The IEA’s Sustainable Building Centre (SBC): First the SBC wins a major global award following the creation of its on-line database, and then it starts its own blog. Readers are encouraged to follow the SBC here. Congratulations to Yamina Saheb and her team. Safe and Sustainable Buildings: Three colleagues from Rockwool International recently started a … Continue reading New blogs to watch out for
A very targeted financial instrument – for one weekend a year
The fayobserver.com in Fayetteville, North Carolina in the United States reports that North Carolina holds a sales tax holiday on the purchases of certain energy-efficient appliances on the first full weekend of November every year. If the appliances were Energy Star-qualified, met energy-efficiency guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and were purchased during … Continue reading A very targeted financial instrument – for one weekend a year
Number of the week – 30
The IEA reported in its 2012 World Energy Outlook that there has been a 30 per cent increase in fossil fuel subsidies to about €400 billion in 2011. “Subsidies to fossil fuels continue to distort energy markets,” Fatih Birol, IEA’s chief economist, added. The report goes on that, although renewables will become the world’s second-largest … Continue reading Number of the week – 30
New publication on climate change ethics
As the world turns its attention to the negotiations at the next climate change conference in Doha, it is useful to truly reflect on the subject. Most observers of climate change policy developments around the world agree that climate change is a civilization challenging ethical problem, yet most governments have utterly failed to enact climate … Continue reading New publication on climate change ethics
Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives
Richard Anderson, Business Reporter of the BBC has published an extensive article on the BBC website on what the global growth of coal will mean to climate change objectives. Coal resurgence calls undermine clean energy commitments Coal, the dirtiest and most polluting of all the major fossil fuels, is making a comeback. Despite stringent … Continue reading Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives
Thought for the week
This is an excellent quote by Richard Dawkins, the renowned biologist and author. For those working in sustainable energy, this is important to remember When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly halfway between them. It is possible for one side to be simply wrong.
New publication on our global environmental challenges
Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockström have written an important report for the Club of Rome entitled Bankrupting Nature, Denying Our Planetary Boundaries. Both authors are recognised for their work on sustainability issues. Anders Wijkman is a co-President of the Club of Rome, a former MEP and actively involved in many environmental activities. Johan Rockström is … Continue reading New publication on our global environmental challenges
First leasing loan under EBRD Russian energy efficiency programme
Recognising the role played by the leasing sector in funding the acquisition of energy efficient equipment, the EBRD has provided a 400 million rouble loan (€9.94 million) to promote energy savings by the small and medium sized business clients of a Russian leasing company. The four-year loan to Russia’s BOT Lease (Eurasia) LLC, an affiliate … Continue reading First leasing loan under EBRD Russian energy efficiency programme
Creating jobs and boosting the economy
Energy efficiency investment is one of the best ways to boost the economy, new research reveals. GreenWise provides a good review of a new study from Consumer Focus in the UK. The lessons from this, however, go well beyond the UK. Carbon taxes could boost economy and lower energy bills Investing money raised through … Continue reading Creating jobs and boosting the economy
Re-thinking energy efficiency strategies
James Murray has an excellent blog in Green Business. While the example is about the UK, there are lessons for all of Europe. Murray raises the issue of why politicians are so reluctant to support standards-based policies such as minimum energy performance standards and labelling. Unfortunately, he does not mention that most of those standards … Continue reading Re-thinking energy efficiency strategies
