Reaction to IEA’s review of Canada’s energy policies

Bruce Campbell, Adjunct professor, faculty of environmental and urban change, at York University in Canada writes on The Conversation website about the praise the IEA gave Canada’s policies only weeks after the government’s Environment and Sustainable Development Commissioner released a scathing report on Canada’s climate record. Well, no one said the carbon-neutral energy transition would … Continue reading Reaction to IEA’s review of Canada’s energy policies

India must pursue a deep decarbonisation strategy encompassing all pathways

India will need to contend with goals across sectors that are at odds with each other, and resolve the contradictions. Deepak Gupta, former secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Kollura Krishnan, chairman of CVC India Infrastructure, provide their views in an article on the Financial Express website.   Getting it right … Continue reading India must pursue a deep decarbonisation strategy encompassing all pathways

Germany’s new economy and climate protection minister calls for accelerating action to create a climate neutral country

Kate Connolly writes on The Guardian website about the call of the new German climate minister for a threefold increase in the speed with which carbon dioxide emissions are reduced. The minister, Robert Habeck, warned Germany was currently “dramatically behind” in its aim to achieve a goal for 80% of energy to come from renewable … Continue reading Germany’s new economy and climate protection minister calls for accelerating action to create a climate neutral country

The “architectural rebound effect” – new technology has often encouraged extravagant forms of consumption

Bashar Al Shawa, PhD Student in Architecture at the University of Bath writes on The Conversation website that new technology has made many buildings less climate friendly. However, architects can keep pushing the limits of design without making the planet pay.   Technology has made buildings less climate-friendly: but we can look back in time … Continue reading The “architectural rebound effect” – new technology has often encouraged extravagant forms of consumption

New study shows coal dependence squeezes Polish taxpayers for €141 billion

Poland’s dependence on coal is costing Polish taxpayers dearly, but the Polish government remains reluctant to shift to clean energy sources, according to a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “If a coal phaseout is achieved by 2030, the resulting savings would enable Poland to build twice as much clean … Continue reading New study shows coal dependence squeezes Polish taxpayers for €141 billion

US has monumental task to update energy efficiency standards

Nearly three dozen efficiency standards are overdue for an update, and further delays could undercut Biden’s climate goals. Anna Phillips discusses latest developments in an article on The Washington Post website.   Biden faces delays in undoing Trump’s war on efficient dishwashers, dryers and lightbulbs that made him ‘look orange’ Before Donald Trump launched his … Continue reading US has monumental task to update energy efficiency standards

“If we want to use renewable energy to keep the atmosphere cool, then mining processes and our current relationship with metals must change”

Scott Dunbar, Davide Elmo and John Steen of the University of British Columbia argue that a sustainable approach to mining metals needed for our renewable energy expansion is definitely possible in an article on The Conversation website.   It’s not necessary to trash the environment to extract metals needed for renewable energy The use of renewable … Continue reading “If we want to use renewable energy to keep the atmosphere cool, then mining processes and our current relationship with metals must change”

New EEA report on EU ETS emissions continuing to decrease

Under current and planned measures, EU Member States project that ETS emissions will continue to decrease in the coming decades albeit at a slower pace than historically, according to the latest annual European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing 'Trends and projections in the EU ETS' published this week. On recent trends, greenhouse gas emissions from stationary … Continue reading New EEA report on EU ETS emissions continuing to decrease

The future of cooling our buildings must become a present-day priority

At the moment, reducing cooling energy demand is not explicitly part of energy policies for buildings in the UK. Of concern is that it’s projected that 75% to 85% of UK households will install air conditioning in response to rising temperatures by the end of the century. Radhika Khosla Associate Professor of Sustainable Development at … Continue reading The future of cooling our buildings must become a present-day priority

Blog from Jane Marsh: Why We Need a Greener Power Grid More Than a Resilient One

Major weather events and aging grid infrastructure have led many to call for a resilient grid that can stand up to the elements. However, prioritizing resilience may be the wrong approach — instead, grid officials should consider how sustainability could future-proof the grid and protect it from future crises. Climate change and extreme weather are … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: Why We Need a Greener Power Grid More Than a Resilient One