Europe’s building sector off track: social, economic and climate targets at risk

The third edition of the EU Buildings Climate Tracker published this week by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) confirms that the EU is missing opportunities to increase energy security and reduce heating costs. It is definitely not on track to achieve its climate targets. Progress on decarbonisation has stalled, with the gap more than … Continue reading Europe’s building sector off track: social, economic and climate targets at risk →

Energy in Demand News, November 17, 2024

It has been quite a first week at COP29. Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, defended Azerbaijan’s current exports of gas and plans to expand production told world leaders gathered in his country for COP29 that natural gas was a “gift from God” and he shouldn’t be blamed for bringing it to market. Kicking off the leaders’ … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, November 17, 2024 →

New report: demands for renewable hydrogen and electricity to drive the EU’s green iron and steel transition

The Stockholm Environment Institute has published a new report on the transition underway in the steel industry. The steel industry is responsible for around 5% of CO2 emissions in the EU and the sector needs to cut carbon emissions by 55% by 2030 to align with climate targets. By applying a scenario analysis, this report … Continue reading New report: demands for renewable hydrogen and electricity to drive the EU’s green iron and steel transition →

Energy in Demand News, November 10, 2024

The IEA’s Energy Efficiency 2024 report was published this week, just before COP29. Energy intensity improvements have decreased in the past year, even though nearly 200 countries agreed at COP28 to the goal of doubling the rate of progress, which would mean increasing intensity from 2% in 2022 to 4% by 2030. Yet, the IEA … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, November 10, 2024 →

Initial views on new Trump administration’s impact on climate policies

In an article on The Conversation website, Gautam Jain, Senior Research Scholar in Financing the Energy Transition, Columbia University discusses the impact on climate policy of the incoming Trump administration. What Trump can do to reverse US climate policy − and what he probably can’t change As the U.S. prepares for another Trump administration, … Continue reading Initial views on new Trump administration’s impact on climate policies →

New IN-PLAN Practice to empower local and regional authorities to revolutionise their sustainable energy, climate, and spatial planning

The IN-PLAN project team this week has launched IN-PLAN Practice, an innovative and long-lasting support structure designed to assist local and regional authorities across Europe in effectively implementing their sustainable energy, climate, and spatial plans. Developed as part of a collaborative effort co-funded by the LIFE programme of the European Union, the IN-PLAN Practice aims … Continue reading New IN-PLAN Practice to empower local and regional authorities to revolutionise their sustainable energy, climate, and spatial planning →

New EEA report on ensuring justice in sustainability transitions in Europe

As Europe strives to lower greenhouse gas emissions and decouple economic growth from resource consumption, various social groups and regions face unequal challenges. According to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) published this week, ensuring justice in sustainability transitions requires combining corrective measures to address potentially regressive social consequences of the green transition … Continue reading New EEA report on ensuring justice in sustainability transitions in Europe →

High school students in US gain big win in pushing for fossil fuel divestment in private high schools

Aliya Uteuova and Dharna Noor write on the Guardian website about how a high school in California has decided not to invest in coal, oil or gas, instead pledging to put money into clean energy. It’s the latest win in a new fossil fuel divestment campus campaign launched by high schoolers across 11 countries that … Continue reading High school students in US gain big win in pushing for fossil fuel divestment in private high schools →

Germany’s coal consumption continued its downward trend in 2024

Julian Wettengel writes on the Reneweconomy website about the continuing trend in Germany to reduce its dependency on coal. German coal use plunges nearly 40 per cent in 2024, despite nuclear exit Germany’s coal consumption continued its downward trend in 2024, helping to reduce the country’s climate-damaging CO2 emissions, said energy market research group … Continue reading Germany’s coal consumption continued its downward trend in 2024 →

Energy in Demand News, October 27, 2024

The annual UNEP Emissions Gap Report (EGR), published this week ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP), highlights that without accelerated global action, the world is on track for temperature increases between 2.6°C and 3.1°C by the end of the century. Even the best-case scenario of 2.6°C will bring severe consequences for people, the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, October 27, 2024 →