New study reveals that the quantity of European hops, which gives beer its distinctive bitter taste, is declining

Esme Stallard writes on the BBC news website about a new study that assesses the impact of hotter, longer and drier summers on the quality and taste of beer.   Climate change could make beer taste worse Global warming is changing the quality and taste of beer, scientists have warned. A new study reveals that … Continue reading New study reveals that the quantity of European hops, which gives beer its distinctive bitter taste, is declining →

“It may surprise you, but most economic models predict climate change will just be a blip”

In an article on The Conversation website, Timothy Neal, Senior lecturer in Economics / Institute for Climate Risk and Response at UNSW Sydney, argues that some economists have severely underestimated the financial hit from climate change. What are your views?   Have some economists severely underestimated the financial hit from climate change? Recent evidence suggests … Continue reading “It may surprise you, but most economic models predict climate change will just be a blip” →

Energy in Demand News, October 8, 2023

As we get closer to COP28 in Dubai, there are some disturbing signs. For example: the US and China  failed to pledge to the UN Green Climate Fund (most countries, including Germany, Austria and France, increased their pledges, while Denmark, Ireland and Liechtenstein doubled theirs but total pledges still did not reach target); Russia says … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, October 8, 2023 →

Postponing action and taking a slower route to net zero emissions by 2050 will worsen the climate crisis

The new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Professor Jim Skea has warned that postponing action now, as the UK has done, will have a serious impact on the climate crisis, even if the long-term objectives are met. Damian Carrington discusses latest developments in an article on the Guardian website.   Slow … Continue reading Postponing action and taking a slower route to net zero emissions by 2050 will worsen the climate crisis →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

Seven out of the state’s top 12 insurance companies have pulled back coverage in the last year in California due to wildfires and the rising costs of such risks

This should be a wake-up call for greater efforts to mitigate GHG emissions. The actions of the nation’s biggest state could have implications for U.S. consumers, as more carriers leave disaster-prone states. Brianna Sacks discusses latest developments in an article on the Washington Post website. Are there similar developments where you are?   California plans … Continue reading Seven out of the state’s top 12 insurance companies have pulled back coverage in the last year in California due to wildfires and the rising costs of such risks →

British PM and the net zero transition – lessons from history about flip-flopping on the environment

This has been a very interesting week in climate policy in Britain, with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, defied official advice and rolled back on the net zero timetable. Marc Hudson, Visiting Fellow, Science Policy at the University of Sussex writes on The Conversation website giving us a history lesson on the experience of … Continue reading British PM and the net zero transition – lessons from history about flip-flopping on the environment →