Important steps towards a reliable grid system

Sara Hastings-Simon and Binnu Jeyakumar from the Pembina Institute in Alberta write on their website about the role of baseloads in our grid management. They argue that a different approach may prove more sustainable.   Baseload myths and why we need to change how we look at our grid As the mercury climbed in Alberta … Continue reading Important steps towards a reliable grid system

Taking a more sustainable approach to addressing heat waves in cities

Much of southern Europe has had to cope with a major heat wave for an extended period. This situation is also true in many parts of North America and elsewhere. Nicholas Rajkovich, Assistant Professor of Architecture, University at Buffalo explains in an article on The Conversation website that multiple solutions are required for cities to … Continue reading Taking a more sustainable approach to addressing heat waves in cities

Re-thinking the energy market in Britain

Keith Baker, Research Associate in Sustainable Urban Environments from the Glasgow Caledonian University expresses his frustration with how the British electricity market has evolved with a call for a more radical approach. Keith Baker provides this article on The Conversation website.   Electricity is a rip-off – we need a truly radical intervention in the … Continue reading Re-thinking the energy market in Britain

How air conditioning has changed our lifestyles

Emily Badger and Alan Blinder write about air conditioning in the United States and what its impact has been. This is an article in The Upshot section of the New York Times. The Upshot provides news, analysis and graphics about politics, policy and everyday life. This makes for good summer reading as some of you … Continue reading How air conditioning has changed our lifestyles

What is the responsibility of governments in addressing climate change?

John “Skip” Laitner, well known to many EiD readers for his activities in sustainable development, and David A. Schaller, a retired EPA environmental scientist, write a good opinion piece in the Arizona Daily Star about a core government responsibility, using some important analysis from Arizona. What are your views?   Schaller and Laitner: Climate action … Continue reading What is the responsibility of governments in addressing climate change?

“Solving problems rather than creating something new . . .”

You should enjoy this article by Brentin Mock on the citylab.com website. He raises an important question whether Tesla is making progress or whether it is simply solving problems. I leave it to EID readers to react to this. It makes for good summer reading.   Is Tesla Really Making Progress? The answer lies in … Continue reading “Solving problems rather than creating something new . . .”

Key role of improving buildings as part of our climate change strategies

Working in energy efficiency, one reads regularly about the high potential for buildings to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but somehow achieving that potential is illusive. Daniel A. Barber writes an important blog on the Oxford University Press blog website about building consensus to truly move forward. Daniel A. Barber is Assistant Professor of Architecture at … Continue reading Key role of improving buildings as part of our climate change strategies

Latest update on climate finance

The SDG Knowledge Hub of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides the July update on global developments in climate finance.   Climate Finance Update: Climate Funds Announced for Africa During the month of July, major multilateral meetings drew attention to the need for adequate and predictable climate finance for developing countries, with only … Continue reading Latest update on climate finance

Latest update on climate finance for mitigation

The SDG Knowledge Hub of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides the July update on global developments in climate finance for mitigation.   Climate Mitigation Finance Update: Investments Scale Solar Capacity, Improve Energy Efficiency and Accelerate REDD+ Recent solar energy investments include finance for off-grid solar energy in Kenya, 500MW large-scale solar plants … Continue reading Latest update on climate finance for mitigation