New EEA assessment on quality of Europe’s bathing water

From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the vast majority of bathing waters in Europe met the European Union's most stringent ‘excellent’ bathing quality standards in 2025, according to the latest annual bathing water package published this week. This represents 85% of Europe’s bathing sites, with 96% of all EU sites monitored meeting the minimum quality … Continue reading New EEA assessment on quality of Europe’s bathing water →

Energy in Demand News, June 14-15, 2026

Constraining new solar and wind resources could cost the U.S. an additional $121.2 billion in electricity and natural gas expenses beginning in 2027 through 2033, according to a new study from the Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA). The new analysis entitled “The Cost of Constraining New Solar and Wind” compares both baseline and high-load-growth scenarios in which new … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, June 14-15, 2026 →

The EU ETS enters a defining moment

Nikolaus J. Kurmayer writes on the Politico website about the coming political battle over the future of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), with industry groups pushing for weaker carbon pricing while EU climate officials seek to strengthen it and make free allowances more conditional. With industry divided, EU climate officials are hoping to push … Continue reading The EU ETS enters a defining moment →

Climate cost of expanded World Cup under scrutiny as emissions set to soar

Loughborough University has published a new report that throws a harsh spotlight on the environmental price of football's expanding showpiece that is just getting underway in Canada, Mexico and the USA. FIFA Men’s World Cup expansion risks making 2026 tournament “most polluting ever”, report warns A new report examining football’s relationship with climate change … Continue reading Climate cost of expanded World Cup under scrutiny as emissions set to soar →

Energy in Demand News, June 7-8, 2026

Le Monde reports that a new report by the World Inequality Lab (WIL) proposes ambitious plans to cut global inequality and curb climate change. The WIL is a research institute a!liated with the Paris School of Economics. “They are putting forward a utopia and make no apologies for it. They present it directly as an … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, June 7-8, 2026 →

Energy in Demand News, May 31-June 1, 2026

Sabine Mauderer, first deputy government of the Deutsche Bundesbank, argues in the Financial Times, that more clarity is needed on the energy transition. The recent disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, she says, highlights how dependence on fossil fuels remains a major economic and geopolitical vulnerability, reinforcing the need to accelerate the global energy transition. … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, May 31-June 1, 2026 →

In Barcelona, the reign of banana trees is coming to an end

The City Council confirms that it will halve the banana tree population over the next decade to combat allergies and improve urban biodiversity. David León Himelfarb discusses latest developments in an article on the Barcelona Secreta website. Farewell to Barcelona’s banana trees: the city will remove 24,000 trees over the next decade to combat … Continue reading In Barcelona, the reign of banana trees is coming to an end →

Energy in Demand News, May 24-25, 2026

This current energy crisis with the blockade of shipping from the Strait of Hormuz is getting more and more serious every day. The Guardian reports that Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, warned on Thursday that oil markets will enter the “red zone” by July and August as stocks dwindle before the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, May 24-25, 2026 →

Smarter lighting, healthier buildings, lower energy use

In an article on The Conversation website, Roberto Alonso González-Lezcano, Catedrático de Universidad en el área de Construcciones Arquitectónicas, Universidad CEU San Pablo writes about the benefits of smarter lighting. How switching to smarter lighting can cut energy bills and boost your health Lighting accounts for almost 8% of the world’s energy usage. It makes … Continue reading Smarter lighting, healthier buildings, lower energy use →

New EEA assessments on circularity

Stepping up a circular economy offers the European Union the potential for significant positive impacts on Europe’s environment and poses an untapped and strategic economic opportunity in terms of better access to materials and the creation of new businesses. Three new assessments on circularity, published this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA), also stress … Continue reading New EEA assessments on circularity →