UK’s CO2 Emissions have Fallen 29% Over the Past decade
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The UK’s CO2 emissions fell by 2.9% in 2019, according to Carbon Brief analysis. This brings the total reduction to 29% over the past decade since 2010, even as the economy grew by a fifth.
Analysis: UK Low-Carbon Electricity Generation Stalls in 2019
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
Low-carbon electricity output from wind, solar, nuclear, hydro and biomass rose by just 1 terawatt hour (TWh, less than 1%) in 2019. It represents the smallest annual increase in a decade, where annual growth averaged 9TWh. This growth will need to double in the 2020s to meet UK climate targets while replacing old nuclear plants as they retire.
‘Profound Shifts’ Underway in Energy System, Says IEA World Energy Outlook
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The world’s CO2 emissions are set to continue rising for decades unless there is greater ambition on climate change, despite the “profound shifts” already underway in the global energy system. That is one of the key messages from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2019.
Renewables Could Match Coal Power within 5 Years, IEA Reveals
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
Renewable sources of electricity are set for rapid growth over the next five years, which could see them match the output of the world’s coal-fired power stations for the first time ever.
UK Has Just 18 Months to Avoid ’Embarrassment’ Over Climate Inaction
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The UK government only has 12-18 months left to raise its game on climate policy, or risk “embarrassment” as the likely host of the COP26 UN summit late next year.
In-depth Q&A: The UK Becomes First Major Economy to Set Net-Zero Climate Goal
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The UK is to raise its ambition on climate change by setting a legally binding target to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to “net-zero” by 2050, prime minister Theresa May has announced today.
How Far would Germany’s 2038 Coal Phaseout Breach Paris Climate Goals?
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The recommendation by Germany’s coal commission that the country end its use of the fossil fuel in power stations by 2038 could breach a Paris Agreement-compatible pathway by more than a billion tonnes of CO2, Carbon Brief analysis shows.
Global Coal Use May have Peaked in 2014, Says Latest IEA World Energy Outlook
By Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
The world may never again use as much coal as during a peak in 2014, according to the latest World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency (IEA).