Climate change and ethics

I first met Don Brown at a climate conference many years ago and was so impressed by his scholarship.  Don is Scholar In Residence and Professor Sustainability Ethics and Law, Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He argues about the ethics and justice issues related to climate change in a powerful and convincing manner.  This short … Continue reading Climate change and ethics →

What do we really know about energy efficiency?

The Green Building Press provides the results of a poll to better understand what consumers know about energy efficiency. Of concern is that, according to recent research, 40% of UK residents don’t understand energy efficiency measures, 90% are concerned about increasing energy prices, and two thirds admit they will struggle to pay bills this winter.  … Continue reading What do we really know about energy efficiency? →

Starting to see the full range of benefits from solar energy in Europe

Diana Powers writes in the New York Times about how solar energy is coming into the mainstream in Europe and that it is bringing many environmental benefits. It is good to see an American news service giving such attention to these developments in Europe. Solar Power Begins to Shine as Environmental Benefits Pay Off Amid … Continue reading Starting to see the full range of benefits from solar energy in Europe →

China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems

China is facing pollution challenges today similar to what Los Angeles faced during the 1980s, a problem that energy efficiency helped mitigate. In China, combining cleaner heating fuels with better-insulated buildings is one concrete measure that would support cleaner skies in northern China and beyond, Clay Stranger writes in the Christian Science Monitor. China smog: … Continue reading China looking to energy efficiency to address urban air quality problems →

A green urban network being planned in Hamburg

The German city of Hamburg is planning a green network that will cover 40% of the city area, contributing to resilience and allowing biking, swimming and nature watching in the city.  Elisabeth Braw provides a good overview of the plans in the Guardian. Hamburg's answer to climate change Hamburg is planning a green network that … Continue reading A green urban network being planned in Hamburg →

New OECD book on carbon prices

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a book, titled 'Effective Carbon Prices,' which synthesizes a number of case studies on carbon prices in 15 selected countries and sectors. The book provides estimates of the costs to society of reducing carbon dioxide emissions in 15 countries using different policy instruments in five sectors: … Continue reading New OECD book on carbon prices →

The latest balancing act in energy policy

The UK government has recently agreed to have two new nuclear power plants built with the agreement to subsidise the costs for decades.  At the same time, Britain is steeped in controversy over the effectiveness of their two flagship energy efficiency programmes, the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation. Frances Lamberts provides an excellent … Continue reading The latest balancing act in energy policy →