Germany concedes move to cap gas prices as EU wrestles with energy crisis

European Council President Charles Michel said EU leaders agreed to cooperate on energy after a long day of talks. However, a consensus was not reached on capping gas prices. A news item on the Deutsche Welle website presents latest developments. EU leaders agree to combat rising energy prices European Council President Charles Michel said early … Continue reading Germany concedes move to cap gas prices as EU wrestles with energy crisis →

A group of 10 major economies are building momentum to scale-up climate finance by reforming development banks, starting with the World Bank

A group of 10 countries led by the US and Germany have presented the bank’s management with a plan to reform the institution this week. Chloé Farand discusses latest developments in an article on the Climate Change News website. US, Germany back ‘fundamental reform’ of World Bank to scale climate finance A group of … Continue reading A group of 10 major economies are building momentum to scale-up climate finance by reforming development banks, starting with the World Bank →

New EEA study on urban sustainability

There is a unique opportunity for European cities to better align their the post-COVID-19 recoveries with efforts to make them more sustainable and tackle the impacts of climate change all at the same time. A key legacy of the pandemic is that our cities are a lot more flexible and open to change when it … Continue reading New EEA study on urban sustainability →

Insurance companies also wield enormous power over the energy transition

Insurers are paying more for extreme weather while continuing to finance and underwrite activities that warp the climate. They can block or enable fossil fuel projects by choosing whether to insure them and for what price. Speeding up the switch to green energy would cut their exposure to catastrophic weather. Climate activists are pushing them … Continue reading Insurance companies also wield enormous power over the energy transition →

Reforms needed for multilateral development banks to provide more capital for sustainable development

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) could make billions more in investment capital available for sustainable development. That is the astounding finding of a recent report, commissioned by the G20. Given that MDBs’ whole purpose is to maximise the impact of their funds, their donors are wondering why they have left money on the table. Donors and … Continue reading Reforms needed for multilateral development banks to provide more capital for sustainable development →

COP27 in November really is turning into a crucial meeting

Since COP26 in Glasgow last year, emissions have reached record levels after the pandemic downturn. And this year alone, we’ve seen dozens of catastrophic disasters ranging from drought in the Horn of Africa to floods in Pakistan, South Africa and Australia, and wildfires and heatwaves in Europe, the United States, Mongolia and South America, among … Continue reading COP27 in November really is turning into a crucial meeting →

World Bank criticised over climate crisis spending

Controversy follows the president of the World Bank, David Malpass. Last month, the former US vice-president Al Gore led calls for the president of the bank to resign after he avoided a journalist’s questions on climate science. Malpass, nominated for the position by the Trump administration, later apologised but his apparent climate denial followed years … Continue reading World Bank criticised over climate crisis spending →

New EEA briefings on sustainability of agriculture and food systems

A profound rethink of how we produce food and operate global food chains and related industrial processing sectors is needed to make them resilient and sustainable. Much more must be done to reduce their GHG emissions as well as their pressures on water resources and biodiversity — efforts which are currently almost stagnant — according … Continue reading New EEA briefings on sustainability of agriculture and food systems →

Accelerating SDG7 action

Sustainable Development Goal 7 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all." It is important to look at the work that is underway through the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy to see what … Continue reading Accelerating SDG7 action →

New EEA data shows that CO2 emissions from new cars dropped by 12% in 2020

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of new cars dropped by 12% in 2020 compared to the year before, according to final figures published this week by the European Environment Agency. The main reason for the sharp decrease of emissions was a surge in the share of electric vehicle registrations. Average carbon dioxide emissions from … Continue reading New EEA data shows that CO2 emissions from new cars dropped by 12% in 2020 →