While household air conditioning is one of the “most effective adaptation strategies to reduce heat-related mortality and morbidity,” it can also be an unsustainable and problematic solution to extreme heat

Emily Chung writes on the CBC News website about the benefits and costs of air conditioning in extreme heat. Passive cooling, greenery, behaviour changes are more sustainable, researchers say. Why air conditioners can be a problematic solution to extreme heat As extreme heat hits many parts of the world amid a warming climate, millions … Continue reading While household air conditioning is one of the “most effective adaptation strategies to reduce heat-related mortality and morbidity,” it can also be an unsustainable and problematic solution to extreme heat →

Even when the carbon captured by new trees is taken into account, wood consumption accounts for about one-tenth of the world’s annual GHG emissions

Little is understood about the emissions from harvesting wood. Max Graham writes on the National Observer website about a new report that discusses the impact of the forest industry. Even when the carbon captured by new trees is taken into account, wood consumption accounts for about one-tenth of the world’s annual GHG emissions. There are … Continue reading Even when the carbon captured by new trees is taken into account, wood consumption accounts for about one-tenth of the world’s annual GHG emissions →

New global shipping climate strategy is vague, obscure and almost noncommittal but points the industry toward a cleaner future

Don Maier, Associate Professor of Business at the University of Tennessee writes on The Conversation website about what the new shipping agreement means in terms of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Global shipping has a new climate strategy – it’s vague, obscure and almost noncommittal, but it may be pointing the industry in the … Continue reading New global shipping climate strategy is vague, obscure and almost noncommittal but points the industry toward a cleaner future →

What engineers – and others – need to know about the EU Ecodesign Regulation

The second phase of the EU’s Ecodesign Regulation raises the bar for electric motor energy efficiency – and the rest of the world is sure to follow. Daniel Eberli from ABB, a technology leader in electrification and automation, discusses ecodesign in an article on the Engineer Live website. Energy efficiency with ecodesign Energy efficiency … Continue reading What engineers – and others – need to know about the EU Ecodesign Regulation →

Britain’s energy and climate transition: is it on track?

The latest progress report from the Climate Change Committee makes grim reading on progress towards net zero. Government inertia and reliance on old ways of thinking are to blame. Andrew Warren, Chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation discusses the report in the July issue of Energy in Buildings & Industry. Has the UK … Continue reading Britain’s energy and climate transition: is it on track? →

Blog from Jane Marsh: The Dark Side of Carbon Credits and How We Can Improve Them

Many organizations are making sustainability pledges to help combat climate change. Some companies aim to become net zero — emissions balanced by the amount produced and reduced. However, lowering overall emissions can prove complex and many businesses utilize carbon credits to help them reach this goal. Unfortunately, carbon credits are imperfect and many people believe … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: The Dark Side of Carbon Credits and How We Can Improve Them →

Access to financing and lack of regulatory certainty, including at the EU level, remain key concerns for French SMEs on their green transition path

Théo Bourgery-Gonse writes on the EURACTIV website about what small and medium-sized enterprises need in France to decarbonise. Is it any different in your country? French SMEs asked to decarbonise, want regulatory certainty Access to financing and lack of regulatory certainty, including at the EU level, remain key concerns for French SMEs on their … Continue reading Access to financing and lack of regulatory certainty, including at the EU level, remain key concerns for French SMEs on their green transition path →

Lessons learned from an energy project on SMEs

Having attended a conference this week in Brussels on the EU-funded LEAP4SME project, it was timely to see a blog by the Energy Saving Trust, one of the partners in the project. LEAP4SME aims to support establish or improve effective policies for SMEs to undergo energy audits and implement cost-effective, recommended energy-saving measures through identifying … Continue reading Lessons learned from an energy project on SMEs →

Shipping set to boost climate targets

Matt McGrath and Malcolm Senior write on the BBC News website about an important summit underway in London that will hopefully lead to more ambitious climate targets for the maritime industry. Why shipping faces a showdown over greenhouse gas Ships crisscrossing our oceans give off as much planet-warming carbon through their smokestacks in a … Continue reading Shipping set to boost climate targets →

New Joint Research Centre report on role of heat pumps in our energy transition

Replacing about a third of EU’s 86 million residential fossil fuel boilers with heat pumps could cut those households’ final energy consumption by 36% and their CO2 emissions by 28%. Heating of buildings accounts for almost 40% of final energy consumption and 36% of energy-related GHG emissions in the EU. Within these, residential buildings account … Continue reading New Joint Research Centre report on role of heat pumps in our energy transition →