A third of the Arctic’s tundra, forests and wetlands have become a source of carbon emissions

Patrick Greenfield writes on the Guardian website that critical CO2 stores held in permafrost are being released as the landscape changes with global heating according to a recent report. Readers are also encouraged to read the latest blog by Irene Quaile, “2025: Chilling prospects for a warming Arctic,” for more about the impact of climate … Continue reading A third of the Arctic’s tundra, forests and wetlands have become a source of carbon emissions

The rise in extreme weather is not generating political support for climate action

Fridays for Future organiser Luisa Neubauer warns conspiracy theories are increasingly taking hold despite effects of global heating. In an article on the Guardian website, Ajit Niranjan discusses how the climate struggle in rich democracies has drastically changed.   Extreme weather failing to encourage political climate action, says activist Luisa Neubauer The rise in extreme … Continue reading The rise in extreme weather is not generating political support for climate action

The new play Kyoto now in London, dramatising the intense negotiation of the world’s first climate change treaty, celebrates the potent power of consensus that we have lost today

Steve Waters, Professor of scriptwriting and playwright, University of East Anglia, writes on The Conversation website about what the new play Kyoto says about our climate change negotiations today. Robin McKie provides a review of the play in the Guardian saying the Kyoto climate treaty is hailed on stage but reality tells a different story. … Continue reading The new play Kyoto now in London, dramatising the intense negotiation of the world’s first climate change treaty, celebrates the potent power of consensus that we have lost today

AI presents opportunities and challenges in the energy landscape

Ginelle Greene-Dewasmes, Initiatives Lead, Artificial Intelligence and Energy, World Economic Forum and Thapelo Tladi, Lead, Energy Initiatives, World Economic Forum write on the WEF website about AI’s opportunities and challenges. What are your views?   AI's energy dilemma: Challenges, opportunities, and a path forward The energy demand of data centres, including hyper-scale facilities and micro … Continue reading AI presents opportunities and challenges in the energy landscape

“While Donald Trump is singing from the Republican Party songbook when it comes to climate change, the music was written long before he came along”

In an article on The Conversation website, Joe Árvai, Director of the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability | Professor of Psychology, Biological Sciences, and Environmental Studies, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, discusses how the oil industry over many decades has used a combination of large donations to politicians and misinformation to … Continue reading “While Donald Trump is singing from the Republican Party songbook when it comes to climate change, the music was written long before he came along”

Energy in Demand News, January 19, 2025

It was welcome news this week from the Coalition for Energy Savings that, according to latest Eurostat data, there was a sharp drop of the EU's primary and final energy consumption in 2023.  Compared to 2022, primary energy consumption dropped by 3.9% and final energy consumption lowered by 3%. This is the largest decline since … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, January 19, 2025

Scientists should stop trying to be neutral and instead embrace their values, says a group of top climate scientists

Canadian climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe was among the group behind a paper recently published in the Nature journal Climate Action, which argued that scientists are living, feeling, caring humans, and not just "brains in a jar." In an article on the CBC news website, Amanda Buckiewicz reports on a recent interview Katharine Hayhoe had on … Continue reading Scientists should stop trying to be neutral and instead embrace their values, says a group of top climate scientists

Research using an AI model shows glaciers are shrinking four times faster than global average since 1979

In an article on The Conversation website, Tian Li, Senior Research Associate, Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol; Jonathan Bamber, Professor of Glaciology and Earth Observation, University of Bristol; and Konrad Heidler, Chair of Data Science in Earth Observation, Technical University of Munich discuss quite disturbing analysis showing the rate that glaciers are shrinking.   … Continue reading Research using an AI model shows glaciers are shrinking four times faster than global average since 1979

Energy efficiency taken seriously in Türkiye

A news item on the Daily Sabah news website shows the importance of improving energy efficiency in Türkiye. Improved energy efficiency is seen as crucial for sustainable development and combating climate change. For readers wanting more information on what the country is doing, there is a good assessment in the IEA’s Turkey 2021 Energy Policy … Continue reading Energy efficiency taken seriously in Türkiye

AI poses a potential sustainability problem, but can it also be the solution?

In an article on the Data Center Dynamics website, Stephen Magennis argues that AI-driven systems that predict, adapt, and optimise data center resources are leading the way, showing that it’s possible to meet the world’s growing demand for data while working towards a greener future. Mr. Magennis is from Expleo, a global engineering, technology and … Continue reading AI poses a potential sustainability problem, but can it also be the solution?