
Interview
Climate activist McKibben: 'not sure we started in time'
Bill McKibben told this website it is “way too late” to stop global warming, and that our ability to limit its effects is an "open question".
Saturday
5th Sep 2015

Bill McKibben told this website it is “way too late” to stop global warming, and that our ability to limit its effects is an "open question".

The Dutch government is appealing a court ruling telling it to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A green activist believes the ruling has changed the "atmosphere" on climate change.
Around 6.15 million tonnes of electronic equipment waste was not properly recycled in 2012, according to a new EU-funded report.
A Swedish research institute says use of carbon credits under the Kyoto treaty may have worsened climate change.
European wind and solar industries have welcomed US President Barack Obama’s new climate plan while European politicians see Washington’s move as a positive signal ahead of UN climate talks in Paris.

The European Parliament's environment committee has agreed that farmers should also contribute to cleaning up air pollution.

The EU capital is about to pedestrianise its city centre, but critics say the measure is not enough to combat air pollution.

A Dutch court has ruled that it is a civil wrong if the government does not up its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A similar case is underway in Belgium.

Dutch MP Bart de Liefde says the EU should "bite the bullet" and let in scientifically-approved GMOs even if activists are against them.
Thousands of Maltese people flocked to the streets of Valletta Saturday to challenge the proposed construction of a private university on virgin public land.
The religious leader called on consumers to use their economic power to force businesses to change towards cleaner production methods.
The EU's Renewable energy progress report notes that a number of countries need to take additional measures to reach their targets.
EU sources say anti-GMO countries prefer the current system because they can "blame Brussels" for authorising the "hot potato".
Norwegian MPs have voted to ban Norway's pension fund from investing in coal firm, the largest political withdrawal of funds from fossil fuels.
A larger portion of EU taxpayers' money than previously thought was used in recent years to help build coal-fired plants, the dirtiest energy source.
The European Commission is examining how it can “promote circular economy across the whole value chain”.
Around 1.6 million premature deaths would be prevented every year if the world's governments stopped subsidising fossil fuels, an IMF study has found.
The way NGOs spread doubt about the science of GMOs has similarities to the tactics of their opponents in the climate change debate.

The EU parliament has approved the Juncker fund to revitalize the EU's economy, but demands a bigger say on what projects can get funded.

The European Parliament's environment committee Tuesday approved a plan to try and steer investors away from traditional types of biofuels that have had negative side-effects on food prices, environment and climate change.
The European commission's cozy relationships with the fracking industry is a conflict of interest.
The EU has given a "yellow card" over illegal fishing to Thailand, one of the EU’s main suppliers of cheap fish products.

The EU commission has proposed giving member states the power to ban the use of GMOs in human and animal food products, but there are already concerns about whether the plans are workable.

Countries outside the European Union are becoming more interested in discussing climate change at a higher political level, according to an internal EU document.
The EU's putative Energy Union has been billed as the biggest thing since the European Coal and Steel Community of the 1950s. But what is it exactly?
A disagreement between four committees in the EP may lead to a delay in the implementation of the EU's flagship investment fund.

EU states like France and Germany might be talking up their climate-change-fighting credentials at home, but they are also helping companies export technology for highly-polluting power plants.

The European Parliament wants almost a quarter of the new EU investment fund to go to energy saving projects.