National Building Renovation Plans – the European Commission’s first assessment

The Commission’s first assessment of the complete draft National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) shows strong commitment by EU countries to make buildings more energy efficient and decarbonised. This, in turn, lowers energy bills and makes buildings more liveable, particularly during harsh winter conditions or heatwaves. Buildings account for more than 30% of all energy used in Europe … Continue reading National Building Renovation Plans – the European Commission’s first assessment →

EU can reduce risk of international credit shortfalls through centralised purchasing and early planning, find CONCITO and CATF

Under the EU’s revised Climate Law, the bloc can meet up to 5% of its 2040 climate target from 2036 with international carbon credits purchased under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. A new joint analysis from CONCITO and Clean Air Task Force provides recommendations for the European Commission’s forthcoming legal framework, identifying strategies to minimise risks for these … Continue reading EU can reduce risk of international credit shortfalls through centralised purchasing and early planning, find CONCITO and CATF →

Building homes for a hotter world

Julia Vergin writes on the Deutsche Welle website about how buildings must adapt to a hotter climate, rather than simply surviving individual heatwaves. The emphasis is on passive cooling, better design, and climate-resilient construction. In Germany, it is time to rethink and rebuild. Many apartments were not designed for heat waves. Fortunately, there are ways … Continue reading Building homes for a hotter world →

Rotterdam’s net zero dilemma

Anna Holligan writes on the BBC News website the central dilemma facing not only Rotterdam but all industrial ports worldwide: industrial ports worldwide: how to decarbonise economies built on fossil fuels without undermining their competitiveness. The debate is not simply about reducing emissions, but about reconciling climate ambitions with the economic realities of Europe's largest … Continue reading Rotterdam’s net zero dilemma →

European Commission boosts Europe’s competitiveness, decarbonisation and independence with Electrification Action Plan and ETS review

On July 17th the Commission presented an Electrification Action Plan to make Europe the first electro-powered continent, and a stronger carbon market to support EU's industry in the clean transition and electrification. Europe's reliance on imported fossil fuels has repeatedly exposed it to geopolitical shocks. These have driven up energy prices for both households and companies, and dragged down our competitiveness. While … Continue reading European Commission boosts Europe’s competitiveness, decarbonisation and independence with Electrification Action Plan and ETS review →

Heatwaves are testing the resilience of our power grids

Natalie Muller writes on the Deutsche Welle website about the immediate problem and the broader policy challenge of modernising electricity networks for a hotter climate. When extreme heat hits, people turn to AC, but what if the grid fails? From France to the US, heat waves are pushing power systems to the limit, raising blackout … Continue reading Heatwaves are testing the resilience of our power grids →

This year’s High-Level Political Forum reviews the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . The HLPF was established at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012 in its outcome "The Future We Want". The HLPF … Continue reading This year’s High-Level Political Forum reviews the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) →

Energy in Demand News, July 12-13, 2026

Eurostar, the international high-speed rail service in Western Europe, will now be building its new generation of trains to withstand 55C summers. The new trains, to be built by Alstom, were originally designed to cope with conditions of up to 45C. But the UK Times website quotes Gwendoline Cazenave, chief executive of Eurostar, saying: “We … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 12-13, 2026 →

When climate change has no image

In an article on The Conversation website, Fionagh Thomson, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University writes less about the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) itself than about why invisible climate systems struggle to gain public attention. Some of the most important climate processes, such as the AMOC, remain … Continue reading When climate change has no image →

Climate, conflict and the race to 2030

Sarah Steffen writes on the Deutsche Welle website about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) falling behind, with climate change, conflict and underinvestment threatening progress. With just under five years left to complete the UN's SDGs, a new report shows what's hampering progress. And what the solutions are. Conflict, climate, no cash: Why poverty … Continue reading Climate, conflict and the race to 2030 →