All cars in Germany to be emission free by 2030
All new cars registered in Germany need to be emissions free by 2030 at the latest to help meet pollution reduction goals, a senior government official said.
emissions
EU carbon permits drop amid doubt Europe will adopt price floor
European Union carbon allowances declined at the fastest pace since June 1 amid skepticism that the region will adopt a proposal by France to include a minimum price in almost-daily auctions of the contracts.
US Judge to hear Volkswagen emissions fix update
Volkswagen is expected to reveal the company’s progress on a fix to make nearly 600,000 diesel cars comply with clean air laws.
Scrappage schemes for diesel cars and boilers ‘needed to cut London pollution’
Scrappage schemes for diesel cars and boilers, and allowing only the cleanest buses to drive on key polluted roads are among measures proposed by experts to cut pollution and help people live longer.
Japanese government targets 80% emission drop by 2050
The Japanese government said it plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 from its current levels.
Government accused of wasting opportunity for alternative future for North Sea
Pulling the plug without warning on a £1 billion competition for technology to cut climate emissions from power stations has damaged investment in the UK, MPs have warned. Scrapping the scheme to develop “carbon capture and storage” technology, which captures and stores permanently underground up to 90% of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel plants, will also make it more expensive for the UK to tackle climate change.
Climate deal prompts repeat call for 57% cut in UK greenhouse gases by 2030
Government advisers have repeated calls for a 57% cut in UK greenhouse gases by 2030 in the wake of a new global climate deal. The Committee on Climate Change said its advice on cutting emissions for the period 2028-2032 was the “minimum level of UK ambition necessary” in light of the Paris Agreement - the global deal to avoid dangerous climate change agreed late last year.
Tory MP claims Church of England should invest in fossil fuels
The Church of England should “put aside the Greenpeace manuals” and invest in fossil fuels, a Tory MP has said. Climate change sceptic David TC Davies (Monmouth) told Church commissioners to look at the Bible’s Parable of the Talents, which is about making wise investments.
First Minister to attend Paris climate summit
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will attend the COP21 UN global climate change summit in Paris, the Scottish Government has confirmed.
Obama says climate deal needs legally binding conditions
US president Barack Obama has said the emerging global climate agreement must have transparency provisions and periodic reviews of carbon-cutting targets that are legally binding.
2015 set to be hottest year on record
This year is very likely to be the hottest year on record worldwide, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.
VW to cut investment plan by £701million
Volkswagen said it has cut £701million from its investment plan for the next year following on from the emissions scandal it has been embroiled in. The company said it would cap spending on property, plant and equipment at around $12.8billion, which is around 8% less than its previous estimate.
Climate change talks only a “staging post” to viable deal claims Miliband
Climate change talks in Paris are poised to leave global temperatures on course for their highest level in three million years, former Labour leader Ed Miliband has warned.
Mixed response to UK government move to end coal power
The announcement that the UK is phasing out coal has been widely welcomed, but plans to shift to gas power have been described as an alcoholic swapping one type of drink for another.
Gas flaring targets challenged by rapid production growth in US says EIA
North Dakota's Industrial Commission (NDIC) has established natural gas capture targets in an effort to reduce the amount of flared gas.
Volkswagen sets target for staff to come forward on emission scandal
Volkswagen has set a target for the end of the month asking staff who had knowledge about its diesel emission test cheating to step forward. The company said workers who made contact with internal investigators would be exempt from dismissal.
Statoil close to achieving CO2 reduction aim on Norwegian Continental Shelf
Statoil said it is already close to achieving its aim of reducing CO2 emissions on the Norwegian Continental Shelf by up to 800,000 tonnes by 2020. The Norwegian operator said it has now decided to increase its target by 50% to 1.2million tonnes. Seven years ago the petroleum industry, led by Konkraft, agreed on a goal of improved energy efficiency of up to one million tonnes of CO2 between 2008 and 2020.
Greenhouse gases growth ‘dented by countries pledges’
Pledges made by countries to cut greenhouse gases up to 2030 make it possible to avoid dangerous climate change, but only with much bigger and expensive action in the future, a report suggests. National climate plans put forward by scores of countries to cut emissions over the next 10 to 15 years, ahead of crucial UN talks in Paris on a new climate deal, “begin to make a significant dent” in the growth of greenhouse gases, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said. But campaigners warned the promises are not bold enough, in the face of the dangerous climate change expected with global temperature rises of more than 2C, and countries will need to urgently ramp up ambition.
Catholic bishops issue joint call over climate change
Catholic bishops across the world have called for a “major breakthrough” on a global deal to tackle climate change at talks in Paris at end of the year. The worldwide call from the Catholic Church appeals for a strong limit to rising temperatures, the phasing out of emissions from fossil fuels and measures to protect the poor and vulnerable from the impacts of climate change. In a 10-point proposal, the Catholic cardinals, patriarchs and bishops call for a “fair, transformational and legally-binding global agreement” which recognises the need to live in harmony with nature, protects human rights and sets a goal to decarbonise the world economy by mid-century.
UK Government advisers call for low-carbon power to meet energy needs
New low-carbon power sources are the most cost-effective way to meet electricity needs in the 2020s and tackle climate change, government advisers have said. Investment is needed in new power generation in the 2020s to replace closing coal and nuclear plants, while stripping carbon emissions from the energy sector is important for meeting the UK’s legally-binding climate targets, the Committee on Climate Change said. Backing low-carbon power is set to add around £105 on the average consumer electricity bill in 2020 and £120 by 2030, before costs fall, a report from the committee said. While the cost of low-carbon technology such as nuclear and renewables will be slightly higher than investing in gas, it will deliver more greenhouse gas reductions and cut down on the “social” costs that fossil fuel pollution imposes on the UK and world, it said.
EU emissions down 23%, passing targets for 2020
The European Union says its emissions fell 4% last year, meaning the 28-nation bloc has already surpassed its target for 2020. A report by the EU’s environment agency said 2014 emissions were 23% lower than in 1990. The EU is the world’s third largest greenhouse gas polluter.
VW’s US chief exec apologises for emissions rigging scandal
Volkswagen’s top US executive has apologised as the emissions-rigging scandal engulfing the world’s largest carmaker deepened and members of Congress said the company violated the public’s trust. “On behalf of our company, my colleagues in Germany and myself, I would like to offer a sincere apology for Volkswagen’s use of a software program that served to defeat the regular emissions testing regime,” Volkswagen of America chief executive Michael Horn told a House subcommittee. Calling the company’s admission “deeply troubling”, Mr Horn said: “We have broken the trust of our customers, dealerships and employees, as well as the public and regulators.”
CCS experts sign open letter to UN ahead of Paris talks
An open letter by 41 signatories has been sent to the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) regarding CCS (Carbon Capture Storage). Scientists and experts from Scotland to China said they had written to reassure the UNFCCC that CCS is “safe, secure and effective”. They said extensive research had shown CO2 storage at selected sites was unlikely to lead to any leakages.
VW to halt US delivery of 2016 diesels amid emissions scandal
Volkswagen is to halt delivery of its 2016 Jetta, Golf, Passat and Beetle diesel cars in the US - raising speculation that the emissions-cheating device similar to those in earlier models is also in its new vehicles.
Oil bosses to meet in Paris ahead of climate talks
The leaders of eight of the world’s top oil companies are set to meet in Paris next week to show how they will combat climate change. The move is part of an offensive ahead of a UN summit which will be held in December. The meeting will be followed by a press conference where the company bosses are also expected to renew a call for a global carbon pricing mechanism. Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said company leaders would present proposals to combat global warming ahead of the talks.