Shoppers ‘can’t afford’ energy efficient cars, homes – researchers

Switching to more efficient appliances can save people money over time, although they are often more expensive to buy. Image credit - Photo Mix

by: Alex Whiting Europeans can slash their fuel bills and have a significant impact on curbing global greenhouse gas emissions by buying more energy efficient cars, homes or even fridges – but many do not because of higher initial cost of green products, mistrust in EU energy ratings, and lack of awareness of long-term savings, … Read more

Which climate innovations will really limit global warming?

The IPCC has identified accelerated technological innovation as a critical part of limiting global warming.

by Alex Whiting From a chemical-free spray that turns sand into lush green land, to a caterer who serves planet-friendly dishes, and from technology that makes stronger concrete with less cement, to insect farms that produce fish food and fertilisers, there is no shortage of ideas to reduce emissions. But which ones work best? To … Read more

Q&A with Nicklas Bergman: How can Europe keep its entrepreneurs?

Image Credit - Sharon Vanderkaay-CC-BY-2.0

By Jack Cowls, for Horizon Europe’s position on privacy, regulation and competition could be a key way to attract entrepreneurs who share those values but there is still some work to do in encouraging ambition, according to Nicklas Bergman, a Swedish entrepreneur and technology investor. Over the past two years, he and other entrepreneurs have advised … Read more

‘Internet of electricity’ and zero-carbon molecules will help decarbonise Europe – report

The EU should cut greenhouse gases by 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050, according to the European Commission's low-carbon economy roadmap.

An ‘internet of electricity’, zero-carbon cities and turning European soils into carbon sinks are among a slew of ambitious ideas to decarbonise our society and slash greenhouse gas emissions proposed by environmental experts in a reportpublished on 28 November. ‘The message in our report is that this decarbonisation business is potentially a huge economic opportunity,’ said Professor … Read more

Carlos Moedas: The EU will fund more social innovation because it’s the future of innovation

Image credit - European Commission

Socially focused innovators across Europe have called on the European Union to put innovation at the heart of its strategy to achieve a ‘social triple A rating’– an ambition set out by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014 to give greater prominence to the bloc’s social priorities. Carlos Moedas, the European Commissioner for Research, … Read more

Eliminating coal, oil and natural gas is the easy part of fighting climate change – Johan Rockström

To stop climate change, it is not enough to eliminate the use of fossil fuels like brown coal, says Prof Rockström.

by Annette Ekin To avoid climate breakdown, eliminating fossil fuels is the easy part, according to Professor Johan Rockström, co-director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. He says that safeguarding biological resources such as water, soil and biodiversity will be the ultimate test of whether global warming targets can be reached. … Read more