Toronto uses Lake Ontario for its cooling network

Abdul Matin Sarfraz writes on the National Observer website about the world’s largest deep lake water cooling network. While more than 100 buildings are connected, two hospitals are saving 15 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power more than 1,300 homes by parting with older chillers and rooftop towers that consume far more … Continue reading Toronto uses Lake Ontario for its cooling network →

America’s climate transition: a moment of crisis for the environmental community

As President Trump dismantles the country’s efforts to fight climate change, environmental groups are back on their heels. In an article on the New York Times website, David Gelles, Claire Brown and Karen Zraick discuss latest developments. While not mentioned, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) … Continue reading America’s climate transition: a moment of crisis for the environmental community →

Greenpeace report: in Europe, the train remains significantly more expensive than the plane

According to a study conducted by Greenpeace Europe and published Thursday, August 21, nearly 60% of the hundred or so European journeys compared are cheaper by plane than by train, a means of transport that emits significantly less carbon dioxide. The prices for each route were analysed over nine separate days, divided into three booking … Continue reading Greenpeace report: in Europe, the train remains significantly more expensive than the plane →

The EU’s non-financial reporting (NFR) regulations relating to sustainability have strong implications for the Majority World, the countries and territories outside Europe and North America where most people live

In an article on The Conversation website, Mira Manini Tiwari, Research Associate at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute discusses the impact of the EU’s NFR regulations, at a time when global, systemic policy effects are more important than ever EU efforts to measure companies’ environmental impacts have global effects. … Continue reading The EU’s non-financial reporting (NFR) regulations relating to sustainability have strong implications for the Majority World, the countries and territories outside Europe and North America where most people live →

Energy in Demand News, August 17-18, 2025

It was certainly disappointing that the UN negotiations for a global treaty on plastics pollution collapsed without an agreement. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and a number of other petrostates would not budge from their long-standing refusal to agree measures that address the production of plastic, agreeing only to waste management. It is not clear when negotiations … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 17-18, 2025 →

Progress towards a legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution stalled and went into reverse this week

In an article on The Conversation website, Melanie MacGregor, ARC Future Fellow and Matthew Flinders Fellow in Chemistry, Flinders University gives her views on what happened in Geneva the last two weeks. The global plastics treaty process has fallen flat. Here’s what went wrong, and how you can help Progress towards a legally binding … Continue reading Progress towards a legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution stalled and went into reverse this week →

US EPA’s decision to stop supporting the research that hundreds of companies use to calculate their GHG emissions as “a major setback for corporate climate action and reporting”

Harry Stevens writes on the New York Times website about one of the most effective and popular databases would stop to be updated. The database helps companies calculate their GHG emissions. Its creator left the EPA after being investigated for criticizing the Trump administration. Popular E.P.A. Database Is in Limbo Amid Science Cuts The … Continue reading US EPA’s decision to stop supporting the research that hundreds of companies use to calculate their GHG emissions as “a major setback for corporate climate action and reporting” →

So, which climate policies do you favour?

Wouter Poortinga, Professor of Environmental Psychology, Cardiff University writes on The Conversation website about why some climate policies are more popular than others. What are your views? Why some climate policies are more popular than others – a psychologist explains Despite growing concern about climate change, many countries have seen backlashes against certain environmental policies, … Continue reading So, which climate policies do you favour? →

UN plastics treaty talks fail after US joins petrostates in blocking action

Writing on the Climate Home News website, Matteo Civillini discusses the collapse of the final round of UN talks to reach a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution after three years of negotiations, dealing a blow to multilateral decision-making. The UN talks ran into overtime, ending with a standoff over whether a treaty should … Continue reading UN plastics treaty talks fail after US joins petrostates in blocking action →

Energy in Demand News, August 10-11, 2025

GHG emissions are “going through the roof” because of AI, according to an article on the New York Times website that explains how Big Tech’s net-zero goals are looking shaky. “Google’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 11 percent in 2024 from the year before. Amazon’s were up by 6 percent. Microsoft’s fell slightly but remained … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 10-11, 2025 →