Not just a question of doing more with less, sufficiency requires paradigm shift towards ‘enoughness’

Sufficiency is a field of action that seeks to enhance the material wellbeing of the world’s poorest but simultaneously supports a more just distribution of the scarce resources provided by the Earth. Sadhbh O'Neill, a lecturer in climate policy and member of Dublin City University Centre for Climate and Society, in an article on the … Continue reading Not just a question of doing more with less, sufficiency requires paradigm shift towards ‘enoughness’ →

“No matter how many supply-side resources we pour into the mix, the perfect blend will elude us until we stop treating demand-side flexibility as a final flourish of glitter”

With REPowerEU underway, Europe’s energy and climate strategy demands a rapid change of scenery. We must utilise the full palette of solutions available, including household flexibility, says Sophie Yule-Bennett from the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) in an article on the FORESIGHT Climate & Energy website. House power: the hidden powerhouse of the new energy … Continue reading “No matter how many supply-side resources we pour into the mix, the perfect blend will elude us until we stop treating demand-side flexibility as a final flourish of glitter” →

New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition

A new JRC paper examines ways to empower the energy poor and vulnerable consumers as active informed citizens and actors in the energy system, looking at exemplary practices from around Europe. Promising initiatives include energy advisors, trusted intermediaries, locally embedded innovative business models (like one-stop shops), trainings of energy actors, energy ombudsmen, energy cafés and … Continue reading New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition →

During our current energy crisis, there are concerns that if sufficiency is not accepted, then rationing will be the inevitable solution

In an editorial on the Le Monde website, three leaders of energy companies called for reducing energy consumption. But the French government has been too slow in its efforts to encourage people to truly change their behaviour. The need for public leadership on energy sufficiency It is quite rare for companies to encourage their … Continue reading During our current energy crisis, there are concerns that if sufficiency is not accepted, then rationing will be the inevitable solution →

Need for a community-based climate approach in Australia to ensure any new infrastructure integrates with people’s lives, values, and aspirations

Bjorn Sturmberg, Hedda Ransan-Cooper, Johannes Hendriks and Pierrick Chalaye, all from the Australian National University write on The Conversation website that a techno-fix is not enough to address climate change. The climate and environmental crises demand innovations in our everyday infrastructures. If these changes are to be accepted and adopted en masse, we must find … Continue reading Need for a community-based climate approach in Australia to ensure any new infrastructure integrates with people’s lives, values, and aspirations →

Now, listen here – special big brain series

A podcast on Mrs. Green’s World with John A. “Skip” Laitner, International Resource Economist, Past-President of the Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences (AESS) and University of Arizona Instructor. Skip is well known to EiD readers. Impact Earth: Special Big Brain Series, Episode 1 This is the first episode in a three-podcast series that they … Continue reading Now, listen here – special big brain series →

People’s views of the climate crisis can be influenced by the media but research shows it only has limited impact

Fiona Harvey writes on The Guardian website about recent research in the US that people’s views of climate science really were shifted by reading reporting that accurately reflected scientific findings but the effect quickly faded. One way to reinforce the impacts of accurate science reporting was to repeat it more often. What are your views? … Continue reading People’s views of the climate crisis can be influenced by the media but research shows it only has limited impact →

What is next for climate activism?

With less than 10 years left to avert climate catastrophe, climate campaigners Kumi Naidoo and Luisa Neubauer say activists need to ramp up civil disobedience. They discuss their views in article by Jennifer Collins on the Deutsche Welle website. Activists say they must up the ante as world edges closer to climate disaster Kumi … Continue reading What is next for climate activism? →

The UN sustainable development goals have infiltrated the things people say, think and write about global sustainability challenges but nothing has changed where it matters

Sixty-two academics analysed more than 3,000 academic studies that scrutinised aspects of the SDGs. Unfortunately, their findings were “disheartening”. One of the authors, Frank Biermann, Professor of Global Sustainability Governance at Utrecht University discusses their findings in an article on The Conversation website. UN sustainable development goals failing to have meaningful impact, our research … Continue reading The UN sustainable development goals have infiltrated the things people say, think and write about global sustainability challenges but nothing has changed where it matters →

Factors like social and economic instability caused by extreme weather events drive gender-based violence

Vishwam Sankaran writes on The Independent website about recent research that found that the climate crisis is driving economic instability, food insecurity, mental stress, while also disrupting infrastructure and exacerbating gender inequality. What are your views? Climate crisis may lead to more violence towards women, girls, gender and sexual minorities, study warns Extreme weather … Continue reading Factors like social and economic instability caused by extreme weather events drive gender-based violence →