Blog from Jane Marsh: Bringing Low-Cost Solar to Rural Communities

Many people believe that solar power is the future of energy production. However, implementing it is not always as straightforward as it may seem at first. More specifically, if people live in rural areas and can only afford low-cost solar installations, they typically have fewer overall options to consider. However, that’s starting to change, thanks … Continue reading Blog from Jane Marsh: Bringing Low-Cost Solar to Rural Communities →

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 →

New EEA study on urban sustainability

There is a unique opportunity for European cities to better align their the post-COVID-19 recoveries with efforts to make them more sustainable and tackle the impacts of climate change all at the same time. A key legacy of the pandemic is that our cities are a lot more flexible and open to change when it … Continue reading New EEA study on urban sustainability →

Insurance companies also wield enormous power over the energy transition

Insurers are paying more for extreme weather while continuing to finance and underwrite activities that warp the climate. They can block or enable fossil fuel projects by choosing whether to insure them and for what price. Speeding up the switch to green energy would cut their exposure to catastrophic weather. Climate activists are pushing them … Continue reading Insurance companies also wield enormous power over the energy transition →

COP27 in November really is turning into a crucial meeting

Since COP26 in Glasgow last year, emissions have reached record levels after the pandemic downturn. And this year alone, we’ve seen dozens of catastrophic disasters ranging from drought in the Horn of Africa to floods in Pakistan, South Africa and Australia, and wildfires and heatwaves in Europe, the United States, Mongolia and South America, among … Continue reading COP27 in November really is turning into a crucial meeting →

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 →

Accelerating SDG7 action

Sustainable Development Goal 7 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all." It is important to look at the work that is underway through the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy to see what … Continue reading Accelerating SDG7 action →

A social tariff has shielded eligible households in Belgium from price fluctuations since 2002

While governments focus on how to protect consumers from escalating energy prices, Belgium shows an important way forward. Since 2002, eligible households have been shielded from price fluctuations in the energy market. People don’t have to struggle. Carl Packman discusses the approach taken by Belgium in an article on The Guardian website. There is … Continue reading A social tariff has shielded eligible households in Belgium from price fluctuations since 2002 →

Over recent years, Paris has implemented an array of measures to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and transit while bringing car use screeching to a halt

The share of journeys made by car in the city has fallen by nearly half, and the trend is only accelerating. Peter Yeung discusses the trend in Paris in an article on the Reasons to be Cheerful website. Cars Are Vanishing from Paris Bright parasols, wooden sun loungers and expanses of golden sand suddenly … Continue reading Over recent years, Paris has implemented an array of measures to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and transit while bringing car use screeching to a halt →

New EEA data shows that CO2 emissions from new cars dropped by 12% in 2020

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of new cars dropped by 12% in 2020 compared to the year before, according to final figures published this week by the European Environment Agency. The main reason for the sharp decrease of emissions was a surge in the share of electric vehicle registrations. Average carbon dioxide emissions from … Continue reading New EEA data shows that CO2 emissions from new cars dropped by 12% in 2020 →