EU ministers break deadlock on CO2 emission cut by 2040 amid political pressure

The European Union's 27 governments have struck a deal slightly watering down a proposed 2040 target for cutting planet-warming emissions, and set a new 2035 climate commitment. Ministers unanimously approved the bloc’s long-overdue climate plan, rescuing the EU from the international embarrassment of showing up empty handed this month's COP30 summit on climate change in Brazil. A requirement under the 2015 Paris … Continue reading EU ministers break deadlock on CO2 emission cut by 2040 amid political pressure →

Did Bill Gate’s latest missive dismiss the seriousness of climate change?

In an article on the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists website, Michael E. Mann, presidential distinguished professor and director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at The University of Pennsylvania, comments on a recent statement by Bill Gates that governments should target health and agriculture improvements that will reduce extreme poverty and hardship … Continue reading Did Bill Gate’s latest missive dismiss the seriousness of climate change? →

UN sounds alarm: too few nations cutting carbon fast enough

Matt McGrath writes on the BBC News website that while there is progress in curbing CO2 emissions over the next decade, the projected fall is not enough to stop temperatures from surging from the global targets. Most countries fail to submit new climate pledges ahead of summit Only 64 countries have submitted new plans … Continue reading UN sounds alarm: too few nations cutting carbon fast enough →

COP30 is not just another climate conference, it is a chance to reaffirm commitment to multilateral climate action despite significant headwinds

Paul Watkinson, an independent consultant who ed the French delegation to the UN climate negotiations for many years and was one of the European Union’s lead negotiators has published a briefing on the French Institute of International Relations (ifri) website about how important the upcoming climate conference is. COP30: An Inflection Point for Climate … Continue reading COP30 is not just another climate conference, it is a chance to reaffirm commitment to multilateral climate action despite significant headwinds →

Energy efficiency at a crossroads: pathways to doubling progress by 2030

Pedro Guertler and Lisa Fischer have prepared a briefing on the E3G website on the importance of ensuring that we deliver more ambitious energy efficiency gains. Doubling energy efficiency: Bringing the target in sight Delivering on energy efficiency is the critical path to a just transition. It determines the extent to which clean energy … Continue reading Energy efficiency at a crossroads: pathways to doubling progress by 2030 →

EU’s energy transition: the choice is not whether to enlarge or to decarbonise—it’s whether to do both smartly or not

Elisabetta Cornago writes on the Centre for European Reform about how enlargement of the EU should take place to ensure that climate ambitions are maintained. What are your views? Europe’s Climate Future Calls for Smart Enlargement As it prepares for another wave of enlargement, bringing in candidate countries from the Western Balkans and Eastern … Continue reading EU’s energy transition: the choice is not whether to enlarge or to decarbonise—it’s whether to do both smartly or not →

New Zealand’s energy transition: isn’t there a role for renewables?

Barry Barton, Professor of Law, University of Waikato, writing on The Conversation website, discusses the government’s recently released energy package that assumes fossil fuels are the only answer, and how little it connects with important reforms already underway. He argues that the proven merits of renewables and the work already underway to grow their contribution … Continue reading New Zealand’s energy transition: isn’t there a role for renewables? →

Leading companies want EU to repeal prominent corporate sustainabilitiy laws to increase the region’s competitiveness

TotalEnergies, Siemens and 46 other European companies have written to European governments urging them to repeal one of the EU’s most prominent corporate sustainability laws to increase the continent’s competitiveness. Kate Abnett and Virginia Furness, writing for Reuters, publish a news item on the UK Finance Yahoo website about the letter. TotalEnergies, Siemens urge … Continue reading Leading companies want EU to repeal prominent corporate sustainabilitiy laws to increase the region’s competitiveness →

“Compared to what would be required for a path that keeps to the goals of the Paris Agreement, they’re largely insufficient”

Naveena Sadasivam writes on the National Observer website about the lagging ambition to meet the Paris climate objectives. How do we turn that around? A decade after the Paris Agreement, countries still miss their deadlines When the 2015 Paris Agreement was inked nearly a decade ago, it marked a consensus, agreed to by nearly … Continue reading “Compared to what would be required for a path that keeps to the goals of the Paris Agreement, they’re largely insufficient” →

Australia’s energy transition: More focus on transport sector needed

In an article on The Conversation website, Hussein Dia, Professor of Transport Technology and Sustainability, Swinburne University of Technology argues that long-term climate targets will not be met until more attention is given to the transport sector. Currently, Australia risks leaning too heavily on unproven transport solutions that may not deliver real cuts. Is that … Continue reading Australia’s energy transition: More focus on transport sector needed →