Learning lessons from trees and plants to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

It sounds like an idea plucked from science fiction, but the reality is that trees and plants already do it. Laura Reiley explains in a good artlcle on the Washington Post website. The new plan to remove a trillion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere: Bury it. Last month, carbon dioxide levels in … Continue reading Learning lessons from trees and plants to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere →

The transition to electric cars, trucks and ships will be dramatically harder that it sounds

David Keith, Assistant Professor of System Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Christopher R. Knittel, Professor of Applied Economics and Director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research at the MIT Sloan School of Management write on The Conversation website about the difficulties to reduce carbon emissions from cars and trucks. … Continue reading The transition to electric cars, trucks and ships will be dramatically harder that it sounds →

A number of major tarsands operations in northern Alberta seem to be emitting significantly more carbon pollution than companies have been reporting

Air samples taken over northern Alberta operations suggest previous figures could be way off. Zach Dubinsky explains in an article on the CBC News website. Will this be a wake -up call to re-think such resource developments? Oilsands CO2 emissions may be far higher than companies report, scientists say A number of major oilsands … Continue reading A number of major tarsands operations in northern Alberta seem to be emitting significantly more carbon pollution than companies have been reporting →

2018 saw the biggest increase in carbon emissions in the US in eight years

We are increasing concerned about the growth in carbon emissions after a period where we thought they had been stymied. Brad Plumer writes in the New York Times about latest developments in the US. U.S. Carbon Emissions Surged in 2018 Even as Coal Plants Closed America’s carbon dioxide emissions rose by 3.4 percent in … Continue reading 2018 saw the biggest increase in carbon emissions in the US in eight years →

Many countries essentially outsourcing their carbon pollution overseas

Effectively ‘outsourcing’ GHG emissions by importing energy-intensive products instead of producing them domestically is not a new concept. However, Brad Plumer explains in an article in the New York Times that dealing with imported emissions remains a thorny problem that must be addressed globally. What are your views? You’ve Heard of Outsourced Jobs, but Outsourced … Continue reading Many countries essentially outsourcing their carbon pollution overseas →

Meat and fish companies may be “putting the implementation of the Paris agreement in jeopardy”

As we all know, everyone has a role in our low carbon energy transition. Bibi van der Zee and Andrew Wasley explain in an article in The Guardian that the meat and fish industries are not pulling their weight and could be jeopardising our long-term targets. A new index finds many of the world’s largest … Continue reading Meat and fish companies may be “putting the implementation of the Paris agreement in jeopardy” →

It is time we account for carbon in the products we use

For years we have discussed embedded carbon in the products we use. Kai Whiting, Sustainability and Stoicism Researcher and Luis Gabriel Carmona, Researcher in Sustainable Systems, Universidade de Lisboa write on The Conversation website that we must start accounting for the carbon in imported products if we are truly to meet our Paris climate objectives. … Continue reading It is time we account for carbon in the products we use →

Canada’s dairy sector reducing its carbon footprint

While there is controversy over building a new pipeline in Canada, there is some good news for the energy transition from the dairy industry. Alex Binkley explains in an article on the National Newswatch website. Dairy farmers making progress on reducing carbon emissions, DFC says The Canadian dairy sector managed to reduce its carbon … Continue reading Canada’s dairy sector reducing its carbon footprint →

How to get shipping companies to reduce their GHG emissions

The International Maritime Organization recently adopted its first-ever deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions last week. The target is for shipping companies to reduce their emissions by at least 50 per cent from 2008 levels by 2050. Now the challenge is how to achieve those reductions. Paul Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change Mitigation at … Continue reading How to get shipping companies to reduce their GHG emissions →

Good progress in reducing carbon emissions in Britain

With the Bonn climate conference just ended, there have been many articles related to efforts to reduce emissions. Jillian Ambrose writes in The Telegraph about the progress made in the UK. She explains that Britain has come into the top 10 in the low-carbon electricity league table for the first time and that coal-fired power … Continue reading Good progress in reducing carbon emissions in Britain →