Seeking to ensure there will be a guarantee of free speech at COP28

A statement at the UN human rights council voices ‘disappointment’ after host country, UAE, refuses to change restrictive laws. Patrick Wintour writes in the Guardian about how the UK, a close ally of UAE, is seeking such assurances. UK government asks UAE for assurances over free speech at Cop28 summit The UK has asked … Continue reading Seeking to ensure there will be a guarantee of free speech at COP28 →

The worrying backlash to the European Green Deal

Many of the European Union's heads of state and government leaders have called for a 'regulatory pause' on climate and environmental issues. They are concerned about the consequences of measures designed to lead the EU-27 to carbon neutrality. Many Le Monde correspondents (Virginie Malingre, Thomas Wieder, Allan Kaval, Anne-Françoise Hivert, Sandrine Morel, Cécile Ducourtieux, Hélène … Continue reading The worrying backlash to the European Green Deal →

New EEA briefing on why a thoughtful approach to participation is needed for sustainability transitions

What is the role of citizens in Europe’s shift to a sustainable future and how do we make it inclusive? Transitioning into sustainability will be challenging and calls for creativity and the full involvement of all sectors of society, including citizens, to make it a success, according to a European Environment Agency briefing published this … Continue reading New EEA briefing on why a thoughtful approach to participation is needed for sustainability transitions →

Energy in Demand News, October 1, 2023

It was encouraging that the heads of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) called on leaders from government, finance and industry across Europe to deliver a clean energy transition that is just, swift and maintains competitiveness. Ministers, ambassadors, business leaders, central bankers and other key … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, October 1, 2023 →

Romania takes steps to increase its efforts to deploy renewable energy

A new revised code of good practice for renewable energy is an important step to show the need to accelerate investment in the sector. A news item on the Energy Industry Review website explains latest developments. Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Deputy Director-General DG Energy at the European Commission stated: “Romania needs to set more ambitious national targets … Continue reading Romania takes steps to increase its efforts to deploy renewable energy →

The new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: “We do not want to be crushed and knocked out” by burdensome regulations, say French SMEs

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive would extend the scope of companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting obligations to inform investors, banks and insurance companies better. The new rules would also apply to SMEs. In an article on the EURACTIV website, Théo Bourgery-Gons discusses how French SMEs argue that new regulations are so onerous that … Continue reading The new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: “We do not want to be crushed and knocked out” by burdensome regulations, say French SMEs →

7 out of 10 climate experts sceptical of green growth

In an article on The Conversation website, Ivan Savin, Associate professor of business analytics, research fellow at ICTA-UAB, ESCP Business School and Lewis King, Postdoctoral research fellow in Ecological economics, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona discuss their survey of nearly 800 climate policy researchers from around the world. What are your views of the survey results? … Continue reading 7 out of 10 climate experts sceptical of green growth →

Summary of UN Summits Week 2023

Last week, the UN Headquarters was busy with the General Debate of the 78th session of the General Assembly together with summits on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on climate change. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) does an incredible job … Continue reading Summary of UN Summits Week 2023 →

New publication on review of renewable energy support schemes in Europe for 2020 and 2021

This week the Council of European Energy Regulators, CEER, published its Status Review of Renewable Support Schemes in Europe for 2020 and 2021. This report constitutes the latest update to the regular CEER Status Reviews on Renewable Energy Sources (RES) support and builds on the previous CEER reports. The publication collects comparable data on support … Continue reading New publication on review of renewable energy support schemes in Europe for 2020 and 2021 →

We are not moving fast enough, on enough fronts, to wean ourselves off fossil fuels

In an article on The Conversation website, Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency writes about what more is needed to get us back on track to meet our decarbonisation objectives. He ends with an important message: “Climate scientists, on … Continue reading We are not moving fast enough, on enough fronts, to wean ourselves off fossil fuels →