The Green Climate Fund seems to be off to a decent start with funding pledges in place from various countries around the globe ahead of today’s first donors’ conference in Berlin (Germany). The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) approved the governing instrument and the fund itself in… Keep reading →
Notoriously complex global energy issues encompass science, economics, politics, the environment, demographics and social dynamics. And sometimes it seems nothing is more complicated than charting a course that effectively mitigates the worst impacts of climate change. One of the most stubborn problems is finding a way to simultaneously address energy poverty while reducing global carbon… Keep reading →
What is the Status of National Processes to Define post-2020 Emission Reduction Targets? Last week, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the so-called ‘Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report’ of its fifth scientific climate assessment since 1990 thereby updating its 2007 climate assessment (Breaking Energy IPCC coverage here). You guessed right – according… Keep reading →
A very hopeful development, maybe even a game changer – by and large, that’s how climate-change activists were greeting the surprising news out of Beijing of cooperation between the U.S. and China on capping and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Back in Washington, Republicans, about to take control of both houses of Congress, were outraged. In a… Keep reading →
The 10 largest power plants in the world – in terms of total installed capacity – are all massive hydro or nuclear installations, with the top 5 located in China and South America. The fact that these are all zero-carbon power sources highlights the challenge of meeting climate-change goals without nuclear power. It’s been said… Keep reading →
There is, by now, a general consensus that transitioning to a low-carbon economy is critical for mitigating the effects of climate change. Supporting carbon-cutting efforts entails a move away from fossil fuel-fired power generation and concurrently a shift towards low-carbon electricity sources. How much of a country’s energy should come from renewable sources is debatable… Keep reading →
The European Union tossed out a plan to label Canadian oil sands crude highly polluting. “The debate about labelling tar sands, also known as oil sands, dates back to 2009 when EU member states approved legislation with the aim of cutting greenhouse gases from transport fuel sold in Europe by 6% by 2020, but failed… Keep reading →
In case you missed it, the United Nations held its Climate Summit at the New York headquarters yesterday where world leaders discussed carbon emissions reduction commitments, building momentum leading up to major international climate meetings in Peru later this year and France next year. “Experts say that in the coming months, the clearest indication of… Keep reading →
Pollution is one of the many environmental challenges facing the world today. The impact of pollution is more severe in developing countries, leading to ill health, death and disabilities of millions of people annually. Developed countries have the resources and technologies to combat pollution. As a result of the health risks and the potential impact… Keep reading →
Yesterday’s People’s Climate March in New York City drew an estimated 310,000 – 400,000 people, putting it up there with some of the country’s largest historical mass protests. It’s great that so many people are passionate about doing something to address climate change, but it sometimes seems like people are quick to jump behind a… Keep reading →
