In a recent event for the World Economic Forum, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA and Björn Rosengren, CEO of sustainability technology company ABB, discuss what needs to happen to improve energy efficiency and reach net zero. Their discussion is in an article on the European Sting website by Kate Whiting. Energy efficiency … Continue reading The energy transition to net zero needs improved energy efficiency to succeed
Category: net zero emissions
New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high
This week, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) published a new report on nearly zero energy building standards in six member states that show decarbonisation of new buildings in is not happening fast enough. A failure to decarbonise newly constructed buildings could prevent the EU from achieving its climate targets for 2030 and 2050, according … Continue reading New BPIE report: climate impact of new buildings much too high
The future of cooling our buildings must become a present-day priority
At the moment, reducing cooling energy demand is not explicitly part of energy policies for buildings in the UK. Of concern is that it’s projected that 75% to 85% of UK households will install air conditioning in response to rising temperatures by the end of the century. Radhika Khosla Associate Professor of Sustainable Development at … Continue reading The future of cooling our buildings must become a present-day priority
A green lifestyle is very good for us indeed
Researchers analysed 18 carbon-cutting measures at home and at work in areas such as food, transport and energy and assessed the impact of each on issues such as health, clean air and water quality. Of the 306 categories they looked at, 79 % were positive for wellbeing. Tom Bawden discusses the study in an article … Continue reading A green lifestyle is very good for us indeed
Can aviation make the transition to a low-carbon future – and perhaps even reach net-zero emissions?
Emma Rachel Whittlesea and Tim Ryley at Griffith University in Australia address that question by arguing that significant technological and energy disruption on the horizon for the industry suggests such a future is possible. They discuss the issues in an article on The Conversation website. Blue-sky thinking: net-zero aviation is more than a flight … Continue reading Can aviation make the transition to a low-carbon future – and perhaps even reach net-zero emissions?
Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?
The U.S. generates 5.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which come from activities like powering appliances or heating your home. In addition, carbon is released when building materials, such as concrete, are manufactured. The overproduction of carbon can lead to air pollution and increase global warming. These emissions also disturb natural habitats … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: How Does Low Carbon Housing Benefit the Environment?
“Climate alarmism, government intervention and related ideas promoted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce are clearly contrary to business interests”
Matthew Lau, from Canada’s Fraser Institute, writes on the National Newswatch website about the Ontario Chamber of Commerce says that its embrace of climate science and economics are misguided and no help to business. The Fraser Institute is an independent conservative and libertarian Canadian public policy think tank. What are your views? What are the … Continue reading “Climate alarmism, government intervention and related ideas promoted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce are clearly contrary to business interests”
“… the Japanese government chose blue hydrogen a decade ago when renewables were expensive, and they are now locked into a plan that no longer makes sense”
In 2010 about one third of Japan's electricity came from nuclear power, and there were plans to build a lot more. But then the 2011 disaster hit, and all Japan's nuclear power plants were shut down. So, the Japanese government decided to build 22 new coal-fired power stations. The plants can be quite easily converted … Continue reading “… the Japanese government chose blue hydrogen a decade ago when renewables were expensive, and they are now locked into a plan that no longer makes sense”
China has a robust set of climate and energy policies and a strong track record when it comes to fulfilling its pledges to the international community: it just needs to do more
When it comes to climate change, no nation is more important than China. A common misconception is that China either lacks climate policies or fails to implement them. When it comes to China’s approach to climate change, the problem is not lack of policy implementation but rather a lack of policy ambition. Phillip Stalley, Endowed … Continue reading China has a robust set of climate and energy policies and a strong track record when it comes to fulfilling its pledges to the international community: it just needs to do more
Recent research shows the energy efficiency of homes built in the past 20 years in England varies considerably depending on where you are
As countries such as England are planning to make the housing stock net zero by 2050, recent research shows significant regional differences. Major cities across England and all local authorities across the south and south-east have below average energy intensity while homes in northern local authorities and less built-up urban areas have above average energy … Continue reading Recent research shows the energy efficiency of homes built in the past 20 years in England varies considerably depending on where you are
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 