New EEA report on impact of heatwaves on health

Unprecedented heatwaves — as seen this year — are the greatest direct climate-related health threat to Europe’s population. Heatwaves already account for numerous deaths and illnesses. This burden is set to increase without more climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Heat-health action plans, urban greening, better building design and adjusting working times can contribute to … Continue reading New EEA report on impact of heatwaves on health →

Carbon emissions: “You have to ask: When are they going to go down?”

Pandemic recovery and an uptick in the use of coal amid the Ukraine war are significant drivers behind carbon emissions. Roshni Majumdar discusses latest developments in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. COP27: Fossil fuel carbon emissions to hit all-time high Climate scientists warned Friday that harmful carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels … Continue reading Carbon emissions: “You have to ask: When are they going to go down?” →

Comprehensive action is needed to make up for Australia’s woeful performance on energy efficiency over recent decades

Hugh Saddler, Honorary Associate Professor, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University writes on The Conversation website about a new governmental consultation paper on what it calls its National Energy Performance Strategy. Let’s hope Australia’s new government gets policies and programmes on the right track. What are your views? Australia’s record on … Continue reading Comprehensive action is needed to make up for Australia’s woeful performance on energy efficiency over recent decades →

Children and young people are a big part of COP27

Aoife Daly, Lecturer in Law at University College Cork writes on the Conversation website about how young people are playing an increasingly important role at the UN climate summit this year. COP27: how young climate activists are changing international human rights law World leaders and climate scientists aren’t the only ones who have gathered … Continue reading Children and young people are a big part of COP27 →

New EEA briefing on how to keep buildings cool sustainably

Europe’s temperatures are rising more than twice as fast as the global average with more and more extreme heatwaves being recorded. The demand for sustainable cooling in buildings is increasing and, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, there is a need for buildings that are energy efficient, use passive cooling … Continue reading New EEA briefing on how to keep buildings cool sustainably →

Challenges for New Zealand to reduce its GHG emissions from agricultural sector

With agriculture representing 50% of New Zealand’s GHG emissions in 2020, there is no surprise that the priority must be given to that industry. In an article on The Conversation website, Ian Mason, Research Fellow in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering at University of Canterbury discusses many of the ways forward. From farming to fermentation: … Continue reading Challenges for New Zealand to reduce its GHG emissions from agricultural sector →

While “loss and damage” is gaining more attention ahead of COP27, who’s going to pay?

Loss and damage has been at the heart of much media reporting about the upcoming Cop27 climate talks in Egypt in November. With many disasters recently, such as the flooding in Pakistan, the importance of loss and damage compensation gains attention. Isabella Kaminski writes on the Climate Change News about the challenges involved. She notes that … Continue reading While “loss and damage” is gaining more attention ahead of COP27, who’s going to pay? →

Shipping industry under pressure to reduce GHG emissions given that 99% of shipping globally is powered by fossil fuels

Chris Brown writes on the CBC News website about the pressure that the shipping industry is under, given that all sectors of the economy are having to find an appropriate path to net-zero emissions. Importantly, one company, Copenhagen-based Maersk, until recently the world's No. 1 container shipper over the past 25 years, has set one … Continue reading Shipping industry under pressure to reduce GHG emissions given that 99% of shipping globally is powered by fossil fuels →

“Debt-for-climate swaps” to help low- and middle-income countries lower their vulnerability

With carefully designed debt-for-climate swaps and support from international institutions, developing countries could expand their finance for desperately needed climate mitigation and adaptation actions and remove some of their heavy debt burden. Soyoung Oh, Junior Research Fellow, The Fletcher School at Tufts University discusses her views in an article on The Conversation website. How … Continue reading “Debt-for-climate swaps” to help low- and middle-income countries lower their vulnerability →

By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation

We all know that our policies and programmes need more data of actual energy performance. Om an article on the Architecture Today website, Matthew Prowse, Specification and Housing Director for Knauf Insulation, discusses how homes being designed today can prepare for the imminent shift to measured ‘in-use’ energy performance. Measured energy efficiency is coming, … Continue reading By placing sensors within a home, energy efficiency can be measured in the same way as energy generation →