The health and wealth of cities

Tim Smedley writes in the Guardian about a new report by the Carbon Disclosure Project that discusses the positive impact of climate change on cities. It will be interesting to see how this is received by the environmental community. Is climate change making cities wealthier and healthier? A new report on climate change action … Continue reading The health and wealth of cities →

There are some things we should not ignore – but we do

If you don’t read everything Andrew Sims writes, you should. Andrew Simms is chief analyst at Global Witness, a fellow of the New Economics Foundation, and the author of Ecological Debt, Tescopoly and Eminent Corporations. What he does is make us think. This article is must reading. We keep moaning about population, but ignore … Continue reading There are some things we should not ignore – but we do →

Producing biofuels from the sea: a solution?

Damian Carrington in The Guardian provides an excellent blog explaining that producing biofuels in the sea removes at a stroke many of the serious problems with conventional biofuels. Seaweed biofuels: a green alternative that might just save the planet "It's best to get it out of the water now or it'll start getting grazed … Continue reading Producing biofuels from the sea: a solution? →

Shale gas and US climate change policy

There has been much written on the shale gas revolution in the US. The reaction globally borders between horror and envy. This article by Eric Reguly of Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper is important for providing a good analysis of what this shale gas brings to Obama’s climate change policy ambitions. No doubt it still … Continue reading Shale gas and US climate change policy →

Australia promotes energy efficiency in apartments

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group has announced a new innovative programme in Australia called Smart Blocks in Australia help improve the energy performance of apartment buildings. New national program aims to enhance energy efficiency of Australian apartment buildings This month, an innovative new program, Smart Blocks, was launched in two Australian C40 cities, Melbourne … Continue reading Australia promotes energy efficiency in apartments →

Concern about emissions trading scheme affecting the impact of renewables

Damian Carrington writes in the Guardian about the effects of an oversupply of carbon permits in the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) on other efforts to cut carbon emissions. EU emissions trading scheme 'set to cancel out renewable energy gains' Deep problems in Europe’s carbon trading scheme – its flagship climate change policy … Continue reading Concern about emissions trading scheme affecting the impact of renewables →

UK struggling to reduce carbon emissions

Roger Harrabin writes on the BBC website about warnings that the UK will not meet its climate change targets. This is somewhat surprising given that the UK showed such confidence that achieving the climate change targets were not in doubt. UK given carbon emissions warning The UK is not on track to hit its … Continue reading UK struggling to reduce carbon emissions →

China taking more action to address air pollution

Keith Bradsher reports in the New York Times that the Chinese cabinet recently approved new measures to tackle the increasing problem of air pollution. China Sets New Rules Aimed at Curbing Air Pollution China’s cabinet has adopted 10 measures to improve air quality in the latest move aimed at responding to the dense smog … Continue reading China taking more action to address air pollution →

Need to reconsider our use of coal

We know that coal is not a sustainable energy source but it is still widely used, even in Europe. John Vidal writes in the Guardian about the serious impact coal pollution is having on health today in Europe. Interestingly, the Toronto Star reports that Ontario coal plants emit arsenic and chromium (which cause cancer); sulphur … Continue reading Need to reconsider our use of coal →

Cities in Canada also looking at sustainable energy

Larry Pynn writes in the Vancouver Sun about a new study that shows that cities would benefit by taking a sustainable energy approach. It is good to see how cities globally are playing and increasingly important role. Cities would benefit from national energy strategy based on renewable energy: Columbia Institute Canadian municipalities struggling with … Continue reading Cities in Canada also looking at sustainable energy →