Multiple Benefits News

May 2023

Cop28 president’s team accused of Wikipedia ‘greenwashing’

Vietnam capital dims street lights to save energy during heatwave

France to open its first electric car battery factory

Heat pumps: more than 80% of households in Great Britain ‘satisfied with system’

Australian banks lending billions to fossil fuel projects despite supporting emissions reductions, analysis suggests

Weather tracker: power prices dip to negative in Europe amid clean energy boost

Ukraine built more onshore wind turbines in past year than England

More than 1,500 arrested at Extinction Rebellion protest in The Hague

Up to 70% of California beaches could disappear by end of the century

UN calls for protection of climate activists following crackdown in Germany

What’s the beef? Vote on industrial farming emissions splits EU Parliament

Industry will be driver of European decarbonisation, French minister says

India has big clean energy goals - so why is it banking on coal?

What next for clean heating in rural China?

Invasion of Ukraine ‘has fuelled funding boom for clean energy’

UK students pledge ‘career boycott’ of insurers over fossil fuels

Danish investment to boost Finland’s wind power output by one-third

Global solar investments outpace oil and gas for first time

UN advises against offsets for carbon removal technologies

Five charts on the Energy Transition: the 2020s is the decade of maximum disruption. By 2030 the endgame will be clear

Germany could launch new attempt to return CO2 income to citizens – media report

Germany gears up for EU fight over electricity bidding zones

France needs to invest €66bn a year on climate action, government report states

German government agrees to build “core” hydrogen grid

US, EU lawmakers demand removal of oil executive heading climate talks

‘Worthless’: Chevron’s carbon offsets are mostly junk and some may harm, research says

French government presents its decarbonisation plan to meet EU targets

Global heating will push billions outside ‘human climate niche’

Shell AGM disrupted by protests as investors reject new emissions targets

German universities attract foreign students with energy transition courses

Running a hydrogen plane could be cheaper than traditional aircraft by 2035

BEUC, Climate Group and T&E: The EU should set a 100% zero emission target for corporate fleets in 2030

Big polluters’ share prices fall after climate lawsuits, study finds

After the energy storm, Europe needs strong industrial strategy

G7 backs liquified gas as ‘temporary’ solution, to dismay of climate activists

No destroying unsold goods: EU countries agree on green product rules

Energy Taxation Directive: Europe’s key climate law stuck in a quagmire

Bringing efficiency in the EU’s National Energy and Climate Plans

Warming and drying climate puts many of the world’s biggest lakes in peril

Eastern EU countries will make or break the bloc’s 2030 renewables goal

Building performance standards expand as key strategy to reduce emissions from existing buildings

Interest in French-led nuclear alliance gathers momentum

EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework: new rules to turn greenwashing into genuine removals

Grid connection delays for low-carbon projects ‘unacceptable’, says Ofgem

Italy looks at nuclear energy to supplement energy mix

National Energy and Climate Plans: how to deliver zero emission transport

Electricity smart meters to become standard in German homes from 2032

We can stop disaster risk spiralling out of control

How to rebuild Ukraine? A few remarks before the G7 Summit

Electricity market reform: what’s not in the proposal

UK could unlock £70bn a year in renewable energy, report claims

EU Commission chief: Growth model based on fossil fuels ‘simply obsolete’

EU’s new energy efficiency rules could be gamechanger for education

Climate crisis deniers target scientists for vicious abuse on Musk’s Twitter

Poland’s renewables capacity growing but coal still dominates – report

Analysis: China’s CO2 emissions hit Q1 record high after 4% rise in early 2023

Pump it up: UK householders on ditching their gas central heating

Climate-stressed Indian farmers seek to escape debt and suicide

The people behind the buildings: Why we must get it right in the EPBD

Lawmakers criticise green taxonomy investment rules for aviation, maritime

Ukraine’s reconstruction must be fit for a green future

As climate risks rise, flood insurance costs stun US homeowners

New US rules could stem emissions from coal and gas power plants

After court blocks renewables push, US promotes carbon capture & hydrogen

Black summer bushfires may have caused rare ‘triple dip’ La Nina, study suggests

Is 2023 the year when carbon capture and storage finally takes off?

E-trucks: It’s time for the UK to make the switch

Austrian conservatives join pushback against EU’s Green Deal

Italian oil firm Eni faces lawsuit alleging early knowledge of climate crisis

Portugal to get EU aid following drought situation

Parliament votes on EU methane regulation, with stricter rules for imports

Africa region galvanizes efforts to end mercury lighting

South African companies innovate to tackle solar power inequality

‘Lack of vision’: UK green energy projects in limbo as grid struggles to keep pace

US: Federal buy clean rules could strategically decarbonize steel

Replacing heating systems in Germany’s public buildings expected to cost about 8 bln euros

Sweden lowers fossil fuel reduction targets, risks 2030 climate goals

95% lower emissions: Sweden’s shift to heat pumps holds lessons for Canada

Climate scientists first laughed at a ‘bizarre’ campaign against the BoM – then came the harassment

Central banks raising interest rates makes it harder to fight the climate crisis

Hydropower: EU energy transition’s other sticking point

Students occupy schools and universities across Europe in climate protest

Belgian lawyer takes climate change battle to court

India mulls end to coal plant construction

UK businesses face delays of up to 15 years for solar installations

Industry launches ‘Energy Storage Coalition’ to help decarbonise power grid

How the EU can get its Net Zero Industrial Act right

Africans want renewables, not fossil fuel funding from G7

Climate sceptics’ denying of the science is declining. Opposing the policies is the new tactic

Europe can halve fossil gas use by 2030 without risk to supply security – think tank

Which material will become Europe’s future construction mainstay?

Euro 7: Let’s make it count

EU buildings directive in Italy: Wrestling with cultural value

UN warns heat records could be broken as chance of El Nino rises

I back saboteurs who have acted with courage and coherence, but I won’t blow up a pipeline. Here’s why

How Europe can avoid becoming the dumping ground for Sino-US cleantech (without becoming protectionist)

Next UN climate summit to consider health issues in depth for first time

Many Europeans want climate action – but less so if it changes their lifestyle, shows poll

Deadly heatwaves threaten to reverse India’s progress on poverty and inequality – new research

California’s 2036 clean trucks deadline leaves EU in rear-view mirror

What is India bringing to the G20 table on climate?

Air pollution spikes linked to irregular heartbeats, study finds

Biden is still not doing nearly enough about the climate crisis

April 2023

Energy crisis drives EU institutions to cut down on energy use, go solar

Future houses to become material ‘banks,’ experts explain

Solar, wind builders back EU contract reforms if steered by nations

Heritage advocates ‘vigilant’ over revised EU green buildings law

Renewables cover half of Germany’s electricity demand in first quarter of 2023

Critical Raw Materials Act: a good start, but sharper safeguards and global thinking is missing to make it work

Europe needs to urgently prepare for carbon market ‘endgame’

Lawmakers vote to extend EU methane emission rules to gas imports

Dutch government to invest €28 billion into new climate package

Irish government approves country’s first ‘Clean Air Strategy’

New Zealand too reliant on tree planting to meet net zero emissions targets, experts warn

Mitsubishi bets on carbon removal while keeping coal plants

Renewables federation bets on energy-sharing to drive acceptance of energy transition

UK investment in clean energy transition falls 10%, bucking global trend

Record renewables help bring down Australia’s energy prices and emissions

French government outlines energy and climate summer ‘roadmap’

Yes, the climate crisis is raising your grocery bills

Wind industry calls for caution as EU overhauls power market

Can carbon markets help Africa meet its climate financing goals?

Record ocean temperatures put Earth in ‘uncharted territory’, say scientists

‘Explosive’ growth means one in three new cars will be electric by 2030, IEA says

Number of UK homes installing rooftop solar panels highest in over seven years

North Sea countries aim for 300 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050

Heatwaves in India drive leading clean-energy state back to coal

Analysis: Half the global population saw all-time record temperatures over past decade

EU eyes ‘billions’ worth in flexibility from local electricity grids

China ramps up coal power despite carbon neutral pledges

Air pollution kills 1,200 children a year: EU agency

US solar boom on hold as industry awaits subsidy rules

EU, Norway seal ‘Green Alliance’ to tackle climate change

Berlin considers withdrawing support for EU buildings directive

‘There’s a lot of posturing’: Europe’s nuclear divide grows as one plant opens and three close

In Puerto Rico, solar power microgrids boost hurricane resilience

In meeting with big economies, US announces more funds to fight climate change

Enough public charging for higher EU truck CO2 targets, analysis finds

Western Balkans see boom in solar energy but grids unprepared

US carbon capture incentives leave EU ‘lagging behind’, biofuel makers warn

One jailed and three others fined over Insulate Britain roadblock protest

Adaptable, creative workforce will be key to achieving full potential of federal climate funds

‘Frightening’: record-busting heat and drought hit Europe in 2022

Green energy is a bigger opportunity for Australia than the resources boom. Let’s not waste it

Volcanic microbe eats CO2 ‘astonishingly quickly’, say scientists

German government adopts fossil boiler ban, starting 2024

Energy industry wants to scrap Germany’s target of one million car charging points

Euro 7: Carmakers’ record profits made at expense of human health

UN’s Green Climate Fund too scared of risk, finds official review

What does the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act mean for Chinese renewables firms?

Southeast Asia must retire 5.5GW of coal plants per year to meet climate goals

EU ETS extension could have devastating impact on low-income households

Why adopting the Social Climate Fund is the right choice for the EU

EU faces legal action after including gas and nuclear in ‘green’ investments guide

Germany pushes for nuclear energy in EU’s next Russia sanctions package

Renewable energy growth must double to meet Australia’s emission goals, Clean Energy Council says

Europe’s green hydrogen rush risks energy ‘cannibalisation’ in Africa, analysts say

G7 ministers set big new targets for solar and wind capacity

Consumer groups warn against “hydrogen ready” gas boilers

UK’s low-carbon aviation fuels strategy coming in late 2023, Ministers confirm

French Greens play spoilsport as EU Parliament votes on carbon market reform

US: Rethinking model energy codes for net zero carbon buildings

“The right path” - Germany welcomes first G7 renewables targets

High costs and uncertainties cast a chill over Britain’s heat pump market

Volkswagen calls for delay in applying new ‘Euro 7’ car emissions standards

Q&A: Why is Germany phasing out nuclear power - and why now?

EU carbon market: Gas, petrol prices could spike from 2027, experts say

Denmark to withdraw from Energy Charter Treaty

‘End of fossil age’ has begun, analysts say

As the climate suffers, enforcement needed for corporate green pledges

Banks say they’re acting on climate, but continue to finance fossil fuel expansion

IEA’s global “CO2 Emissions in 2022” report: by sector, fuel, region, heating +more

Czechia unplugs hundreds of solar plants due to sunny weather

UK still well off track on pledge to cut methane emissions, study says

New US car and truck emissions standards will make or break Biden’s climate legacy

Au revoir, Germany’s ‘Atomkraftwerke’

Swedish climate minister dismisses far-right’s biofuel threats

Campaigners call for EU to tax fishing industry to fund decarbonisation

Macron visits Netherlands to push for massive EU investment plan

Will the EU’s renewables directive change the landscape for forest biomass?

Climate emergency is the biggest health crisis of our time – bigger than Covid

Miami and New Orleans face greater sea-level threat than already feared

In defence of nature-based carbon markets

UK insulation scheme would take 300 years to meet government targets, say critics

Cop28 president: world needs business mindset to tackle climate crisis

Austria could be fined for not transposing EU energy efficiency law

EU draws criticism as it proposes green label for some aviation investments

Greenhouse gas emissions rose at ‘alarming’ rate last year, US data shows

Will the aviation sector replicate Big Oil’s playbook?

Windpower industry needs tens of thousands of new workers in Germany

Phaseout of coal power far too slow to avoid ‘climate chaos’, report finds

Harvard professor lobbied SEC on behalf of oil firm that pays her lavishly, emails show

Brussels eyes grid flexibility to reduce reliance on pricey fossil fuels

Truck CO2: Europe’s chance to lead

Revealed: UAE plans huge oil and gas expansion as it hosts UN climate summit

Renewables directive: The impossible integration of nuclear-derived hydrogen?

Vietnam, once regional renewables beacon, loses shine to neighbours

Nuclear recognised ‘in principle’ in EU’s renewable energy law, says French minister

German government settles heating row, relaxes rules on new fossil fuel systems

More renewables, more coal: Where are China’s emissions really headed?