In a recent event for the World Economic Forum, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA and Björn Rosengren, CEO of sustainability technology company ABB, discuss what needs to happen to improve energy efficiency and reach net zero. Their discussion is in an article on the European Sting website by Kate Whiting. Energy efficiency … Continue reading The energy transition to net zero needs improved energy efficiency to succeed
Category: climate policy
Reaction to IEA’s review of Canada’s energy policies
Bruce Campbell, Adjunct professor, faculty of environmental and urban change, at York University in Canada writes on The Conversation website about the praise the IEA gave Canada’s policies only weeks after the government’s Environment and Sustainable Development Commissioner released a scathing report on Canada’s climate record. Well, no one said the carbon-neutral energy transition would … Continue reading Reaction to IEA’s review of Canada’s energy policies
New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high
This week, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) published a new report on nearly zero energy building standards in six member states that show decarbonisation of new buildings in is not happening fast enough. A failure to decarbonise newly constructed buildings could prevent the EU from achieving its climate targets for 2030 and 2050, according … Continue reading New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high
Germany’s new economy and climate protection minister calls for accelerating action to create a climate neutral country
Kate Connolly writes on The Guardian website about the call of the new German climate minister for a threefold increase in the speed with which carbon dioxide emissions are reduced. The minister, Robert Habeck, warned Germany was currently “dramatically behind” in its aim to achieve a goal for 80% of energy to come from renewable … Continue reading Germany’s new economy and climate protection minister calls for accelerating action to create a climate neutral country
New study shows coal dependence squeezes Polish taxpayers for €141 billion
Poland’s dependence on coal is costing Polish taxpayers dearly, but the Polish government remains reluctant to shift to clean energy sources, according to a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “If a coal phaseout is achieved by 2030, the resulting savings would enable Poland to build twice as much clean … Continue reading New study shows coal dependence squeezes Polish taxpayers for €141 billion
US has monumental task to update energy efficiency standards
Nearly three dozen efficiency standards are overdue for an update, and further delays could undercut Biden’s climate goals. Anna Phillips discusses latest developments in an article on The Washington Post website. Biden faces delays in undoing Trump’s war on efficient dishwashers, dryers and lightbulbs that made him ‘look orange’ Before Donald Trump launched his … Continue reading US has monumental task to update energy efficiency standards
“If we want to use renewable energy to keep the atmosphere cool, then mining processes and our current relationship with metals must change”
Scott Dunbar, Davide Elmo and John Steen of the University of British Columbia argue that a sustainable approach to mining metals needed for our renewable energy expansion is definitely possible in an article on The Conversation website. It’s not necessary to trash the environment to extract metals needed for renewable energy The use of renewable … Continue reading “If we want to use renewable energy to keep the atmosphere cool, then mining processes and our current relationship with metals must change”
Improving insulation in Britain’s least efficient homes will bring many benefits
The UK government must expand support for most vulnerable households and ramp up retrofitting programme to prevent fuel poverty emergency, businesses and charities warn. Harry Cockburn explains in an article on The Independent website. Insulation is ‘no regrets’ solution to the energy and climate crises, Boris Johnson told Improving insulation on the UK’s least … Continue reading Improving insulation in Britain’s least efficient homes will bring many benefits
New EEA report on EU ETS emissions continuing to decrease
Under current and planned measures, EU Member States project that ETS emissions will continue to decrease in the coming decades albeit at a slower pace than historically, according to the latest annual European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing 'Trends and projections in the EU ETS' published this week. On recent trends, greenhouse gas emissions from stationary … Continue reading New EEA report on EU ETS emissions continuing to decrease
EU taxonomy proposed change is a “recipe for a greenwashing disaster”
The leaked EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy proposal for a complementary Delegated Act sets out the role of fossil gas, two devastating scenarios emerge – both a far cry from net-zero by 2050. The leaked proposal is discussed in a briefing by Lina Strandvåg Nagell on the Bellona Europe website. Note that the EC began expert … Continue reading EU taxonomy proposed change is a “recipe for a greenwashing disaster”
