A common refrain heard from boosters of the fossil fuel industry states that converting the US economy to run on renewables would be too costly and rely too heavily on unproven technologies. Why risk tanking the nation’s economy, they ask, when coal, oil, and natural gas have powered our vehicles and heated our homes for over…
Sweden Runs Out Of Garbage: Only 1% Ends Up In Landfills
Something incredible has been taking place in Sweden over the past several years, somewhat of a “recycling revolution,” if you will. Currently less than one percent of the garbage produced in Swedish homes ends up in the landfill today, with the other ninety-nine percent being recycled or composted. Sweden has been known for years now…
Leaked Internal Presentation Details the Oil Industry’s Coordinated Multi-State Campaign to Stop Progress on Clean Energy
Merrian Borgeson, Senior Scientist, Energy and Transportation, San Francisco The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) – whose members include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, ConocoPhillips, BP, and others – was caught red-handed last week when a leaked internal presentation revealed a coordinated campaign to stomp out climate and clean energy progress in California, Oregon and Washington by…
Energy Efficiency and Renewables Are Lowest Risk/Cost Investments for Utilities
Sheryl Carter, Co-Director, Energy Program, San Francisco A new report by utility and finance experts contains positive news for the environment, our air and our (and our utilities’) pocketbooks — the economics of electric power resources have made zero-emissions energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies the most financially attractive options to meet the nation’s future…
San Diego plans wastewater reuse for drinking
The San Diego City Council has voted unanimously to advance a $2.5 billion plan to reuse wastewater for drinking, the latest example of how California cities are looking for new supplies amid a severe drought. The plan calls to initially recycle 15 million gallons by 2023 and 83 million gallons a day by 2035, about…
Another Major Climate Breakthrough: China Will Cap its Coal Consumption by 2020
Barbara Finamore, Senior Attorney and Asia Director, Beijing Hard on the heels of last week’s historic US-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change, in which China pledged for the first time to cap its CO2 emission by 2030, China’s State Council has just announced a new energy strategy action plan that includes, also for the first…
Young professionals tackle Solar Radiation Management research governance
By Alex Hanafi This post was written by EDF’s Alex Hanafi and Cassandra Brunette. What do 45 young environmental leaders from around the world have to say about the governance of emerging climate engineering technologies? The Solar Radiation Management Governance Initiative (SRMGI) and EDF teamed up with the University of California, Berkeley to ask that…