Los Angeles is promising a “car-free” Summer Games for 2028 Olympics

The car remains king in LA, despite growing public transit options. Los Angeles is a city where the car remains king. It dismantled its public transport system after World War II. Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy and Law, at Boston University, in an article on The Conversation website discusses the challenges … Continue reading Los Angeles is promising a “car-free” Summer Games for 2028 Olympics

Simple steps that cities can also slow the pace of urban heat island-driven warming trends – learning from ancient Rome

In an article on The Conversation website, Brian Stone Jr., Professor of Environmental Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology explains the importance of taking measures to counter extreme heat in cities.   Ancient Rome had ways to counter the urban heat island effect – how history’s lessons apply to cities today As intense heat breaks records … Continue reading Simple steps that cities can also slow the pace of urban heat island-driven warming trends – learning from ancient Rome

EEA publishes updated European city air quality viewer: Uppsala is Europe’s cleanest city

Published this week, European Environment Agency’s (EEA) updated European city air quality viewer shows that people in Uppsala and Umeå, Sweden, and Faro, Portugal, can enjoy the cleanest city air in Europe. Three out of four Europeans live in urban areas and most of them are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution. Improving air … Continue reading EEA publishes updated European city air quality viewer: Uppsala is Europe’s cleanest city

Energy in Demand News, August 25, 2024

In an article on the Guardian website, former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown wonders where the urgency is to address climate change and the many other environmental and political threats. He writes: “Nor, even up against the existential problem of climate change (the planet is on course for a temperature increase of 2.7C above pre-industrial … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 25, 2024

“We need to embrace a circular economy for our energy landscapes”

In an article on The Conversation website, Martin J. Pasqualetti, Professor of Geography and Senior Global Futures Scientist, Arizona State University; Chad Walker, Assistant professor, Low-carbon Transitions, School of Planning, Dalhousie University; and Michelle Adams, Associate professor, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University discuss the need for the recycling of energy landscapes in … Continue reading “We need to embrace a circular economy for our energy landscapes”

Energy in Demand News, August 18, 2024

Expanding oil production certainly gets a lot of attention these days. In an energy newsletter by the Financial Times (behind a paywall) this week, the lead article was on a technology breakthrough by Chevron that could extend the production lifespan of the US Gulf of Mexico oil basin and “and potentially bring billions of additional … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 18, 2024

Blog by James Ritter: How does reducing our water consumption impact the environment?

Water is an essential part of life on Earth, so it’s crucial that we carefully consider and monitor how we are using it. With the global population expanding and water scarcity being exacerbated by climate change, the need to be mindful of our water consumption is more important than ever. Not only does conserving water … Continue reading Blog by James Ritter: How does reducing our water consumption impact the environment?

The impact of Africa’s growth on global carbon targets is likely to be low, especially in the short term

In an article on The Conversation website, Daniel M. Kammen, Professor of Energy, University of California, Berkeley and Oluwagbemisola Deborah Akinsipe, PhD Candidate in the Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley discuss their research into analysing how Africa’s growth could potentially affect efforts to reduce global warming or mitigate climate change.   African … Continue reading The impact of Africa’s growth on global carbon targets is likely to be low, especially in the short term

Olympic sports and their sustainability strategies

Thomas Cuckston, Professor of Accounting and Ecology, University of Birmingham writes on The Conversation website about the sustainability of the sports that participated in the recent Paris Olympics. The final paragraph sums up the results very well: “While some sports are showing impressive leadership, others are falling behind. Some are not showing any signs of … Continue reading Olympic sports and their sustainability strategies

Nobel winners hit out at removal of fossil fuels from draft UN pact

Nearly 80 Nobel prizewinners and former world leaders have hit out at the removal of a specific mention of fossil fuels from the draft of a UN climate pact at the centre of a summit in New York next month. Nina Bo Wagner discusses the letter in an article on the Research Professional News website. … Continue reading Nobel winners hit out at removal of fossil fuels from draft UN pact