New EEA briefings on impacts of textile consumption in Europe

Textile consumption in Europe has on average the fourth highest impacts on the environment and climate, following consumption of food, housing and mobility. Ahead of the expected EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published this week two briefings that look at measures to reduce those impacts, including on resource … Continue reading New EEA briefings on impacts of textile consumption in Europe

Call for reform of EU power market rules

The ongoing electricity price hike fuelled by the gas crisis makes a reform of EU power market rules more urgent than ever, argue friends of EiD Mike Parr, director of PWR, and Simon Minett, founder of Challoch-Energy in an article on the EURACTIV website.   High electricity prices, renewables and windfall profits – all paid … Continue reading Call for reform of EU power market rules

The latest IRENA assessment suggests an emerging hydrogen industry could reshape global political and economic relationships

Michael Mazengarb writes on the RenewEconomy website about the findings of a new IRENA report that shows the possible transition of the global energy system away from fossil fuels and towards renewable hydrogen.   How renewable hydrogen could shake up the geopolitics of energy The transition of the global energy system away from fossil fuels … Continue reading The latest IRENA assessment suggests an emerging hydrogen industry could reshape global political and economic relationships

Will poorer countries be unfairly disadvantaged by EU climate protection regulations?

The EU is picking up speed with climate protection regulations. For imports from abroad, a carbon tax will soon be introduced. But poorer countries could be unfairly disadvantaged by this. Tim Schauenberg discusses latest developments in an article on the Deutsche Welle website.   CO2 tax at Europe's border: Revolution or protectionism? Earlier this year, … Continue reading Will poorer countries be unfairly disadvantaged by EU climate protection regulations?

New EEA briefing on counting the cost of industrial air pollution

Emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases from large industrial sites in Europe cost society between €277 and €433 billion, in 2017, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) analysis, published this week. About half of the annual cost is caused by just 211 facilities, around 2 % of the largest industrial sites in Europe. … Continue reading New EEA briefing on counting the cost of industrial air pollution

Negotiators at COP26 will finalise plans for the global stocktake, taking a look at the collective progress the world’s nations have made on climate action

To achieve any goal, targets must be set and progress measured. This is equally true for measuring progress on the Paris climate agreement. Steven Lam from the University of Guelph, Sherilee Harper from the University of Alberta and Warren Dodd from the University of Waterloo write on The Conversation website about how the progress will … Continue reading Negotiators at COP26 will finalise plans for the global stocktake, taking a look at the collective progress the world’s nations have made on climate action

Forty years of conflict have left many Afghans on the edge of survival — and highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change

The past 30 years have brought flood, drought and hunger to Afghanistan. With the Taliban sweeping to power, many within and outside of the country wonder how to deal with looming climate disaster. Jennifer Collins discusses the situation in Afghanistan in an article on the Deutsche Welle website.   Amid Taliban takeover, climate change could … Continue reading Forty years of conflict have left many Afghans on the edge of survival — and highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change

Good EPC ratings have little impact on house prices in Britain

Rozi Jones writes on the Financial Reporter website that analysis from Nationwide shows limited impact on house prices of improvements in energy performance of buildings. There is a 1.7% house price premium for an owner-occupier property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B, compared to a D-rated home, according to data … Continue reading Good EPC ratings have little impact on house prices in Britain

The impact of bottled water on natural resources is 3,500 times higher than for tap water

In the US, 17m barrels of oil are needed to produce the plastic to meet annual bottled water demand. In addition, bottled water in the UK is at least 500 times more expensive than tap water. Drinking tap water is worse for local health in Barcelona, but when you weigh both, what you gain from … Continue reading The impact of bottled water on natural resources is 3,500 times higher than for tap water

Highlighting some of the problems related to financing adaptation to climate change

Jessica Omukuti, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of York discusses many of the problems related to financing adaptation to climate change in an article on the Conversation website. What are your views?   Climate adaptation finance is ineffective and must be more transparent In 2019, an international climate fund approved a ten year US$9.3 million … Continue reading Highlighting some of the problems related to financing adaptation to climate change