What is the role of citizens in Europe’s shift to a sustainable future and how do we make it inclusive? Transitioning into sustainability will be challenging and calls for creativity and the full involvement of all sectors of society, including citizens, to make it a success, according to a European Environment Agency briefing published this … Continue reading New EEA briefing on why a thoughtful approach to participation is needed for sustainability transitions
Category: Sustainable development
Energy in Demand News, October 1, 2023
It was encouraging that the heads of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) called on leaders from government, finance and industry across Europe to deliver a clean energy transition that is just, swift and maintains competitiveness. Ministers, ambassadors, business leaders, central bankers and other key … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, October 1, 2023
Lessons to be learned in how France lowered its electricity consumption last winter
Ariane Millot, Research Associate in Energy Systems Modelling, Imperial College London and Steve Pye, Associate Professor in Energy Systems at UCL discuss how France was able to lower its electricity consumption last winter by an impressive 10 %. To avoid shortages, France implemented a “sobriety plan” with the aim of lowering total energy consumption by … Continue reading Lessons to be learned in how France lowered its electricity consumption last winter
Lego ditches oil-free brick in sustainability setback
World’s biggest toymaker says new material made from recycled bottles would have bigger carbon footprint. Latest analysis shows using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) would have led to higher carbon emissions over the product’s lifetime as it would have required new equipment. Noor Nanji discusses latest developments in an article on the BBC News website. … Continue reading Lego ditches oil-free brick in sustainability setback
The new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: “We do not want to be crushed and knocked out” by burdensome regulations, say French SMEs
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive would extend the scope of companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting obligations to inform investors, banks and insurance companies better. The new rules would also apply to SMEs. In an article on the EURACTIV website, Théo Bourgery-Gons discusses how French SMEs argue that new regulations are so onerous that … Continue reading The new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: “We do not want to be crushed and knocked out” by burdensome regulations, say French SMEs
Summary of UN Summits Week 2023
Last week, the UN Headquarters was busy with the General Debate of the 78th session of the General Assembly together with summits on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on climate change. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) does an incredible job … Continue reading Summary of UN Summits Week 2023
Energy in Demand News, September 24, 2023
The UN Climate Ambition Summit was held this week, and there were great expectations that this would be the occasion when the world’s leaders would finally understand that it was their most critical priority to address the climate crisis. Yet at the summit, UN Secretary General António Guterres could not hold back his concerns: “Humanity … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, September 24, 2023
At midpoint of SDG implementation, the SDGs are in peril
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the UN summit this week: “Yet today, only 15 per cent of the targets are on track. Many are going in reverse. Instead of leaving no one behind, we risk leaving the SDGs behind.” Cameron Allen, Research Fellow, Monash University and Shirin Malekpour, Associate Professor in Sustainable Development Governance … Continue reading At midpoint of SDG implementation, the SDGs are in peril
Highways still favoured over rail networks in Europe
Research commissioned by the European Mobility4All campaign provides disappointing reading for those who thought that our governments had turned a corner and were giving more attention to our rail systems. Rail networks in most countries have been starved of funding while motorways lengthen, the study shows. Ajit Niranjan explains in an article on the Guardian … Continue reading Highways still favoured over rail networks in Europe
British PM and the net zero transition – lessons from history about flip-flopping on the environment
This has been a very interesting week in climate policy in Britain, with the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, defied official advice and rolled back on the net zero timetable. Marc Hudson, Visiting Fellow, Science Policy at the University of Sussex writes on The Conversation website giving us a history lesson on the experience of … Continue reading British PM and the net zero transition – lessons from history about flip-flopping on the environment
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 