Urban heat Is the new climate frontline

Much of Europe has suffered recently from a record breaking heatwave. As heat waves grow more frequent and fierce, cities worldwide are racing to cool streets and reshape urban life, as Martin Kuebler discusses in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. He discusses how cities around the world are adapting to increasingly dangerous urban … Continue reading Urban heat Is the new climate frontline →

New EEA data on CO2 emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles or vans registered in Europe

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles or vans registered in Europe decreased significantly in 2025 compared to 2024, according to provisional data published this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Average CO2 emissions from new cars and vans significantly decreased in 2025 The reductions in emissions … Continue reading New EEA data on CO2 emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles or vans registered in Europe →

The catalytic converter: the environmental technology that changed everything

In an article on The Conversation website, Ann E. Carlson, Professor of Environmental Law, University of California, Los Angeles writes about how California's strict vehicle emissions standards drove the development and adoption of catalytic converters, transforming air quality in the United States and beyond. California’s willingness to maintain strict vehicle emissions standards accelerated the adoption … Continue reading The catalytic converter: the environmental technology that changed everything →

New EEA report on treating protein diversification as a deliberate, long-term strategy in Europe

Broadening the range of proteins that Europe produces and consumes could strengthen food security, improve resilience, enhance competitiveness and reduce environmental pressures, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report. The benefits depend on treating protein diversification as a deliberate, long-term strategy. New EEA report: 'Protein diversification — strategic risks and opportunities for … Continue reading New EEA report on treating protein diversification as a deliberate, long-term strategy in Europe →

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 →