Rather than embrace the task of decarbonising the Australian economy, the new government is going all out to exploit fossil fuels

Richard Denniss, Adjunct Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy at Australian National University writes on The Conversation website about the impact that new fossil fuel projects in Australia will have. It will be interesting how the Australian government explains this at COP28. Australia’s 116 new coal, oil and gas projects equate to … Continue reading Rather than embrace the task of decarbonising the Australian economy, the new government is going all out to exploit fossil fuels →

EU member states weathering an historic natural gas crisis

Philip Oltermann, Jon Henley, Angelique Chrisafis, Sam Jones and Shaun Walker wrote an article on The Guardian website that shows the effective action EU member states took to reduce dependence on Russian gas. Within eight months of Russia invading Ukraine, the EU’s 27 member states had already replaced about 80% of the natural gas they … Continue reading EU member states weathering an historic natural gas crisis →

The “perfect solution” to climate change and energy security?

The presidency of upcoming climate talks is embracing fossil gas as a “transition” fuel, despite its polluting impact. Joe Lo discusses latest developments in an article on the Climate Change News website. Cop27 host Egypt plans to push gas as ‘the perfect solution’ Cop27 host Egypt and 16 other gas-exporting governments have pledged to … Continue reading The “perfect solution” to climate change and energy security? →

Opportunities to get EU industry off natural gas quickly

As Europe hunts for speedy ways to do without Russian energy amid the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, some industries are charting the path ahead with successful switches from natural gas to electricity. Manufacturing fuelled by power instead of gas is emerging in sectors such as food and chemicals and in countries including Belgium, Denmark, and Germany. The … Continue reading Opportunities to get EU industry off natural gas quickly →

The options in Germany’s accelerated energy transitions

Without Russian natural gas, Germany will be facing an energy crisis. In an article on the Deutsche Welle website, Jeannette Cwienk discusses what the most realistic and climate-friendly options are. How can Germany realistically replace gas? As Germany scrambles to find a way to lower its reliance on Russian natural gas, the country has announced a … Continue reading The options in Germany’s accelerated energy transitions →

While committed to climate action, new Australian government still supports expansion of fossil fuel exports

Australia could fall into what is called the “Norway trap”: clean at home, dirty abroad. Jeremy Moss, Professor of Political Philosophy at UNSW Sydney in an article on The Conversation website, discusses the challenges facing the new government. To walk the talk on climate, Labor must come clean about the future for coal and … Continue reading While committed to climate action, new Australian government still supports expansion of fossil fuel exports →

EU taxonomy proposed change is a “recipe for a greenwashing disaster”

The leaked EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy proposal for a complementary Delegated Act sets out the role of fossil gas, two devastating scenarios emerge – both a far cry from net-zero by 2050. The leaked proposal is discussed in a briefing by Lina Strandvåg Nagell on the Bellona Europe website. Note that the EC began expert … Continue reading EU taxonomy proposed change is a “recipe for a greenwashing disaster” →

At the start of this UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Sudbury model for industrial restoration is an important recipe to apply to climate change

Sudbury, Ontario was an environmental disaster with its nickel and copper mines and smelters. INCO (now Vale) in Sudbury was the world’s largest nickel producer at one time and was the subject of my master’s thesis. Nadia Mykytczuk, Interim CEO/President of MIRARCO at Laurentian University writes on The Conversation website about the transformation of the … Continue reading At the start of this UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the Sudbury model for industrial restoration is an important recipe to apply to climate change →

Berkeley California became the first city in the US to ban natural, fossil gas hook-ups in new buildings

Natural gas was once hailed as an important transition fuel but that view is now rapidly changing as the move away from all fossil fuels accelerates. Susie Cagle writes in The Guardian about the recent vote in Berkeley to ban natural gas hook-ups in new buildings. Cagle writes: "Natural gas, it seems, has become the … Continue reading Berkeley California became the first city in the US to ban natural, fossil gas hook-ups in new buildings →

Natural gas and the low-carbon energy transition

Ivan Penn writes a good article in the New York Times about the difficulties that natural gas is having in the US as a feedstock for power plants. As Penn states, some utility companies have scrapped plans for new natural-gas plants in favour of wind and solar sources that have become cheaper and easier to … Continue reading Natural gas and the low-carbon energy transition →