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
Category: transport
Climate change having negative impact on aviation
All across the world, global warming is transforming wind patterns and making them much harder to predict. That means passenger flights are becoming less safe and efficient, as well as giving off more emissions themselves, as Vishwam Sankaran reports on the Independent website. How the climate crisis is making flying more dangerous “It all … Continue reading Climate change having negative impact on aviation
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
Germany’s 9 euro summer rail pass experiment brought many benefits
After three months, the special offer in Germany of the 9-euro ticket for nationwide use on local and regional public transport made tourist highlights accessible at low cost and even achieved some carbon emissions reductions. Some news agencies note that 52 million tickets were purchased during the three month experiment. Kate Connolly discusses in an … Continue reading Germany’s 9 euro summer rail pass experiment brought many benefits
Move to electric vehicles in California hailed as ‘monumental’
Dani Angulano writes The Guardian about new plans in California to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. For years, as California has moved ahead with ambitious clean-air regulations, the state has had to prod the auto industry to go along. Now, in the push to electrify the nation’s car fleet, it is … Continue reading Move to electric vehicles in California hailed as ‘monumental’
Polluting vehicles can be exchanged for up to €4,000 to help pay for an electric bike under a new scheme in France
France has created a new subsidy scheme which is seen as the most generous of an array of incentives to persuade the country to get out of old-style transport and embrace active mobility. Charles Bremner discusses the subsidy in an article on The Times website. On your ebike, and here’s €4,000 for it, says … Continue reading Polluting vehicles can be exchanged for up to €4,000 to help pay for an electric bike under a new scheme in France
Today the legend of autobahns is associated with Germany’s failure to meet its climate obligations
Germany's long love affair with its high-speed freeways could hit a dead end as calls grow to stop autobahn extensions to combat climate change. Stuart Braun discusses latest developments in an article on the Deutsche Welle website. Autobahns speed up climate crisis When German electronic band Kraftwerk released the iconic song "Autobahn" in 1975, … Continue reading Today the legend of autobahns is associated with Germany’s failure to meet its climate obligations
The number of clean air zones across Europe has risen 40% since 2019, forcing older and more polluting vehicles off the road
Low-emission zones, now in 320 cities, are increasing as EU battles pollution health emergency Dirty air is the greatest environmental threat to human health, cutting life expectancy by almost two years. Arthur Neslen explains latest developments in an article on The Guardian website. Old cars forced off road as Europe’s clean air zones nearly … Continue reading The number of clean air zones across Europe has risen 40% since 2019, forcing older and more polluting vehicles off the road
A blockchain-based ‘smart charging solution’ enables EV owners to match their charging requirements with selected renewable options
Jonathan Spencer Jones writes on the Smart Energy International website about a new solution using blockchain to match local renewables to EV charging. VW and Energy Web develop 24/7 renewable energy charging blockchain solution for EVs Energy Web and Volkswagen have partnered on a solution to match local renewables to electric vehicle (EV) charging. … Continue reading A blockchain-based ‘smart charging solution’ enables EV owners to match their charging requirements with selected renewable options
Possibly the future of green energy: a catamaran that became the first boat in the world to produce hydrogen out at sea using just the power of the wind
A British start-up has designed technology that can generate storable energy on seagoing vessels. Ben Spencer discusses recent developments in an article on The Times website. Hydrogen ahoy! Water-splitting yacht creates green energy as it sails The catamaran skimming over the waves off the Essex coast looks like something a particularly enthusiastic sailor might … Continue reading Possibly the future of green energy: a catamaran that became the first boat in the world to produce hydrogen out at sea using just the power of the wind
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 