Auctions for delivering an amount of power at a defined price are already well established for renewables. âClimate Auctionsâ do the same with carbon emissions: a carbon price is guaranteed to the winning bidder, but only paid on delivery of the emissions cut. Tyeler Matsuo and Julia Meisel at Rocky Mountain Institute say this is proving particularly useful in emerging and developing countries where progress in building up their climate laws is … [Read more...]
Millennials arenât spurning cars after all. Theyâre driving more than ever
We hoped Millennials would save the planet. Digitally savvy, climate conscious, they would naturally incline towards an emissions-low lifestyle. Sure enough, they were riding bikes, using public transport and, crucially, spurning cars. But Lucas Davis at the Haas School of Business at the University of California reveals data showing they are now buying and driving cars like everyone else. It was the recession that had put them on the bikes and … [Read more...]
Decarbonisation of Transport: Options and Challenges – free Brussels debate and report launch
Decarbonisation of transport remains one of the most challenging aspects of the transition to a sustainable energy system. Focussing on road transport, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC)'s upcoming report contains detailed recommendations for actions on the part of all major stakeholders. The report will be officially launched at what promises to be a fascinating event featuring a high-level panel discussion with speakers … [Read more...]
Transforming Heating and Cooling creates jobs, new businesses
The UK has had great success in reducing emissions: down 43% overall since 1990. But, like most places, Heating and Cooling is struggling. Mark Woodward, of The Smart City Alliance and Nordic Heat, sets out a plan for progress, and includes lessons from Europe. The focus is on four core energy efficiency activities: reduce, recover, store and distribute. He explains how this also opens up new business models: in one town in Sweden chemicals firm … [Read more...]
Green New Deal can learn from Obamaâs $90bn clean energy plan of 2009
The âGreen New Dealâ proposal is a 10-year plan to curb climate change by shifting the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels. Will it work? Yes (with caveats) if itâs anything like President Obamaâs 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: it invested $90bn to promote clean energy as part of an economic stimulus plan to recover from the bank crash. That's the view of Joseph Aldy, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, … [Read more...]
Russia to consider ratification of Paris Agreement
In Russia a report on formally joining the climate deal is due for completion by the end of the month. Russia has signed the Paris Agreement but not ratified it, and is the largest GHG emitter of the 13 nations not to have done so. To help change the mindset a key industry lobby has reversed its opposition. They join supporters who warn that non-ratification can now undermine international trade deals, and fossil fuels are inefficient and costly. … [Read more...]
Can nuclear compete for a bigger role in the transition?
With plans to phase out coal-fired generators in most of Europe, nuclear is trying to compete with gas to become the most viable baseload power source to accompany renewables on the path to net-zero emissions. Both technologies have their advantages. Gas is competitively priced while nuclear generates power with almost no emissions. Right now, gas's cost advantage is evidently great enough to tip the balance. If nuclear advocates are to … [Read more...]
EXCLUSIVE: Chinese governmentâs plan to meet the Paris goals
China is leading the energy transition as the worldâs largest producer, exporter and installer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles. It has a clear lead too in renewable energy patents, ahead of the U.S. and twice that of the EU. But it is also still heavily dependent on coal, the air pollution in its cities is legendary, and the economy is expected to quadruple by 2050. Against this background, Kaare Sandholt, Chief … [Read more...]
New tool to show whether companies’ climate strategy matches their public ambitions
By now weâre used to stats that show what would happen if everyone in the world had the same carbon footprint as a European, or an American, someone in China, or indeed anywhere. According to the consultancy right. based on science, they have now created a way of modelling the same projections, except for specific companies. The model also number-crunches a company's climate strategy to work out whether they are going to help or hinder the race … [Read more...]
Carbon taxes arenât working any more. Only ramping up policies and infrastructure can accelerate the transition
Anthony Patt and Johan Lilliestam of ETH Zurich make the case against carbon taxes. Climate policy is most effective when it helps people use alternative energy sources, rather than when it makes fossil energy more expensive. Fostering an energy system free of fossil fuels requires financial, infrastructure, and institutional support for specific technologies. That requires a different and much braver approach. Reducing or eliminating carbon … [Read more...]
UK nuclear plans are in tatters. But current incentives help gas, not wind and solar, step into the gap
The scrapping of plans for a new nuclear power station in Cumbria and the suspension of work on another in Anglesey have put the brakes on the UKâs nuclear future. But the government appears more keen to fill the gap with gas rather than renewables. David Toke of Aderdeen University criticises the current incentives and regulations and makes the case for wind and solar. … [Read more...]
Shipping: regulations facilitating switch to LNG
How do we solve shippingâs âchicken-and-eggâ dilemma: LNG producers wait for enough ships to run on LNG, while shipping companies wait for producers to increase their supply? The âvirtuous circleâ of steady growth in LNG shipping in the North Sea/Baltic Sea area can provide an important case study for the rest of the world, according to a reportby the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. It concludes that LNG will grow as a shipping fuel … [Read more...]
A grassroots fightback against Trump and U.S. Oil & Gas is underway
As the 116th Congress commences, in the wake of dire reports from climate scientists, the debate over U.S. climate policies has taken a welcome turn towards bold solutions. Capitol Hill is alive once again with policy proposals that edge towards the scale required to address the crisis weâre in. A new study by Kelly Trout of Oil Change International, along with 17 partner organisations, makes it clear that managing a rapid and equitable decline … [Read more...]
Energy Efficiency gains must reduce our consumption, not just our bills
Energy Efficiencyâs role in the mix of tools we use to reduce carbon emissions is crucial. But Energy Efficiency gains can have a rebound effect: as your bills reduce, you have more money to spend on more energy. We need incentives and policies to reduce actual consumption, otherwise weâre making it harder to cut emissions, argues Parakram Pyakurel of Southampton Solent University, UK. … [Read more...]
A Just Transition – or a transition, but only just?
At COP24 the Polish Presidency has issued a declaration for a "Just Transition". Jennifer Tollman of climate think-tank E3G says a Just Transition must make allies of those working in and dependent on the high-carbon economy by supporting them in the transition. They must not be left behind. But they warn that this support should not be an excuse for a âgo slowâ on the transition, as missing our global climate targets is a clear disaster. … [Read more...]
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