Remembering why developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution is necessary

Over 180 countries are now meeting in Geneva. The UN meeting is the culmination of several years of negotiating. In theory, delegates will agree on a global treaty by August 15. In an article on The Conversation website, Cat Acheson, Research Associate, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh; Alice Street, Senior Lecturer … Continue reading Remembering why developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution is necessary →

Energy in Demand News, July 27-28, 2025

It is summer time in Europe but the news has not slowed down. The post below on the IEA is disturbing and we can all hope that the US remains a member of the IEA in order to make a valuable contribution to our sustainable energy future. There is a good report from SciencesPo on … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, July 27-28, 2025 →

Blog by Ellie Gabel: How infrastructure degradation impacts energy efficiency

Energy professionals, urban planners and policymakers are collaborating to fight persistent issues with outdated infrastructure. The U.S. demands modernization, primarily as power demands spike and efficiency drops. Systems will only continue to age and erode. What are the most prominent concerns jeopardizing electricity transmission, and what can you do to compensate for degrading equipment? Deterioration … Continue reading Blog by Ellie Gabel: How infrastructure degradation impacts energy efficiency →

The EU lacks a comprehensive strategy to address cooling

In an article on the Atlantic Council website, Andrei Covatariu argues that if Europe fails to prepare for extreme heat, it will find itself in crisis after crisis—burning more fuel, spending more money, and drifting further from its climate and energy goals. Europe has a heating strategy—now it needs one for cooling For decades, … Continue reading The EU lacks a comprehensive strategy to address cooling →

China’s energy transition: for ethnic minority communities, where they live, how they work and the cultural practices they depend on have all been shaped by state environmental policies, often without meaningful input or representation

In an article on The Conversation website, Reza Hasmath, Professor in Political Science, University of Alberta writes about the impact of China’s energy transition on its ethnic minorities. How China’s green transition is reshaping ethnic minority communities China has emerged as a global front-runner in the fight against climate change, with sweeping policies aimed at curbing … Continue reading China’s energy transition: for ethnic minority communities, where they live, how they work and the cultural practices they depend on have all been shaped by state environmental policies, often without meaningful input or representation →

Much like the “reduce-reuse-recycle” sustainability initiative, various climate actions fit within three Rs — reduce, remove and reflect

In an article on The Conversation website, Dante McGrath, Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Climate Repair, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge shows the benefits of three Rs – reduce, remove and reflect. Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming Since 2019, the UK has been committed to the target … Continue reading Much like the “reduce-reuse-recycle” sustainability initiative, various climate actions fit within three Rs — reduce, remove and reflect →

Energy in Demand News, June 29, 2025

The Washington Post reports on a new study from the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation, shedding light on which nations are driving the largest share of this planet-warming pollution — and which airports stand out. Globally, private jets emitted up to 19.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2023. Aircraft departing from the … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, June 29, 2025 →

AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities

Mohammadamin Ahmadfard, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, writes on The Conversation website about the value of AI to make cities more sustainable AI applications are producing cleaner cities, smarter homes and more efficient transit Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the … Continue reading AI is quietly transforming how cities generate, store and distribute energy, acting as the invisible conductor that orchestrates cleaner, smarter and more resilient cities →

New EEA report on noise pollution in Europe

Just over 110 million people, or more than 20% of Europeans, are exposed to high levels of transport noise that exceed thresholds set under EU reporting rules and which harm our health, the environment and the economy, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report on noise pollution published this week. The report calls for … Continue reading New EEA report on noise pollution in Europe →

New EEA briefing on importance of water savings to improve EU’s water resilience

Significant water savings can be achieved in key economic sectors through new measures which will be essential to boost the European Union’s water resilience, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published this week. Water savings in key economic sectors can help improve EU’s water resilience Achieving water savings is increasingly urgent. Water … Continue reading New EEA briefing on importance of water savings to improve EU’s water resilience →