Supreme Court Justice says courts are crucial to environmental protection

Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill, a justice of the UK supreme court, writes in the Guardian of the missed opportunity at Rio+20 to emphasise how people can effect real change through the courts: Judges for the environment: we have a crucial role to play While politicians may have failed to agree any headline-grabbing commitments … Continue reading Supreme Court Justice says courts are crucial to environmental protection →

EU holds out hope for UK’s green goods tax break

BusinessGreen reports (below) that the European Commission recently ordered the UK government to repeal a law that allows reduced rates of VAT on insulation materials and solar panels, on the grounds that it fails to comply with the EU's VAT Directive. In a bizarre move, the European Commission suggests a defence that the UK can … Continue reading EU holds out hope for UK’s green goods tax break →

MPs have no idea how to meet the ‘carbon’ target they voted for

When readers asked their MPs to explain how the UK would cut CO2 emissions by 80 per cent, the answers made worrying reading. This is an important article from Britain's Sunday Telegraph. MPs have no idea how to meet the 'carbon' target they voted for by Christopher Booker The Sunday Telegraph The great global … Continue reading MPs have no idea how to meet the ‘carbon’ target they voted for →

Climate change will reduce renewable energy capacity

We seldom think that climate change will actually affect renewable energy production. This article from the Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development was released before the Rio + 20 Conference. Climate change will reduce renewable energy capacity, warn scientists Scientists fear climate change impacts will reduce Latin America's capacity to produce renewable … Continue reading Climate change will reduce renewable energy capacity →

New head for CLASP Europe

Dr. Pernille Schiellerup has just been appointed Director of European Programmes of CLASP. CLASP provides technical assistance, training, and capacity building on all aspects of energy efficiency standards and labelling, and capitalises on opportunities to collaborate and disseminate research and best practice information. The European office, based in Brussels, is part of a global network … Continue reading New head for CLASP Europe →

GBPN Buildings Sector Summit and Symposium

The Paris-based Global Buildings Performance Network, funded by Climate Works of the US, held a series of meetings May 30 and 31st to essentially launch the Network. The network has hubs in Europe, the US, China and India. The meetings were designed to discuss two important research projects commissioned by the GBPN and released at … Continue reading GBPN Buildings Sector Summit and Symposium →

Neither sermons nor silence

The Green Alliance in the UK has published a valuable report entitled “Neither sermons nor silence - the case for national communications on energy use”. The report examines previous Government-led national communication campaigns, including "Act on CO2" and argues that they lacked enabling policy to underpin them. There are behavioural barriers to uptake and the … Continue reading Neither sermons nor silence →

EBRD announces new energy efficiency phase of its Sustainable Energy Initiative

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced on May 18th that it is stepping up investments to improve energy efficiency and address climate change via new investment in projects worth up to €25 billion over the next three years, under the new phase of the Bank’s Sustainable Energy Initiative (SEI). Building on the … Continue reading EBRD announces new energy efficiency phase of its Sustainable Energy Initiative →

Southern Voices on climate policy choices

This report from the Southern Voices programme provides an analysis of the tools and tactics advocacy groups use to influence policy responses to climate change at international, regional, national and sub-national levels. More than 20 climate networks and their member organisations contributed to the report with their experiences of advocacy on climate change, including over … Continue reading Southern Voices on climate policy choices →

Reports from the European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency has come out with a couple of very interesting and important reports recently. * Do we live in a 'green economy'? New report assesses progress in Europe Despite progress in some areas, Europe must do more to create the 'green economy' needed for the continent to become sustainable, according to … Continue reading Reports from the European Environment Agency →