Guaranteeing that the future of steelmaking will be low-carbon requires action now

Our carbon neutral energy transition requires a lot of effort and imagination and there are many challenges in energy-intensive industries. Stephen Carr, Lecturer in Energy Physics, from the University of South Wales provides his views on how to eliminate emissions in steelmaking in an article on The Conversation website. Steel is vital to the … Continue reading Guaranteeing that the future of steelmaking will be low-carbon requires action now →

Chapter Zero France gains major sponsors to support the climate transition

Chapter Zero France announces that three major personalities from the business world are now sponsors of the association: Jean Lemierre, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BNP Paribas, Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Société Générale, and Denis Kessler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SCOR, one of the world's … Continue reading Chapter Zero France gains major sponsors to support the climate transition →

Our global Covid recovery plans are still not giving enough attention to sustainability

Madeleine Cuff writes on the inews website that less than a fifth of the Covid recovery spending announced by governments around the world has been earmarked for green projects. How do we get that to change? Less than 20 per cent of global Covid recovery spending is green, report says Despite promises to “build … Continue reading Our global Covid recovery plans are still not giving enough attention to sustainability →

Beware of carbon accounting tricks for us to achieve net zero

Disaster looms if big finance is allowed to game the carbon offsetting markets to achieve ‘net zero’ emissions. Simon Lewis, professor global change science at University College London and University of Leeds, discusses in an article on the Guardian website. The climate crisis can't be solved by carbon accounting tricks An astonishing global shift … Continue reading Beware of carbon accounting tricks for us to achieve net zero →

Rethinking cement

The production of cement, the binding element in concrete, accounted for 7% of total global carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. Given the scale of the industry and its greenhouse gas emissions, technologies that can reinvent concrete could have profound impacts on climate change. At the University of Michigan, we are working on composites that produce … Continue reading Rethinking cement →

Air pollution from burning fossil fuels is causing more than twice as many deaths as thought, a study has found

A recent study has shown that fine particle pollution is having a a greater health cost than previously thought. The authors said that the higher number was due to better understanding of the impacts of fine particles thanks to studies which tracked large groups of people over time and compared pollution levels where they lived … Continue reading Air pollution from burning fossil fuels is causing more than twice as many deaths as thought, a study has found →

Scotland’s “water of life” – its whisky industry – is turning green

The Scotch whisky industry is investigating innovations including hydrogen-powered distilleries to move more quickly towards becoming carbon neutral. Greig Cameron discusses latest developments in an article on The Times website. Whisky industry goes green with 2040 target for carbon neutrality Scotland’s water of life is turning green. The whisky industry is investigating innovations including … Continue reading Scotland’s “water of life” – its whisky industry – is turning green →

Energy transition: “developing economies have neither the resources nor the technology to transform themselves overnight”

Kenneth Rogoff, professor of economics and public policy at Harvard University and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, explains in an article on The Guardian website why developing countries need global support to achieve necessary carbon emission reductions. Developing economies need a fairer way to help them decarbonise With the US president-elect … Continue reading Energy transition: “developing economies have neither the resources nor the technology to transform themselves overnight” →

Few people would stop to consider if their sporting activities damage the environment

Reducing GHG emissions is not simple and, as we know, there is no single solution. Tim Breitbarth, Adam Karg and Kasey Symons, all of Swinburne University of Technology, write on the Conversation website about the impact of driving to and from sport events each year. The solution is not simple. Drive to football? Take … Continue reading Few people would stop to consider if their sporting activities damage the environment →

BREXIT agreement requires UK to have an “effective” system of carbon pricing as of 1 January 2021 GHG emissions from power & heat generation, industry and aviation

The BREXIT agreement was finalised on Christmas eve and it passed the UK Parliament on New Year’s Eve. The agreement foresees the EU and UK co-operating on carbon pricing with "serious" consideration on linking carbon pricing systems in a way that "preserves the integrity of these systems and provides for the possibility to increase their … Continue reading BREXIT agreement requires UK to have an “effective” system of carbon pricing as of 1 January 2021 GHG emissions from power & heat generation, industry and aviation →