Global energy-related CO2 emissions hit record high in 2023 - IEA 4/3/2024

Global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) hit a record high last year, driven partly by increased fossil fuel use in countries where droughts hampered hydropower production, International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Friday. ...more

EU may exempt islands from proposed jet fuel tax until 2032 4/3/2024

European Union countries are negotiating exemptions for a proposed EU-wide tax on polluting aviation fuel for islands, in a move that could benefit countries such as Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Spain and Greece, a draft document showed. ...more

Safety fears stall U.N. bid to examine sun-blocking climate change tech 4/3/2024

U.N. delegates on Thursday withdrew a motion calling for more research into technologies that aim to fight climate change by reflecting the sun's rays back into space, amid concerns about health and environmental risks. ...more

US utility-scale solar installation hit all-time high in 2023, research group says 4/3/2024

Utility-scale solar projects in the United States added a record 15 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2023, up 60% from the year prior and marking an all-time high, according to data from environmental research group Kayrros. ...more

Harmful waste generation set to jump, U.N. warns 1/3/2024

Waste produced by the public will surge by 2050, causing hundreds of billions of dollars of damage through biodiversity loss, climate change and deadly pollution, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a report on Wednesday. ...more

EU countries block supply chain audit law at last hour 1/3/2024

European Union countries blocked at a late stage on Wednesday new rules requiring large companies to check if their supply chains use forced labour or cause environmental damage, following vocal German opposition. ...more

Spring came early: February likely warmest on record amid climate change 1/3/2024

The world likely notched its warmest February on record, as spring-like conditions caused flowers to bloom early from Japan to Mexico, left ski slopes bald of snow in Europe and pushed temperatures to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) in Texas. ...more

UK’s net zero economy grew 9% in 2023, report finds 1/3/2024

The UK’s net zero economy grew by 9% in 2023, a report has revealed, in stark contrast to the 0.1% growth seen in the economy overall. Nevertheless, the report pointed out that strong future growth from green businesses was being put at risk by government policy reversals, lack of investment and competition from the EU and US. ...more

Carbon emissions from aluminium sector dip despite output growth - report 1/3/2024

Greenhouse gas emissions from the aluminium sector have been slipping in recent years even as output grows as the industry uses less carbon-intensive technology and recycling ramps up, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) said on Wednesday. ...more

Rich countries use six times more resources, generate 10 times the climate impacts than low-income ones, far exceeding human needs and nature’s capacity 1/3/2024

Extraction of the Earth’s natural resources tripled in the past five decades, related to the massive build-up of infrastructure in many parts of the world and the high levels of material consumption, especially in upper-middle and high-income countries. Material extraction is expected to rise by 60 per cent by 2060 and could derail efforts to achieve not only global climate, biodiversity, and pollution targets but also economic prosperity and human well-being, according to a report published today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-hosted International Resource Panel.   ...more