After a week of skirmishes between scores of tree-occupying activists within the ancient Hambacher Forest and almost 4,000 police officers evicting them at the behest of the energy company RWE AG, the struggle has taken a tragic turn. L. Michael Buchsbaum reflects on the legacy of journalist Steffen Meyn.
All posts tagged: Coal
“These trees must not die for coal”: the fight to save Hambach forest
Germany’s coal industry is a stain on its reputation as a climate leader. A group of determined activists are fighting back to keep the Hambacher Forest from becoming a lignite mine. L. Michael Buchsbaum takes a look.
European carbon trading drives up fossil fuel prices
The price of pollution across Europe is about to rise atmospherically, says L. Michael Buchsbaum. And for the first time, new onshore wind and solar can compete directly with the short-term costs of generating electricity from existing coal and gas plants.
Southeast Asia’s sustainable development path under threat
The latest hydropower dam collapse raises questions about the proliferation of large-scale energy projects. With extreme weather from climate change, what is the future of hydropower for southeast Asia? ask Lars Blume from GreenID Vietnam and Michael Simon from International Rivers.
Six charts show mixed progress for UK renewables
The UK’s energy transition picks up speed: onshore and offshore wind power rose by 34% last year in the UK compared to 2016, new government statistics show. Jocelyn Timperley takes an in-depth look at the data.
Lignite: new beginnings, old problems
Recent announcements by the Polish government are unambiguous: the Polish power industry will continue to be based on coal. But unless the energy industry transitions to renewables, Poland will face shortages, Michał Olszewski warns.
Spain’s new government commits to massive clean energy build-out
Spain’s conservative government tried to stop the transition away from coal, but has been replaced by a coalition which will focus on reinvigorating the economy with clean energy. From scrapping unpopular taxes on solar to creating a Green Fund, the future of renewables looks bright, says L. Michael Buchsbaum.
Clean energy investment ‘must be 50% higher’ to limit warming to 1.5C
An extra $460bn per year needs to be invested on the low-carbon economy globally over the next 12 years to limit global warming to 1.5C, a new paper says. Jocelyn Timperley takes a look.
Renewables overtake coal as Germany’s most important fuel source
As solar and wind surpass coal, the German energy grid desperately needs to adapt. If it’s not flexible, the energy transition will be stalled, says L. Michael Buchsbaum.
Offshore wind rising to challenge king coal in Polish energy market
Poland’s energy and electricity markets are undergoing major changes. As costs fall in the offshore wind industry, it is becoming price-competitive with coal. Building offshore wind farms in the Baltic would provide energy security, fuel clean growth and create jobs.