Posts in the 'Energy + Climate Change' category
World leaders are gathering in New York this week and next for the UN General Assembly meeting (UNGA76) and Climate Week. The two major events come at a critical moment for climate action. The world is facing an emergency. Nearly ...
U.S. cities and corporations recognize that renewable energy is the future. More than 200 U.S. local governments have committed to power their communities with 100% renewable energy, and more than 300 leading U.S. corporations have become members of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, ...
Headlines related to recent extreme weather appear to come out of a science fiction book: Even the richest countries in the world can’t control widespread fires — they’re even burning in the Arctic. Deadly flooding in Germany and Belgium in July 2021 completely washed away buildings ...
As countries are raising their ambitions in advance of COP26 in Glasgow, more and more attention is turning to the role cities can play in addressing climate change. For urban residents, this is not an academic discussion. As the planet ...
To avoid the worst impacts of climate change and realize the goals of the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions should fall to net zero by mid-century and then reach net negative emissions thereafter. Responding to the science, 60 countries, as ...
The allure of electric vehicles (EVs) has never been stronger. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions, offer lower operating costs than conventional gasoline-powered vehicles and now come in a range of sleek models. With the tailwind of private sector initiatives such ...
In densely urbanized Hong Kong, transport is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, at 18%. Vehicle traffic is also a major source of toxic air pollutants like NOx, volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide, accounting for 18%, 21% ...
The past year has been all about protecting ourselves and our children from a serious respiratory illness: COVID-19. But as schools reopen and children return to in-person classrooms, many kids will spend part of every day in a toxic environment that causes harm to ...
As the world reels from the financial blow of COVID-19, local governments in the United States are under huge pressure as cities and counties face severe budget shortfalls. This is forcing cuts to crucial spending on education and infrastructure as ...
National governments face an enormous triple challenge right now: recovering from COVID-19, creating sustainable and inclusive development, and addressing the climate crisis. New research shows that focusing on cities is key to overcoming these challenges while generating considerable economic, social and environmental benefits. A ...
Recent events in Texas and elsewhere in the U.S. are reminding us that our existing energy system infrastructure and operating structures are increasingly being challenged by severe weather-related events. In Texas, unprecedented freezing temperatures created a “perfect storm” of disruption, including ...
Urban freight vehicles constitute less than 10% of vehicles on the road in most cities, but they account for a disproportionate amount of transport-related CO2 emissions and pollutants. According to the Beijing Transport Institute, freight in Beijing accounts for around ...
In his first week in office, President Biden signed an executive order that gives federal agencies 90 days to devise a plan that fully transitions the federal fleet’s roughly 650,000 vehicles — including about 225,000 postal vehicles, 173,000 military vehicles ...
Countries agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) and ideally 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F) as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The latest science shows that emissions will need to drop ...
COVID-19 has affected almost all aspects of transportation. For the public sector, economic shutdowns have gutted the tax revenue needed to buy and maintain government vehicle fleets. Perhaps no municipal entity has been hit harder than public transit agencies, which ...
