The world counts carbon emissions by country where fuels are combusted, i.e. where the CO2 is emitted. A new study shows how great the differences are when we count products consumed. Craig Morris takes a closer look at how Germany, the UK, Russia, China and France fared in the study.
All posts tagged: United Kingdom
Renewable Energy Policy in Europe is Faltering: What are the Lessons for the Rest of Us?
The EU’s member states are losing their global leadership on renewables because of hasty and contradictory policy changes. Gavin Purchas and Eric Gimon argue that the world can learn from their mistakes: Predictable support for renewable energies, which is in line with cost reductions, is key for the succesful deployment of renewable energies.
What the EU’s 2030 targets mean for the Energiewende
The EU is to have carbon emissions targets, but nothing binding in terms of renewables or efficiency for specific member states. Craig Morris reports on what one energy expert in Brussels thinks the effect might be on the German Energiewende.
False enemies: emission reductions, renewables, and efficiency
The EU’s new targets for 2030 are only for emissions trading. Anything adopted for renewables will not be binding, and we have yet to hear about efficiency at all. Craig Morris says we’re not going to get anywhere until we focus on all three.
Low-Carbon Energy Policies Aren’t Just Pain
Renewables and climate protection, so goes common wisdom, are costly endeavors that inevitably throw a spanner in industrial economies geared for growth. But an excellent new study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory for the European Climate Foundation contradicts this ostensible truism. As Paul Hockenos explains, it shows that while the transition to a low-carbon energy system may indeed cost money, economies can grow – not despite low-emissions policies, but also because of them.
Brussels, feed-in tariffs, and state aid
After the summer break, EU officials are back to work, and their long-awaited plans for state aid in the energy sector are taking shape. Craig Morris says there is good news and bad news – and a lack of clarity.
Five lessons from Germany’s renewable energy transition
Germany’s Energiewende is unprecedented. Sam Friggens argues that Germany’s successes and challenges can be valuable lessons for other countries that want to switch to a renewable-based electricity system.
Germans not worried about sluggish offshore wind progress
An article over at the Economist sums up the obstacles facing offshore wind in Germany fairly well, as a comparison with recent forecasts reveals. But while the report is well researched and accurate, Craig Morris says it nonetheless misses the point by taking offshore wind to be a crucial part of the Energiewende.
“The Era of Coal is Over” – In Los Angeles!
The City of Los Angeles has announced that it plans to replace coal power with renewables, efficiency and natural gas starting immediately. Craig Morris wonders how doomed coal is in the rest of the US – and in Germany.
The New Energy System is Winning the Fight for the Future
What role will the energiewende play in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Germany? How does Germany’s approach to renewables differ from the UK’s? Catherine Mitchell from the University of Exeter takes a look at both countries.