US Environmental Protection Agency pushing forward with policy that could limit the use of science used to underpin regulations

British cabinet minister Michael Gove said during the Brexit referendum in 2016 that “people in this country have had enough of experts”. Now the US is following that view. Brady Dennis wrote on The Washington Post website that the EPA wants to limit the science used to develop its regulations. What are your views? … Continue reading US Environmental Protection Agency pushing forward with policy that could limit the use of science used to underpin regulations →

Canada cannot wait to establish the expertise required to navigate successfully to a low-carbon economy

With its fossil fuel resources that have been a major element of its economy, Canada faces many challenges to address climate change that few in Europe can really appreciate. But increasingly they realise that more must be done. Jim Leech and Sean Cleary of Queen’s University provided this opinion piece to the Globe and Mail. … Continue reading Canada cannot wait to establish the expertise required to navigate successfully to a low-carbon economy →

Some of the main takeaways from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook

This week, the IEA published its 2019 version of its annual World Energy Outlook. Brad Plumer writes in The New York Times about his main takeaways. 5 Global Trends Shaping Our Climate Future Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles are spreading far more quickly around the world than many experts had predicted. But … Continue reading Some of the main takeaways from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook →

In the US, the military is addressing the climate crisis

There is some good news that comes out of America concerning addressing the climate crisis. We are seeing excellent initiatives at the state and local levels. Michael Klare, professor emeritus of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, writes in The Guardian that Pentagon officials view climate breakdown as an existential threat to human … Continue reading In the US, the military is addressing the climate crisis →

It could be a perilous decade for the Paris climate agreement

Recently Chile had to withdraw hosting the next climate conference due to domestic problems and thankfully Madrid will now host it. A recent Guardian article showed that of the 184 national Paris pledges made, 136 are judged insufficient. Then this week President Trump announced that the US will leave the Paris climate agreement at the … Continue reading It could be a perilous decade for the Paris climate agreement →

Getting messages out about climate change through comedy and humour

Maxwell Boykoff, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Director, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado Boulder writes an article on The Conversation website that there is often good value in using humour to communicate about climate change. DO you agree? Leave 'em laughing instead of crying: Climate humor … Continue reading Getting messages out about climate change through comedy and humour →

Energy transition: so far the IEA has unfortunately failed to deliver real reform

The International Energy Agency and its annual World Energy Outlook have significant impact in our energy and climate policies. As one columnist for Bloomberg writes: the WEO is like “a map used by the people, companies and institutions planning and building the roads. If its scenarios point a certain way, then investments will be made … Continue reading Energy transition: so far the IEA has unfortunately failed to deliver real reform →

Comparing Sweden and British Columbia in terms of the climate urgency

Recently Greta Thunberg went to British Columbia to inspire some of the climate activists in that Canadian province. Taking inspiration from Greta, Barry Saxifrage wrote on the National Observer website comparing the province of British Columbia to Sweden in their efforts to reduce GHG emissions. It was certainly good to learn the word "flyskam.” You … Continue reading Comparing Sweden and British Columbia in terms of the climate urgency →

One climate scientist says his profession needs to alter its approach to avoid being part of the problem

As we saw with the recent IEA post on modelling, there is a need to re-assess how we do analysis related to climate change. Wolfgang Knorr, Senior Research Scientist, Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science at Lund University in Sweden writes on The Conversation website that climate scientists need to alter their approach. What are your … Continue reading One climate scientist says his profession needs to alter its approach to avoid being part of the problem →

Will the IEA’s models reflect meeting the Paris climate objectives?

In September, EiD had a post on concerns about modelling at the International Energy Agency and whether it truly meets the objectives of the Paris climate agreement. Now the Oil Change International team write on the Price of Oil website about similar concerns. They worry that there is now an over reliance on natural gas … Continue reading Will the IEA’s models reflect meeting the Paris climate objectives? →