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CLIMATE action is a major focus in Ireland's 2020 budget, with renewable energy projects, increased infrastructure on electric vehicles, a transition fund and making houses more energy-efficient identified as some of the key projects for this year. "We are taking the actions needed now, to secure a sustainable, resilient Ireland for future generations,'' the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and...

PORTSMOUTH residents, businesses and organisations have the chance to help shape the council's 'Energy and water at home' strategy. Portsmouth City Council has published a draft strategy that aims to establish a common vision and approach towards achieving affordability and sustainability of energy and water for every household in Portsmouth. Councillor Darren Sanders, the Council's Cabinet Member for Housing said: "Too...

INCREASE in greenhouse gas emissions means the world looks likely to overshoot Paris Agreement target – even with declines in coal use, according to the Energy Institute. Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are believed to have risen – albeit modestly – for the third year in a row, according to newly-issued estimates from the Global Carbon Project. While renewable energy...

RESEARCHERS from around the globe are joining forces in a new research centre aimed at speeding up the use of new cooling solutions to help small-holder farmers, medicine suppliers to make the most of clean and sustainable chilled distribution systems. Researchers at the Centre for Sustainable Cooling will work closely with governments, international development agencies, NGOs and industry to deliver sustainable cooling...

NATIONAL Trust has unveiled one of the UK's biggest woodland expansion and tree planting projects in an ambitious plan to achieve carbon net zero by 2030. In a landmark speech to mark the milestone, the National Trust’s Director General Hilary McGrady has announced a series of new initiatives including 20 million new trees in ten years as part of the...

THE DEPARTMENT for the Economy has launched a Call for Evidence to inform the development of a new Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland. The Call for Evidence is part of an on-going public engagement process designed to inform and shape proposals which will be presented to a future Minister for the Economy. Mike Brennan, Permanent Secretary at the Department for the...

TEAM behind the Energy Wise Vulnerable Customers and Energy Efficiency project has been awarded Energy Institute's Community Spirit Award. Energywise was a research project by University College London to address the needs of people living in fuel poverty and ensure people living in social housing developments can access the energy saving and economic benefits of the national smart meter roll-out. This...

TWO panels of stakeholders and researchers helping to ensure the balance and accuracy of the assembly have been announced for UK’s first citizens’ assembly on climate change. Climate Assembly UK was commissioned by six cross-party House of Commons Select Committees in summer 2019 in response to the Government’s commitment to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Climate Assembly UK will...

LUTON has come bottom of a league table of predicted city-wide air pollution concentrations among UK cities, according to new analysis by the Universities of Birmingham and Lancaster. Although Luton’s air pollution emissions are about as expected for its population, the town’s compactness limits dispersal of pollution, meaning it drops to last place among the 146 most populous UK places...

APPLICATIONS are now open for Severn Trent’s new Community Fund which will give away millions of pounds to community groups and projects over the next five years. Communities and organisations from across the company’s region can now apply to be in with the opportunity to be awarded funding for their community projects. The water and waste business will be donating more...