GHG emissions and energy consumption rose in 2021 due mostly to Europe’s post-pandemic recovery, according to the latest ‘Trends and Projections’ report published this week by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Most EU Member States successfully achieved the EU’s 2020 climate and energy targets and are now turning their sights toward climate neutrality while also … Continue reading New EEA report on progress in EU reducing GHG emissions and energy consumption
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Can COP 27 help close the emissions gap?
The window to reign in climate-wrecking emissions and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is fast closing, says a new UN report. Societal transformation may be the only way to avoid a coming calamity. Stuart Braun discusses the recent report in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Climate crisis: Widening emissions gap threatens … Continue reading Can COP 27 help close the emissions gap?
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
New EEA report on the feasibility of Europe achieving the zero pollution action plan’s noise reduction target
About 18 million people suffer long-term annoyance from transport noise in the EU. The European Commission’s zero pollution action plan aims to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% by 2030, compared to 2017 levels. According to the European Environment Agency’s assessment, published this week, reaching this target is unlikely … Continue reading New EEA report on the feasibility of Europe achieving the zero pollution action plan’s noise reduction target
New EEA report on need to ensure soils are no longer a net source of GHG emissions in Europe
Soils can both remove carbon from the atmosphere or emit greenhouse gas emissions. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published recently, European soils are currently a net source of greenhouse gas emissions and, if not addressed, this could pose a risk to the EU climate targets. Mitigation actions can reduce the loss of … Continue reading New EEA report on need to ensure soils are no longer a net source of GHG emissions in Europe
New EEA report on increase in GHG emissions from heavy-duty vehicles
GHG emissions from heavy-duty vehicles — trucks, buses and coaches — have increased in the EU almost every year since 2014, mainly due to increasing demand for freight transport. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, efficiency improvements have not been enough to stop growth in total emissions and a shift … Continue reading New EEA report on increase in GHG emissions from heavy-duty vehicles
New EEA report on energy prosumers
Citizens, institutions and businesses can help deploy renewable energy and reduce fuel imports by becoming prosumers who both produce and consume energy. A European Environment Agency (EEA) report, published recently, shows that prosumption already exists in many forms and it is expected to grow with enabling policies and better and cheaper technology. Citizens can … Continue reading New EEA report on energy prosumers
New report from UN Habitat – World Cities Report 2022: Envisaging the Future of Cities
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created a temporary crisis of confidence in the future of cities. However, a broad consensus is that urbanization remains a powerful twenty-first century mega-trend; and that well-planned towns and cities remain central to the sustainable development trajectory. There is a sense of optimism that the crisis may … Continue reading New report from UN Habitat – World Cities Report 2022: Envisaging the Future of Cities
New IISD report on how Glasgow Statement signatories can meet their commitment to shift international public finance out of fossil fuels and into clean energy by the end of 2022
The International Institute for Sustainable Development has recently published Turning Pledges Into Action. Glasgow Statement signatories made a commitment to end new international public finance for fossil fuels by the end of 2022 and fully shift their focus toward financing clean energy. Now, it's time to turn those pledges into action. This report analyses the … Continue reading New IISD report on how Glasgow Statement signatories can meet their commitment to shift international public finance out of fossil fuels and into clean energy by the end of 2022
New EEA reports on which European cities have the best air quality
The cleanest cities in Europe in terms of air quality during 2020 and 2021 were Umeå in Sweden, and Faro and Funchal in Portugal according to the updated European city air quality data viewer published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) recently. In addition to the viewer, the EEA also published two reports looking at … Continue reading New EEA reports on which European cities have the best air quality
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 