You’re not supposed to clap in court – and certainly not cheer. It’s not a football match. But the supporters of Urgenda, a Dutch activist organisation promoting a sustainable society, couldn’t hold back. Applause burst out as soon as the chairman of the supreme court of the Netherlands said that the Dutch state had
Climate 'tipping point' would leave Britain cooler, drier and unsuitable for many crops. Crop production in Britain will fall dramatically if climate change causes the collapse of a vital pattern of ocean currents, new research suggests. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) brings heat from the tropics, making Britain warmer and wetter than it
When people ask the question, “what could I do to help save the planet?,” it is all too often on the same level as the whiny kid being asked to take on some responsibility. Those of you who have had, or still have, teenage children will know the kind of scenario: Up till now
On Friday night I attended a talk on climate change held in Chagford in Dartmoor, south Devon. It was entitled "Climate and Ecological Crisis? What's all the fuss about?" and I found it very interesting, and also quite moving. I went along expecting it to be another vanilla climate change talk - you know
More and more of us are becoming aware of the urgency of the need to decarbonise our lifestyles. The latest warning from the IPCC gives us only 10 years to cut global emissions in half, or risk catastrophic damage to our climate. Whether you’ve gone solar or not, you may be thinking about how
2019 was the hottest year on record, with one exception. The 2010s were the hottest decade ever measured on Earth, and 2019 was the second-hottest year ever measured, scientists at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. After a year of flash droughts, rampant wildfires, and searing heat waves that set
Ofgem is in talks with suppliers to “ensure they understand their Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) obligations”, with export tariffs required to be available to all customers with eligible installs. When approached by Solar Power Portal, a spokesperson said the regulator is “in contact with the electricity suppliers to ensure that they understand their SEG
Research sponsored by global credit ratings agency Moody’s concludes that by the end of century, parts of the US and Europe are now bound to experience severe reductions in rainfall equivalent to the American ‘dust bowl’ of the 1930s, which devastated Midwest farming for a decade. These consequences are now ‘locked in’ as a
When designing a house, one of the most important issues is energy efficiency. That means there needs to be the right amount of insulation in the foundation, walls and roof, energy efficient windows, and well placed on the periphery of the house. The house also should be placed on the property for optimal solar
(with apologies to Douglas Adams) Suppose you want to make a reservation at The Restaurant at the End of the Ecosphere, one of the most exclusive destinations in the entire universe. This is not an undertaking for the faint-hearted. To have a chance of booking your place to witness the mass extinction to end