A political battle over firewood’s future in the EU’s energy transition is playing out in Brussels

As Europe races to replace Russian fossil fuels with cleaner power sources, EU lawmakers are weighing up the future of firewood as a renewable energy source. The debate is getting heated. In an article on the Deutsche Welle website, Sarah Steffen and Tamsin Walker discuss latest developments. EU weighs up future of wood-burning as … Continue reading A political battle over firewood’s future in the EU’s energy transition is playing out in Brussels →

“We are not fully in agreement yet” – Germany facing a growing backlash inside the EU over its U-turn on a law to phase out the combustion engine in new cars by 2035

The row is a further signal of tensions over the green deal landmark proposals to tackle climate crisis. In an article on the Guardian website, Jennifer Rankin and Philip Oltermann discuss what happened in this week’s meetings in Brussels. Germany faces EU backlash over U-turn on phasing out combustion engine Germany is facing a … Continue reading “We are not fully in agreement yet” – Germany facing a growing backlash inside the EU over its U-turn on a law to phase out the combustion engine in new cars by 2035 →

A pact to phase out fossil fuels in November’s UN climate talks is the only credible response to the warnings of scientists

Simon Lewis, professor of global change science at University College London and University of Leeds provides an opinion piece in the Guardian giving two reasons why the just published IPCC synthesis report is crucial for the upcoming COP28 in November-December. What are your views? The IPCC’s climate report has drawn the battle lines for … Continue reading A pact to phase out fossil fuels in November’s UN climate talks is the only credible response to the warnings of scientists →

New EEA briefing on the way we see ourselves in relation to nature

Can the way we see ourselves in relation to the natural world create a greater sense of responsibility and stewardship towards nature? Global awareness about the degradation of nature, climate change and unsustainable resource use is increasing and our responses to these challenges need to accelerate. A new European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this … Continue reading New EEA briefing on the way we see ourselves in relation to nature →

The EU’s plans to reduce GHG emissions are still not in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement

Science says it loud and clear that the EU’s plans to reduce emissions are not in line with the Paris Agreement. The question is whether EU member states will set things right and shoot beyond the minimum ambition with their National Climate and Energy Plans, write Brigitta Bozsó and Klaus Röhrig, policy experts at Climate … Continue reading The EU’s plans to reduce GHG emissions are still not in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement →

The EU Net Zero Industry Act must not be protectionist

How the EU might respond to clean teach subsidies, in the form of a leaked draft law entitled the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), is deeply worrisome. Niclas Poitiers, André Sapir, Simone Tagliapietra, Reinhilde Veugelers and Jeromin Zettelmeyer explain their views in an article on the Breugel website. Bruegel is the European think tank that … Continue reading The EU Net Zero Industry Act must not be protectionist →

Time for a reality check: latest IPCC synthesis report coming next week

Nerilie Abram from Australian National University writes on The Conversation website about what we are to expect from the upcoming IPCC synthesis report. With the scheduled end of IPCC-58 looming, delegates worked intensively this week to review and approve the proposed text of the Summary for Policymakers. What can we expect from the final … Continue reading Time for a reality check: latest IPCC synthesis report coming next week →

The challenge for making the EU Green Deal industrial plan as effective as possible

In the race to avoid climate breakdown, talk of a subsidy race with the United States is misplaced. EU leaders would be better off focusing on making the Green Deal Industrial Plan as effective as possible to ensure win-wins, write Jakob Hafele and Jonathan Barth, co-founders of the ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies, in an … Continue reading The challenge for making the EU Green Deal industrial plan as effective as possible →

New EEA briefing assesses the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation

A better understanding of the costs and benefits of adaptation measures to counter climate change is needed according to a recent European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing which assesses the main methods, challenges and constraints in taking action. Improvements needed in assessing costs, benefits of climate change adaptation There is an urgent need to speed … Continue reading New EEA briefing assesses the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation →

Global energy-related CO2 emissions edged up to record high in 2022 – IEA

Despite the rise, emissions were still below pre-pandemic levels. The IEA said global energy-related emissions were offset by the use of wind and solar energy, as well as electric vehicles. A news item on the Deutsche Welle website discusses the recent IEA report. CO2 emissions reached record high in 2022, says IEA Energy-related emissions … Continue reading Global energy-related CO2 emissions edged up to record high in 2022 – IEA →