Telling the difference between a marketing buzzword and an effective carbon strategy for sustainable flying

Carbon neutral, net zero, offsetting and sustainable aviation fuels – what does it all really mean for travellers? Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel getsto the bottom of these popularised terms in an article on the inews website.   Is sustainable flying possible? From offsetting flights to green aviation fuel Tourism needs to emit much … Continue reading Telling the difference between a marketing buzzword and an effective carbon strategy for sustainable flying

Call for a ‘carbon takeback obligation’

A group of scientists says forcing polluters to store carbon dioxide underground is needed to help the world reach net zero. They are calling for carbon capture and storage which many experts feel is the wrong approach. Fiona Harvey discusses the call for the ‘take back’ in an article on The Guardian website.   Fossil … Continue reading Call for a ‘carbon takeback obligation’

New Eurobarometer survey shows large majority are positive about recent EU actions addressing energy crisis

A new Eurobarometer survey released in December shows that the large majority of EU citizens are positive about recent EU actions to tackle the energy crisis. In particular, More than 8 in ten EU citizens (82%) agree that the EU should continue to take actions to reduce its dependency on Russian fossil fuels. An overwhelming … Continue reading New Eurobarometer survey shows large majority are positive about recent EU actions addressing energy crisis

The climate priorities for the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council

With European economies severely affected by the war, the green and energy transitions take centre stage, with the ‘Fit for 55’ package setting the framework for climate action. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson recognises the EU’s climate leadership and declared Sweden’s intention to strengthen this position during the Presidency.  The Bellona  Foundation, an independent non-profit … Continue reading The climate priorities for the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council

The World Bank’s new mission is expected to “emphasize the importance of sustainability and resilience to reflect more clearly that our mission includes global public goods (GPGs), such as climate change”

A draft document suggests the bank will broaden its “twin goals” of boosting prosperity and ending extreme poverty to encompass climate action. Joe Lo writes on the Climate Change News website about the draft new mission.   World Bank moots stronger strategic focus on climate action The World Bank is considering making climate action more … Continue reading The World Bank’s new mission is expected to “emphasize the importance of sustainability and resilience to reflect more clearly that our mission includes global public goods (GPGs), such as climate change”

Developments in offshore wind turbines

Simon Hogg, Executive Director of the Durham Energy Institute at Durham University, in an article on The Conversation website, questions whether there is a limit to how big wind turbines can get.   Wind turbines are already skyscraper-sized – is there any limit to how big they will get? In 2023, some 100 miles off the coast … Continue reading Developments in offshore wind turbines

Wood burning in homes produces more small particle pollution than all road traffic in the UK

Wood burning has increased in popularity over recent years, yet it remains a major source of air pollution. Damian Carrington has written several articles in The Guardian on the subject but this piece from February highlights the issues. EiD notes that in our neighbourhood of Paris (including several in our building), many are still having … Continue reading Wood burning in homes produces more small particle pollution than all road traffic in the UK

Understanding the carbon footprint of coffee consumption

Luciano Rodrigues Viana, Charles Marty, Jean-François Boucher and Pierre-Luc Dessureault, all of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) write on The Conversation website about better understanding the carbon footprint of coffee. They decided to study the carbon footprint of several techniques used to prepare coffee at home, and it turns out that coffee capsules … Continue reading Understanding the carbon footprint of coffee consumption

The fundamentals of distributed ledger technology to verify clean energy production are hugely significant

As accounting for energy use becomes increasingly sophisticated, there are directions in which this metric is evolving, including adopting blockchain. Gian Autenrieth, Co-Lead of D-REC Initiative, writes about renewable energy certificates and blockchain in an article on the Sustainability website.   Renewable energy certificates, the blockchain and the future What is a renewable energy certificate … Continue reading The fundamentals of distributed ledger technology to verify clean energy production are hugely significant

Maritime industry’s energy transition must be “just” and “equitable”

The International Maritime Organisation uses the terms “just” and “equitable” in discussions around shipping’s energy transition. But there is currently no consensus over how to define these terms. Christiaan De Beukelaer, Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University and Senior Lecturer in Culture & Climate at The University of Melbourne discusses latest … Continue reading Maritime industry’s energy transition must be “just” and “equitable”