European Parliament approaching on June 6-9, predictions are for a surge of right wing parties and a consequent erosion of the climate and energy agenda. According to The Economist election tracker, “the environment, including terms such as “climate change”, is a hot topic on the continent’s fringes: it’s most often searched … Continue reading Energy in Demand, May 26, 2024 →

Global climate policy and action plans also largely fail to speak to gender and childhood vulnerabilities

In an article on The Conversation website, Grace M. Jaramillo, Lecturer, School of Global and International Affairs, University of British Columbia discusses gender and childhood issues that are impacted on climate policy. Importantly, Dr. Jaramillo led a team of student researchers to do relevant field research in the Dominican Republic to better understand the issues. … Continue reading Global climate policy and action plans also largely fail to speak to gender and childhood vulnerabilities →

The latest victims of the culture wars in America: woke white goods

Emma Beddington writes on the Guardian website about the latest victim of cultural wars in America. Apparently, energy efficiency and lower electricity bills are unAmerican. What are your views? Free the fridges! Make dishwashers great again! US conservatives have odd priorities If you’ve ever wished your dishwasher used more water, or found your fridge … Continue reading The latest victims of the culture wars in America: woke white goods →

EU citizens’ panel on energy efficiency will “contribute to shaping EU laws and initiatives in this area”

Andrew Warren, chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation and a friend of EiD, looks at what the European Citizens’ panel has to say about the need to invest in energy efficiency measures and wonders how a similar body could help to shape policy initiatives in the UK. This column was originally in the May … Continue reading EU citizens’ panel on energy efficiency will “contribute to shaping EU laws and initiatives in this area” →

Energy in Demand News, April 28, 2024

Economic damage from natural catastrophes is raising concern that some areas could be rendered uninsurable, according to Petra Hielkema, head of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (Eiopa), quoted in the Financial Times (behind a paywall). “The EU suffered more than €50bn in economic losses from natural catastrophes in both 2021 and 2022, according … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, April 28, 2024 →

Britain’s energy transition: the concept of “net zero” has become a political slogan used to start a “dangerous” culture war over the climate

Chris Stark, the chief executive of the Climate Change Committee – an independent non-departmental public body that advises the United Kingdom and devolved Governments and Parliaments on tackling and preparing for climate change – says populist response and culture war around the term “net zero” is inhibiting environmental progress. In an article on the Guardian … Continue reading Britain’s energy transition: the concept of “net zero” has become a political slogan used to start a “dangerous” culture war over the climate →

Lessons from the Cold War to address environmental sustainability

The British academic, Peter Sutoris, whose work bridges anthropology with education, development studies and environmental studies, writes on the National Observer website linking the lessons learned from the Cold War. Peter argues that the Cold War shows that environmental sustainability, like peace, cannot be achieved solely by focusing on technology. Can a net-zero world … Continue reading Lessons from the Cold War to address environmental sustainability →

European Citizens’ Panel provides recommendations on energy efficiency

The European Citizens’ Panel on Energy Efficiency brings together 150 European citizens to discuss how energy may be used in the EU and how the energy system will change. The panel met three times and produced recommendations for the European Commission. 150 European citizens adopted 13 recommendations for the EC on energy efficiency during the … Continue reading European Citizens’ Panel provides recommendations on energy efficiency →

Energy in Demand News, March 31, 2024

New oil and gasfields are expected to grow fourfold despite IEA warnings, the Financial Times (behind a paywall) reported this week in their energy newsletter. At least 20 new oil and gasfields reached final investment decisions worldwide last year and “this figure to grow nearly fourfold by the end of the decade, with another 31bn … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, March 31, 2024 →

How the climate crisis affects our brains

Clayton Page Aldern writes on the Guardian website about how climate change affects our brains. Note that his book The Weight of Nature, on the effects of climate change on brain health, is published by Allen Lane on 4 April. ‘Everybody has a breaking point’: how the climate crisis affects our brains Are growing rates of … Continue reading How the climate crisis affects our brains →