The world’s most climate vulnerable countries want rich, high-emission nations to pay for climate damages

The UN climate change conference now underway in Bonn, Germany has been a war of words in terms of who pays for climate disasters. This follows similar concerns raised at COP26 in Glasgow last year. Stuart Braun discusses latest developments in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Climate vulnerable nations demand compensation for … Continue reading The world’s most climate vulnerable countries want rich, high-emission nations to pay for climate damages →

New EIB report on investors’ views on how the public sector can help to address the risks and challenges of the move towards a more hydrogen-fuelled economy

Robin Whitlock writes on the Renewable Energy Magazine website about a new report from the European Investment Bank that provides key insights into the main drivers behind the European hydrogen market and how the EIB should address them. New report finds that the international investment community recognises both the opportunity for hydrogen deployment and … Continue reading New EIB report on investors’ views on how the public sector can help to address the risks and challenges of the move towards a more hydrogen-fuelled economy →

EEA published latest GHG inventory showing substantial reductions in 2020

The European Union continued to record substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions in 2020, posting an 11% drop compared to 2019, according to the latest official data published this week by the European Environment Agency. The data confirms a 30-year downward trend which led to the EU achieving its 2020 target to reduce emissions by 20% … Continue reading EEA published latest GHG inventory showing substantial reductions in 2020 →

New EEA report on impact of land use changes on Europe’s urban areas

Land take and the sealing of soil with asphalt, concrete or buildings increased in Europe’s urban areas from 2012 to 2018, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment, published recently. Increasing land take and soil sealing make Europe’s ecosystems less resilient, with negative impacts on biodiversity and weaker potential for climate change adaptation. … Continue reading New EEA report on impact of land use changes on Europe’s urban areas →

New EEA report on role consumers can play to raise demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles

While companies have huge influence in framing and shaping demand for products, consumers play a key role in raising demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published this week. Consumers can play key role in creating demand for ‘circular’ goods and services … Continue reading New EEA report on role consumers can play to raise demand for goods and services that have adopted circular economy principles →

Science-Based Targets Initiative sees big polluters committing to cutting CO2 emissions

Roger Harrabin writes on the BBC News website about a record number of big polluters are committing to cutting CO2 emissions to the UN-backed the Science-Based Targets Initiative. What are your views? Record number of polluters set CO2 emissions targets A record number of big polluters are committing to cutting CO2 emissions, a UN-backed … Continue reading Science-Based Targets Initiative sees big polluters committing to cutting CO2 emissions →

Fossil fuel companies have access to an obscure legal tool – the investor-state dispute settlement – that could jeopardise worldwide efforts to protect the climate

If you do a search on the EiD website for the Energy Charter, you will see many posts that show the Energy Charter Treaty could undermine efforts of the Paris climate agreement. Rachel Thrasher, Law Lecturer and Researcher at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, Boston University; Blake Alexander Simmons, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in … Continue reading Fossil fuel companies have access to an obscure legal tool – the investor-state dispute settlement – that could jeopardise worldwide efforts to protect the climate →

New EEA report sets out four engaging, plausible and clearly contrasting images of a sustainable Europe in 2050

What could a sustainable Europe look like in 2050? A European Environment Agency (EEA) web report, published this week, presents four ‘imaginaries’, or scenarios, offering strongly contrasting approaches to achieving Europe’s socio-economic and environmental goals. The report is based on co-creative work by the EEA and its network (Eionet). What could a sustainable Europe … Continue reading New EEA report sets out four engaging, plausible and clearly contrasting images of a sustainable Europe in 2050 →

Read all about it – important new publications

New JRC report – Prosumerism and energy sustainability This report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre develops a sociotechnical understanding of energy prosumerism to investigate how energy prosumerism can lead to actual reductions of energy and resource demand. The report starts out by explaining what a sociotechnical and broad understanding of prosumerism means. Thereafter, … Continue reading Read all about it – important new publications →

The largest ever ban of toxic chemicals announced by European Commission

Thousands of the most notorious chemicals will be rapidly banned in Europe, the European Commission announced last week, as part of the Zero-pollution goal in the EU Green Deal. Michael Warhurst discusses the new roadmap in an article on the Chemtrust website. New EU roadmap proposes action to ban some of the most hazardous … Continue reading The largest ever ban of toxic chemicals announced by European Commission →