To get emissions to peak and then start on a downward trend is fairly simple in theory but now we must to outweigh the influence of fossil fuel companies, find novel ways to fund decarbonisation and steer the economic recovery from COVID-19 towards a low-carbon future. Matthew Paterson, Professor of International Politics at the University … Continue reading Latest IPCC report sets out five different pathways that emissions could take in coming decades –we had 11 years to reach peak emissions to reach goal of 2015 Paris agreement but now we have four
Category: climate risk
The global risks from toxic pollution and climate change are highly correlated and should be jointly analysed in order to inform and better target efforts to reduce or mitigate both risks
A news item on the Climate Adaptation Platform discusses a new study, demonstrating a strong correlation between toxic pollution risk and climate risk, along with varying capacities of countries to manage that risk. They explain that high-risk low-income countries that must urgently address governance challenges in order to have a chance at successfully addressing pollution … Continue reading The global risks from toxic pollution and climate change are highly correlated and should be jointly analysed in order to inform and better target efforts to reduce or mitigate both risks
Canada, as a fossil fuel exporting country, has a crucial role to play in the global fight against the climate crisis
Fraser Thomson, a lawyer at Ecojustice, provides his views on how Canada needs to re-orient its economy to avoid deepening the climate emergency. He writes this article on the National Observer website. To avoid climate catastrophe, Canada must account for its hidden emissions The past month has been a wake-up call for many Canadians … Continue reading Canada, as a fossil fuel exporting country, has a crucial role to play in the global fight against the climate crisis
Delegates to IPCC Working Group 1 finalising summary for policymakers
Scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are meeting to finalise the initial part of its first major climate assessment in seven years. On the fourth day last week, delegates continued their consideration of the Summary for Policymakers of the Working Group I (WG I) contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental … Continue reading Delegates to IPCC Working Group 1 finalising summary for policymakers
With heat being an emergency for cities globally, Athens becomes the second city to appoint a chief heat officer to find ways to cool the city, beyond the obvious air conditioning in buildings
Heat is a particular problem for people in cities because built-up areas and concrete store heat from the sun, while energy use and transport create its own excess heat that adds to the natural warming effect, and there is less of the natural cooling effect of trees, vegetation and water. Athens has followed Miami-Date county … Continue reading With heat being an emergency for cities globally, Athens becomes the second city to appoint a chief heat officer to find ways to cool the city, beyond the obvious air conditioning in buildings
With urbanisation exacerbating the risks of non-communicable diseases, new approaches to urban planning can make a difference
Tolullah Oni, Clinical Senior Research Associate, MRC Epidemiology Unit and Rizka Maulida, PhD researcher in behavioural epidemiology and urban health, both from University of Cambridge write on The Conversation website how better urban planning can help reduce serious health effects. Heart health: design cities differently and it can help us live longer By 2050, … Continue reading With urbanisation exacerbating the risks of non-communicable diseases, new approaches to urban planning can make a difference
“There can be no sustainable development, and likely no energy transition, if poverty is not addressed too”
Patrick Trent Greiner, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University and an environmental social scientist, questions how we can find a way to lift nearly half of the world out of poverty and still reduce fossil fuel use, in an article on The Conversation website. How colonialism’s legacy makes it harder for countries to … Continue reading “There can be no sustainable development, and likely no energy transition, if poverty is not addressed too”
Impact of climate change on our buildings
Ran Boydell, Visiting Lecturer in Sustainable Development at Heriot-Watt University discusses in an article on The Conversation website about the fragility of our existing buildings as we cope with significant climate changes. Most buildings were designed for an earlier climate – here’s what will happen as global warming accelerates Climate change will affect every aspect … Continue reading Impact of climate change on our buildings
More than 1,500 legal actions have already been brought against fossil fuel companies
More legal actions are likely to be successful, as new science was making it possible to attribute the damages of climate breakdown more directly to companies’ activities. Fiona Harvey discusses this new research in an article on The Guardian website. New climate science could cause wave of litigation against businesses – study Businesses could … Continue reading More than 1,500 legal actions have already been brought against fossil fuel companies
Stories of climate solutions unlock people’s sense of efficacy and agency in the face of impending danger
The notion that humanity should have known, or should have done something about the crisis earlier — that we should be ashamed for our lack of inaction — is unhelpful for dealing with the climate crisis. Kamyar Razavi, PhD candidate in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada discusses the … Continue reading Stories of climate solutions unlock people’s sense of efficacy and agency in the face of impending danger
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 