Offset schemes do little to reduce climate impact of aviation

Almost all airlines now run offset schemes offering customers the chance to invest in green projects to negate the carbon impact of their flight. However, as Madeleine Cuff writes on the inews website, some offset prices fall are below the true cost of removing CO2. So, what would you suggest?   Carbon offsetting fees offered … Continue reading Offset schemes do little to reduce climate impact of aviation

Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?

The U.S. generates 5.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which come from activities like powering appliances or heating your home. In addition, carbon is released when building materials, such as concrete, are manufactured. The overproduction of carbon can lead to air pollution and increase global warming. These emissions also disturb natural habitats … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?

“Climate alarmism, government intervention and related ideas promoted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce are clearly contrary to business interests”

Matthew Lau, from Canada’s Fraser Institute, writes on the National Newswatch website about the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says that its embrace of climate science and economics are misguided and no help to business. The Fraser Institute is an independent conservative and libertarian Canadian public policy think tank. What are your views? What are the … Continue reading “Climate alarmism, government intervention and related ideas promoted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce are clearly contrary to business interests”

Financing energy efficiency in Poland

A news article on the New Europe website discusses a landmark scheme to improve the energy efficiency of Polish homes. Separately, the moderndiplomacy website announced that the World Bank will be lending Poland €250 million to improve air quality and energy efficiency.   Poland to boost residential energy efficiency with help from EBRD, BNP Paribas … Continue reading Financing energy efficiency in Poland

Important new reports from EC Joint Research Centre

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has recently published two important reports.   Mobilizing citizens to invest in energy efficiency One example of a way for citizens to contribute to the low-carbon energy transition is by investing in energy efficiency (EE). However, there are still multiple barriers that make the socially optimal level of adoption … Continue reading Important new reports from EC Joint Research Centre

EU and its 27 Member States need to look how they can improve the current target of achieving an at least 55% reduction of net GHG emissions by 2030

The EU is not on track to achieve the 1.5°C climate target. Wendel Trio, in a Climate Science and Policy Briefing Paper, argues that the EU must revisit its current pledge. The author argues that o be aligned with the 1.5°C objective a GHG emission reduction target of at least -65% is needed.   The … Continue reading EU and its 27 Member States need to look how they can improve the current target of achieving an at least 55% reduction of net GHG emissions by 2030

European Commission publishes proposals for revising buildings directive and gas package

According to the European Consumer Organisation BEUC, consumers will benefit from new basic housing standards that will allow them to use less energy to heat or cool their homes, according to the European Commission’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive announced this week, part of its ‘Fit for 55’ climate package. However, the Commission’s Gas Package … Continue reading European Commission publishes proposals for revising buildings directive and gas package

New EEA reports on key role of cities in Europe’s transition to sustainability

Most Europeans live in cities and cities are Europe’s economic, cultural, and political hubs. Cities face environmental and climate challenges but also hold keys to realise Europe’s sustainability ambitions. Two new assessments on urban sustainability, published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today, combine several environment and climate themes, calling for better integration of policies … Continue reading New EEA reports on key role of cities in Europe’s transition to sustainability

The technology to capture carbon is in development, but one burning question remains: where on Earth should we store all that carbon?

Kian Mintz-Woo, Lecturer in Philosophy, Environmental Research Institute at the University College Cork writes on The Conversation website about the challenges to use carbon capture and storage to reach zero emissions.   Carbon capture and storage: where should the world store CO₂? It’s a moral dilemma The recent Glasgow climate pact committed 197 countries to … Continue reading The technology to capture carbon is in development, but one burning question remains: where on Earth should we store all that carbon?

“… the Japanese government chose blue hydrogen a decade ago when renewables were expensive, and they are now locked into a plan that no longer makes sense”

In 2010 about one third of Japan's electricity came from nuclear power, and there were plans to build a lot more. But then the 2011 disaster hit, and all Japan's nuclear power plants were shut down. So, the Japanese government decided to build 22 new coal-fired power stations. The plants can be quite easily converted … Continue reading “… the Japanese government chose blue hydrogen a decade ago when renewables were expensive, and they are now locked into a plan that no longer makes sense”