
Fukushima Aims for a Renewable Energy Future
On March 11, 2011, the Great Tōhoku Earthquake – the most powerful ever recorded in Japan – caused a tsunami that reached up to 10km
On March 11, 2011, the Great Tōhoku Earthquake – the most powerful ever recorded in Japan – caused a tsunami that reached up to 10km
With over half the world’s population predicted to live in water-stressed areas by 2025 we must find effective solutions to the incumbent water crisis. Water
Today’s children face an uncertain future. Climate change, conflicts, inequalities, and exploitative marketing practices threaten their health and wellbeing. Investing in children would bring global
Another record broken in Antarctica. Certainly not one to be proud of. Satellite images released by Nasa have made headlines, revealing the extent of glacial
Increasingly, large corporations (with even larger carbon footprints) are putting forward ambitious climate pledges. Yet these commitments often lack clear planning and direction, making it
A new generation of inequalities is threatening human development. Global progress in the reduction of extreme deprivations has resulted in an increasing convergence in basic
Applying altmetrics to climate change papers reveals that they are amongst the most engaging research articles of 2019. Papers on the climate emergency, rising sea
The circular economy is all about replacing the current “linear” model of growth and reducing the strain on planet Earth’s limited resources. Currently, the global economy is only 9% circular – just 9% of the 92.8 billion tonnes of minerals, fossil fuels, metals and biomass that enter the economy are re-used annually. However, as policymakers and businesses start embracing the circular model they need science and research to provide fact based knowledge that can dictate policy and direct businesses towards effective strategies and away from pointless “greenwashing”.
It sounds like a refrain we are quite used to, as it has been happening for 40 years: the last decade was not only hotter than the previous one but also the hottest on record. And it looks as if things are not going to change in the immediate future. However, some clues show that the last decade’s legacy can act as a springboard for the change we need in the next one.
The World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report brings together around 800 experts in business, government and civil society to create a summary of what “the world’s most pressing challenges” for the coming year by likelihood and impact will be. Unsurprisingly, climate-related issues featured in all of the top long-term risks. However, the report also revealed how different global actors perceive these risks and, alarmingly, business leaders are lagging behind other respondents. A finding that was emphasized by the Annual CEO Survey that revealed just how far behind business leaders are in their concern for climate risks.
Providing universal energy access by 2030 is one of the UN defined Sustainable Development Goals. It will require doubling current investments in the energy sector, with a significant focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Fortunately, there is a new protagonist under the spotlight, bringing a more resilient and cost-effective solution to electrification. Forget the “bigger is better” mentality, the future is small, interactive, and decentralized.
From energy consumers to energy prosumers: homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities worldwide are being covered with solar photovoltaic panels. Opportunities and challenges of a transformation that is changing the world and shaping the immediate future, as described in the latest International Energy Agency forecast analysis.