By 2050 electric vehicles could require huge amounts of lithium for their batteries, causing damaging expansions of mining. Nina Lakhani discusses the implications in an article on The Guardian website. Revealed: how US transition to electric cars threatens environmental havoc The US’s transition to electric vehicles could require three times as much lithium as … Continue reading The transition to lithium battery-powered electric vehicles by 2050 will deepen global environmental and social inequalities linked to mining
Category: energy transition
Renewable energy statistics are probably overstated because of the way biomass is counted in EU renewable energy statistics, especially when it is burned for heating
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has acknowledged “weaknesses” in how biomass energy is counted in national statistics after several EU countries reported a sudden increase in residential wood burning to meet their 2020 renewable energy goals. Frédéric Simon discusses the statistics in an article on the EURACTIV website. Exposed: How EU countries use firewood … Continue reading Renewable energy statistics are probably overstated because of the way biomass is counted in EU renewable energy statistics, especially when it is burned for heating
India will pitch for an “Energy Efficiency Partnership for 2030″ during its G20 presidency this year
Rituraj Baruah writes on the Mint website that India is likely to call for an energy efficiency pact as it holds this year’s presidency of the G20. It is expected that the G20 discussions will focus on accelerating energy efficiency across demand-driven sectors. India to moot energy efficiency pact at G20 India will pitch … Continue reading India will pitch for an “Energy Efficiency Partnership for 2030″ during its G20 presidency this year
Next steps for the Energy Charter Treaty?
Since October 2022, seven EU member states have announced plans to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). Across the board, the message is clear: the insufficient and potentially climate-damaging treaty reform effort is no longer a politically viable option, write Christina Eckes, Lea Main-Klingst and Lukas Schaugg. Christina Eckes is a professor of European … Continue reading Next steps for the Energy Charter Treaty?
Trees, trees and yet more trees can help make Europe’s cities more comfortable
Jon Henley writes on The Guardian website about the importance of trees in urban settings. Sadly, many EU cities are less green than they were a century ago. ‘We need trees’: green vision struggles to take root in Europe’s cities From Madrid to Berlin and Paris to Budapest, scientists and planners agree, trees, trees … Continue reading Trees, trees and yet more trees can help make Europe’s cities more comfortable
At Davos, UN Secretary General critical of fossil fuel industry of refusing to abandon a business model at odds with human survival
The Secretary General has really taken the lead to work at every angle to get climate change policies on track to meet our Paris climate agreement. At COP27, he was very vocal, thankfully. This week Mr. Guterres was at Davos, criticising big companies that, ‘like the tobacco industry’, ride roughshod over their own science. Larry … Continue reading At Davos, UN Secretary General critical of fossil fuel industry of refusing to abandon a business model at odds with human survival
‘Make Europe the home of clean tech’: European Commission President calls for more subsidies to fund EU’s future
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a "Net Zero Industry Act" to boost clean tech. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, she also vowed to support Ukraine "as long as it takes." Deutsche Welle provides a news item on Mme von der Leyen’s announcement. European Commission outlines plan for clean tech … Continue reading ‘Make Europe the home of clean tech’: European Commission President calls for more subsidies to fund EU’s future
Indonesia’s energy transition: a role for renewable energy?
Firdaus Cahyadi Indonesia Team Leader for the climate campaign group 350.org,, writes on the Mongabay website on the Indonesian government’s approach to renewable energy. Do any of you have experience in Indonesia? For readers not familiar with Mongabay, it is a nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform that produces original reporting in English, Indonesian, Spanish, … Continue reading Indonesia’s energy transition: a role for renewable energy?
Blog from Jane Marsh: The Role of Ethanol in Renewable Fuels
Most people in the U.S. who drive a car use ethanol daily — a popular biofuel that has been in use in petroleum gasoline for decades. What role does it play in the future of energy as the U.S. pursues renewable energy technologies? Ethanol may be cleaner than fossil fuels, but new types of sustainable … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: The Role of Ethanol in Renewable Fuels
Higher education in France will have to integrate the challenges of the ecological transition into their syllabus
A lack of training on the climate crisis for professors in French universities is one of the main obstacles to making higher education at the forefront of leading the climate transition. Soazig Le Nevé discusses the issues in an article on the Le Monde website. What are your views? In France's universities, the climate … Continue reading Higher education in France will have to integrate the challenges of the ecological transition into their syllabus
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 