Tourist visits to Australia’s vineyards comprise more than one-third of the industry’s total carbon footprint

The Australian wine industry has already been forced to adapt to the effects of climate change. If it fails to curb emissions associated with wine tourism, the industry is contributing to its own demise. Ya-Yen Sun, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland and Donald L. Drakeman, Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Notre Dame … Continue reading Tourist visits to Australia’s vineyards comprise more than one-third of the industry’s total carbon footprint

Space tourism and climate change

In order for international regulators to keep up with this nascent industry and control its pollution properly, scientists need a better understanding of the effect these billionaire astronauts will have on our planet’s atmosphere. Eloise Marais, Associate Profession in Physical Geography at University College London, discusses the environmental consequences in an article on The Conversation … Continue reading Space tourism and climate change

Recycled vegetable oil heats Scottish home

Since March a family in Scotland has been using recycled vegetable oil to heat their home.  The renewable liquid fuel is made from certified waste fats and oils and manufactured by a synthesised process with hydrogen to create the fuel. Sally Guyoncourt discusses latest developments in an article on the inews website.   Family become … Continue reading Recycled vegetable oil heats Scottish home

The important role energy performance certificates can play to encourage low carbon home heating

Andrew Warren, chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, explores the potential future for building Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) as the UK shifts towards lower carbon home heating in an article first published on the Business Green website.   What role could EPCs play in the crucial shift towards low carbon home heating? The days … Continue reading The important role energy performance certificates can play to encourage low carbon home heating

German car manufacturers fined $1 billion over emission collusion in EU

A recent news article on the Kleanindustries website discusses a fine imposed by the European Commission on major German car manufacturers on holding back the use of technical developments, not a more traditional practice like price fixing.   EU fines German car makers $1B over emission collusion The European Union handed down $1 billion in … Continue reading German car manufacturers fined $1 billion over emission collusion in EU

Measuring “net-zero” emissions is not simple

Emily Chung writes on the CBC website about a new study suggesting that the assumption that a tonne of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is balanced by a tonne removed from the atmosphere may have to be revisited because there are differences, according to the research.   Carbon removal study suggests arithmetic to achieve net-zero … Continue reading Measuring “net-zero” emissions is not simple

New data from EEA on emissions of newly registered passenger cars and vans in Europe in 2020

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its provisional data about the emissions of newly registered passenger cars and vans in Europe in 2020. For cars, the data show a 12 % decrease in average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared with 2019. Average van emissions also decreased slightly, by about 1.5 %.   Sharp decrease … Continue reading New data from EEA on emissions of newly registered passenger cars and vans in Europe in 2020

Smart traffic lights could cut emissions by a quarter

Is this the future for better traffic flow in urban areas? Smart traffic lights are now being tested in Britain. Graeme Paton discusses latest developments in an article on The Times website.   Smart traffic lights get green light for cutting emissions by a quarter A new generation of smart traffic lights could be introduced … Continue reading Smart traffic lights could cut emissions by a quarter

Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE

A new assessment of national nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) standards, released this week by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), finds a wide degree of disparity in how these are implemented across the EU-27, highlighting a misalignment with EU climate targets. Since the beginning of 2021, all new buildings constructed in the EU must be nZEBs, … Continue reading Wide disparity of national nZEB standards undermines EU climate goals, finds BPIE

International Maritime Organization accused of repeatedly delayed and watered down climate regulations

Behind closed doors, shipbuilders and miners can speak on behalf of governments while regulating an industry that pollutes as much as all of America’s coal plants. Matt Apuzzo and Sarah Hurtes discuss the organisation in an article on the New York Times website.   Tasked to Fight Climate Change, a Secretive U.N. Agency Does the … Continue reading International Maritime Organization accused of repeatedly delayed and watered down climate regulations