Citizens could be fined for washing cars or watering gardens. After months of warnings, authorities in Catalonia have declared a drought emergency. The region is in the midst of the worst drought since records began. From tomorrow (Friday), 80% of the Catalan population, including Barcelona, will be under strict water restrictions. “We are entering a
In our fast-paced world dominated by technological advances and interconnected living, the allure of off-grid living has surged. More and more individuals and families are seeking a lifestyle that is not only sustainable but also fosters self-reliance. Central to this movement is the use of solar power, a transformative technology enabling people to generate their own energy.
On the 1 January 2024, the Default Tariff Price Cap was set at £1,928. This represents an increase of almost £900 compared to the Q1 price cap of 2021 (£1,042), leaving households paying almost double pre-energy crisis levels for their energy bills. Lasting until 31 March 2024, the current price cap is over £2,000 less than it was during
A new study conducted by Britain Remade has found that 70 local councils have collectively opposed planning applications for 4.4GW worth of renewable energy projects. According to the pro-growth campaign group, the number of refused projects includes battery storage that could store up to 680MW of renewable energy. The group highlighted a number of
The UK government has published its Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation emphasising that all new homes must be “net zero ready” from 2025. The consultation, which has been published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, also revealed that heat pumps must be a standard within all new homes, something that could
Charlotte Lee, CEO from the Heat Pump Association (HPA), discusses the trade association’s new report, including recommendations to unlock the national-level decarbonisation opportunity presented by heat pumps. The pressing need to combat climate change has prompted the UK government to set an ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Recognising that the
Oliver Dowden this week advised people to stock up on certain supplies – but some people have been doing it for years Kathryn is a firm believer in the 19th-century adage that we are only ever nine meals from anarchy. Having learned the skill of stockpiling from her wartime parents and grandparents, her first mini-foray
The Emirati head of the UN's climate conference pressed countries on Wednesday to strive for common ground and reach a "historic" deal by early next week, giving negotiators days to untangle disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels. It is rare for UN climate talks to end as scheduled but COP28 president Sultan Al
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have risen to yet another record high in 2023, leading scientists to warn that it now appears "inevitable" that global warming will exceed the dangerous threshold of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels. Humanity released 40.6 billion tons (36.8 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into
Households should stock up on candles and battery-powered radios in case a catastrophe cripples digital gadgets, the deputy prime minister has warned. Oliver Dowden urged people to prepare for being thrown back to an 'analogue' era if internet and power systems collapse. Details will be set out in an official government 'resilience website' –