New EEA report on impact of heatwaves on health

Unprecedented heatwaves — as seen this year — are the greatest direct climate-related health threat to Europe’s population. Heatwaves already account for numerous deaths and illnesses. This burden is set to increase without more climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Heat-health action plans, urban greening, better building design and adjusting working times can contribute to … Continue reading New EEA report on impact of heatwaves on health

EU planning major reform of its anti-pollution legislation

As part of a major reform of the EU’s anti-pollution legislation, the European Commission said it planned to tighten air quality standards, including on one of the most dangerous pollutants, fine particulate matter. Jennifer Rankin discusses latest developments in an article on The Guardian website.   EU plans tighter controls on pollution as doctors call … Continue reading EU planning major reform of its anti-pollution legislation

Climate change having negative impact on aviation

All across the world, global warming is transforming wind patterns and making them much harder to predict. That means passenger flights are becoming less safe and efficient, as well as giving off more emissions themselves, as Vishwam Sankaran reports on the Independent website.   How the climate crisis is making flying more dangerous “It all … Continue reading Climate change having negative impact on aviation

Possibly the future of green energy: a catamaran that became the first boat in the world to produce hydrogen out at sea using just the power of the wind

A British start-up has designed technology that can generate storable energy on seagoing vessels. Ben Spencer discusses recent developments in an article on The Times website.   Hydrogen ahoy! Water-splitting yacht creates green energy as it sails The catamaran skimming over the waves off the Essex coast looks like something a particularly enthusiastic sailor might … Continue reading Possibly the future of green energy: a catamaran that became the first boat in the world to produce hydrogen out at sea using just the power of the wind

New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition

A new JRC paper examines ways to empower the energy poor and vulnerable consumers as active informed citizens and actors in the energy system, looking at exemplary practices from around Europe. Promising initiatives include energy advisors, trusted intermediaries, locally embedded innovative business models (like one-stop shops), trainings of energy actors, energy ombudsmen, energy cafés and … Continue reading New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition

The Supreme Court limited the EPA’s authority on emissions, dealing a blow to efforts to address climate change

The EPA ruling means it may now be mathematically impossible through available avenues for the US to achieve its greenhouse gas emissions goal. Peter Kalmus, a climate scientist and author of Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution, provides his views in an article on The Guardian website.   The US supreme … Continue reading The Supreme Court limited the EPA’s authority on emissions, dealing a blow to efforts to address climate change

People’s views of the climate crisis can be influenced by the media but research shows it only has limited impact

Fiona Harvey writes on The Guardian website about recent research in the US that people’s views of climate science really were shifted by reading reporting that accurately reflected scientific findings but the effect quickly faded. One way to reinforce the impacts of accurate science reporting was to repeat it more often. What are your views? … Continue reading People’s views of the climate crisis can be influenced by the media but research shows it only has limited impact

Factors like social and economic instability caused by extreme weather events drive gender-based violence

Vishwam Sankaran writes on The Independent website about recent research that found that the climate crisis is driving economic instability, food insecurity, mental stress, while also disrupting infrastructure and exacerbating gender inequality. What are your views?   Climate crisis may lead to more violence towards women, girls, gender and sexual minorities, study warns Extreme weather … Continue reading Factors like social and economic instability caused by extreme weather events drive gender-based violence

The Qatar World Cup is failing to live up to promises on reducing its carbon footprint

Later this year, the whole world will be following the world’s largest football tournament. There were questions when Qatar was awarded to host the event but the organisers have claimed this will be the first “carbon neutral” World Cup. Paul MacInnes writes on the Guardian website that they are failing to live up to its … Continue reading The Qatar World Cup is failing to live up to promises on reducing its carbon footprint

Swedish climate and environmental politics will tell you that the official image of a global sustainability champion has lost some of its green gloss lately

Stockholm hosted Stockholm+50 to present itself to the world as a climate and sustainability champion, fifty years after the historic 1972 conference. Victor Galaz, Deputy Director and Associate Professor, Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University wrote on The Conversation website just before the event that some of that sustainability shine has warn off. What are … Continue reading Swedish climate and environmental politics will tell you that the official image of a global sustainability champion has lost some of its green gloss lately