With much fanfare, the UK government announced its heat and buildings strategy last week. Ran Boydell, Visiting Lecturer in Sustainable Development at Heriot-Watt University discusses the strategy to see if it is fit for purpose to help Britain achieve its net-zero objectives in an article on The Conversation website. Heat and buildings strategy: the … Continue reading The new heat and buildings strategy boosts the UK’s credentials as a global leader yet it has ignored some critical actions
Category: national policies
A new ranking of the planet’s largest polluters has Canada in the top 10 for total emissions
As we prepare for COP26 starting in the next few weeks, it is important to get a grasp on some of the countries that really need to increase their efforts to reach net zero. John Woodside writes on the National Observer website that on a per capita basis, depending how one counts it, Canada is … Continue reading A new ranking of the planet’s largest polluters has Canada in the top 10 for total emissions
New analysis shows the cost of achieving carbon neutrality in Germany
Germany wants to be carbon neutral by 2045. Restructuring its economy will cost trillions. But not investing the money would cost even more. Tim Schauenberg discusses the costs in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. This is obviously an area that the incoming Chancellor will have to deal with – urgently. What climate … Continue reading New analysis shows the cost of achieving carbon neutrality in Germany
What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes?
When I worked at the International Energy Agency in the 1980s, we were discussing how Britain had to give more attention to improving the energy performance of its building stock, given how poor quality they were overall. In 1990, the then Department of Environment even published an excellent report of a survey on “Attitudes to … Continue reading What does it take to improve the energy performance of Britain’s homes?
UNECE helps Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Moldova scale up cost-effective climate action by improving buildings’ energy efficiency
Improving energy efficiency is a cost-effective means to support economic development while contributing to climate action. On a national scale, energy efficiency helps strengthen energy security, reduce energy expenditure, slow down energy demand growth, reduce investment needs for new generation capacities, and creates green jobs. Out of all sectors of economic activity, in many countries, the buildings sector has the largest potential for cost-effective improvement in energy efficiency and emissions reductions. To help capitalise … Continue reading UNECE helps Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Moldova scale up cost-effective climate action by improving buildings’ energy efficiency
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
Many Australians feel frustration at the refusal of their government to “turn around” to face what’s clear to everyone else, a galloping climate emergency
It was not that long ago that the world looked on in horror at the disastrous fires in Australia. How much was related to climate change? Does it matter. As the evidence has accumulated, and the new IPCC report reinforces it, Australia has carved out a name for itself as a global laggard. Mark Kenny, … Continue reading Many Australians feel frustration at the refusal of their government to “turn around” to face what’s clear to everyone else, a galloping climate emergency
Recent conflicts, political turmoil and the growing threat of climate-induced disasters could push Mozambique to re-envision its energy and development strategies
Mozambique is at a crossroads in its development. It has fossil fuels that it desperately wants to exploit, seeing them as a major opportunity for wealth creation. Yet, this is far from certain, and many believe that such exploitation will simply entrench poverty and lead to continued conflict. Mozambique has had too much of both. … Continue reading Recent conflicts, political turmoil and the growing threat of climate-induced disasters could push Mozambique to re-envision its energy and development strategies
What it takes to urgently improve the energy efficiency of Britain’s housing stock
With some of the worst levels of energy efficiency in Europe, Britain’s housing stock is in urgent need of a plan to encompass wishes, grants to alleviate fuel poverty as well as installer training. Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, provides his views in his column for the July/August issue of Energy … Continue reading What it takes to urgently improve the energy efficiency of Britain’s housing stock
The important role energy performance certificates can play to encourage low carbon home heating
Andrew Warren, chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, explores the potential future for building Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) as the UK shifts towards lower carbon home heating in an article first published on the Business Green website. What role could EPCs play in the crucial shift towards low carbon home heating? The days … Continue reading The important role energy performance certificates can play to encourage low carbon home heating
