New EEA briefing on the European Union’s Emissions Trading System

Greenhouse gas emissions from stationary installations covered by the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) dropped by 9.1% in 2019 from 2018 levels, the largest drop in a decade, according to the latest European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing on trends and projections in the EU ETS released this week. Climate action in Europe: EU … Continue reading New EEA briefing on the European Union’s Emissions Trading System →

The emissions attributable to the richest 1 percent of the global population account for more than double those of the poorest 50 percent

No one said the carbon neutral energy transition would be simple but we have a major challenge finding a more equitable balance in our carbon footprints. This is simply not sustainable. Brady Dennis, Chris Mooney and Sarah Kaplan discuss the issues arising from a new UN emissions gap report in an article on the Washington … Continue reading The emissions attributable to the richest 1 percent of the global population account for more than double those of the poorest 50 percent →

January’s special elections for the senate in Georgia will have major impact on future US climate policy

How people in Georgia vote for their Senators on January 5 will decide how much the US can again become a serious and influential world player in the fight to combat the threat of climate change. Andrew Warren, former special advisor to the House of Commons environment select committee, argues that the high profile re-run … Continue reading January’s special elections for the senate in Georgia will have major impact on future US climate policy →

New Zealand, with one of the worst climate records of industrialised nations, has declared climate emergency

Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics at Massey University writes on The Conversation website that New Zealand has much to do to get on track to meet climate obligations. This is a good article with messages for all of us. Climate emergency or not, New Zealand needs to start doing its fair share of … Continue reading New Zealand, with one of the worst climate records of industrialised nations, has declared climate emergency →

European states ordered to respond to youth activists’ climate lawsuit

In a landmark decision on Nov. 30, the European Court of Human Rights announced it would take the case to the next step— forwarding it to defendant countries and ordering them to respond to the case’s arguments—and granted it priority status. Holly Young explains in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. An earlier post … Continue reading European states ordered to respond to youth activists’ climate lawsuit →

EU green finance getting more serious

Kate Abnett and Simon Jessop write on the Reuter’s website that new taxonomy rules will be tighter for buildings but much less so for the shipping industry. No doubt you will be reading more about latest developments in taxonomy. On November 20th, the Commission launched a stakeholder feedback period on the draft Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing … Continue reading EU green finance getting more serious →

Blog from John A. “Skip” Laitner – As the Climate Warms, the Economy Cools—Both Driven by the Same Scale of Resource Inefficiencies

I call it the Blue-Green-Red Resource Squeeze on the American economy. It is neither a perfect nor a straightforward comparison, but it does result in what I think is a rather eerie warning. It is the kind of warning we typically do not read in any number of the emerging climate strategies which we are … Continue reading Blog from John A. “Skip” Laitner – As the Climate Warms, the Economy Cools—Both Driven by the Same Scale of Resource Inefficiencies →

Cape Town sets an example to African cities to develop a climate strategy

Alanna Rebelo, Karen Joan Esler, Michael Samways and Patricia Holmes of Stellenbosch University together with Tony Rebelo from the South African National Biodiversity Institute explain in an article on The Conversation website how Cape Town is addressing climate change. Cape Town's climate strategy isn't perfect, but every African city should have one It may … Continue reading Cape Town sets an example to African cities to develop a climate strategy →

New EEA data available from on GHG emissions from transport fuels

Achieving the 2020 target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport fuels remains problematic for most European Union Member States according to the latest reported data up to 2018 released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) this week. Still insufficient progress in making transport fuels more climate friendly, latest EEA data show The … Continue reading New EEA data available from on GHG emissions from transport fuels →

Targets for emissions cuts released by Chinese government this week

China will use energy more efficiently over the next five years and expects its carbon emissions to be on a steady decline by 2035 at the latest, according to a roadmap for the country's development released after top-level political meetings this week. Kevin Foster explains latest developments on the Argus website. China lays out … Continue reading Targets for emissions cuts released by Chinese government this week →