There are some good news briefs on sustainable energy topics this week. Industrial Insulation EiD reported on a recent roundtable on industrial insulation organised by the European Industrial Insulation Forum. Videos of the main statements are now available here. New reports from European Environment Agency • Global megatrends shaping Europe's environment – Surging economic … Continue reading Here and there
Quote of the week
Patti Waldmeir is the Financial Times correspondent in China. This week she had a blog on “dirty doublethink”. In the blog she quotes about the “benefits” of smog: . . . some Communist party media outlets helpfully pointed out that smog is actually good for me. In an online commentary titled “Five unexpected gains the … Continue reading Quote of the week
Scaling back efforts to combat climate change will come at a price
As mentioned in EiD last week, the UK government is re-thinking its climate change initiatives and giving more emphasis to energy supply options such as shale gas and nuclear energy expansion. Pilita Clark writes in the Financial Times about a new report from the Committee on Climate Change, an independent, statutory body established under the … Continue reading Scaling back efforts to combat climate change will come at a price
New energy strategy for the EBRD
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has played a key role in the transition to market-based economies for countries that were formerly planned economies, primarily under the influence of the former Soviet Union. It was created in 1991 and is now the largest financial investor in its region of operations which now stretches from … Continue reading New energy strategy for the EBRD
Happy Birthday
On 15 December 2012, 16 environmental NGOs from 14 countries decided to join forces in the EKOenergy network. At the same time, they adopted the name EKOenergy. 10 weeks later, on 23 February 2013, the members of the Network approved the criteria for the first pan-European eco-label for electricity. Both the EKOenergy network and the … Continue reading Happy Birthday
Coal on the move?
Sustainable coal? Ignoring reality? The fundamentals on energy policy? Sophie Yeo writes for the Guardian Environment Network about the pressure the world coal industry is putting on global climate negotiations to face reality about the real importance of coal. We have seen the World Bank and many other financial institutions stop funding coal-fired power plants … Continue reading Coal on the move?
Investing in China’s energy efficient future
Viola Caon writes in Invest Europe about a new UK China Energy Efficiency Investments Fund that has been set up to help support a new partnership in energy efficiency investments. SDCL Asia to launch UK China Energy Efficiency Investments Fund Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) Asia has announced its plan to launch the UK China … Continue reading Investing in China’s energy efficient future
Power politics – perplexing
The UK had an effective plan for consumers to save energy and save money. This week the UK Chancellor and the six biggest energy suppliers connived to kill it, and together they have handed a sobering message to the rest of Europe that if you want to save energy, don’t trust the energy companies. Since … Continue reading Power politics – perplexing
Quote of the week
Caroline Lucas, British Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion, wrote in the Guardian this week about changes to energy efficiency policies in the UK: "Going green does not have to cost the Earth," the chancellor said, apparently without a hint of irony – shortly after confirming that the Energy Companies Obligation [editor’s note: the energy … Continue reading Quote of the week
Can energy efficiency policy learn from other energy supply options?
Kelly Smith of WegoWise explains in greentechefficiency the similarities between two very different industries. It is not obvious that the energy efficiency community will want to take lessons from the shale gas industry but anything is possible. It would be good to get the views of EiD readers. Three Lessons Energy Efficiency Can Borrow From … Continue reading Can energy efficiency policy learn from other energy supply options?
