Sudbury, Ontario was an environmental disaster with its nickel and copper mines and smelters. INCO (now Vale) in Sudbury was the world’s largest nickel producer at one time and was the subject of my master’s thesis. Nadia Mykytczuk, Interim CEO/President of MIRARCO at Laurentian University writes on The Conversation website about the transformation of the … Continue reading At the start of this UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Sudbury model for industrial restoration is an important recipe to apply to climate change
Category: energy transition
New IRENA report shows benefits of solar water heaters
Solar water heaters are not a new technology but with declining costs of renewable energy, solar has become especially attractive for water heating. An article on the IRENA website analyses the full range of benefits in developing domestic solar water heating industries. How Solar Water Heaters Industry Benefits the Local Economy Heating and cooling … Continue reading New IRENA report shows benefits of solar water heaters
If we want results in addressing climate change, “we may need to go beyond simply demanding action and instead focus on changing the way the global economy is organised and governed”
Nick Bernards, Associate Professor of Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick, gives his views on what it will take to get real action to address climate change in an article on The Conversation website. Climate change: why government failure to act isn’t the problem The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report … Continue reading If we want results in addressing climate change, “we may need to go beyond simply demanding action and instead focus on changing the way the global economy is organised and governed”
How managing building energy demand can aid the clean energy transition
Since buildings consume 75% of electricity in the U.S., they offer great potential for saving energy and reducing the demands on our rapidly changing electric grid. But how much, where, and through which strategies could better management of building energy use actually impact the electricity system? Dan Hounsell discusses the report in an article on … Continue reading How managing building energy demand can aid the clean energy transition
It clearly remains difficult from a business perspective to eliminate coal worldwide
Michael Tamvakis, Professor of Commodity Economics and Finance, City at the University of London provides a sobering view of the trends in the coal sector in an article on The Conversation website.The revival of world demand for energy hopefully means the world economy is recovering from the pandemic, but the surge in coal prices is … Continue reading It clearly remains difficult from a business perspective to eliminate coal worldwide
West Africa needs infrastructure and expertise to exploit hydropower capacity to ensure electricity efficiency
Innocent Odoh writes on the Leadership website about efforts to put its energy system on a more sustainable footing. ECOWAS Quest For Energy Efficiency Amid Challenges West Africa has large energy resources, which accounts for about one-third of African gas and oil reserves and over 23,000 Megawatt (MW) of technically exploitable hydropower capacity according … Continue reading West Africa needs infrastructure and expertise to exploit hydropower capacity to ensure electricity efficiency
“Is there anything morally praiseworthy about driving an electric vehicle?”
It is good to look at our energy and climate transition from various angles. Matthew Scarfone, Postdoctoral Fellow and Moral Philosopher at the University of Toronto, writing on The Conversation website, makes the assumption that driving EVs is generally good for the environment, but that assumption doesn’t show that driving EVs is morally praiseworthy. What … Continue reading “Is there anything morally praiseworthy about driving an electric vehicle?”
New report on cutting emissions through fossil fuel subsidy reform and taxation
Earlier this month, the latest IPCC report gave its starkest climate warning yet. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, this must sound a "death knell" for fossil fuels, starting with an end to new production and with shifting fossil fuel subsidies into renewable energy. The dire message comes amidst some reasons for hope. We … Continue reading New report on cutting emissions through fossil fuel subsidy reform and taxation
Many Australians feel frustration at the refusal of their government to “turn around” to face what’s clear to everyone else, a galloping climate emergency
It was not that long ago that the world looked on in horror at the disastrous fires in Australia. How much was related to climate change? Does it matter. As the evidence has accumulated, and the new IPCC report reinforces it, Australia has carved out a name for itself as a global laggard. Mark Kenny, … Continue reading Many Australians feel frustration at the refusal of their government to “turn around” to face what’s clear to everyone else, a galloping climate emergency
One German village prepares for climate-friendly future
While Germany mulls over better solutions for a climate-friendly future, one northern village has already made the transition. And its residents say the benefits are worth every penny. Gero Rueter of Deutsche Welle paid a visit to Sprakebüll. Sprakebüll: A German village embraces a solar future "I am proud of Sprakebüll. It's great to … Continue reading One German village prepares for climate-friendly future
