European Union

Lula is Right that the UN Security Council Can’t Resolve Major Conflicts, whether Ukraine or Palestine

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva made a state visit to Portugal and Spain last week. He was primarily seeking trade agreements, and especially wished to prepare the way for agreement this summer on a huge European Union – Latin American free trade zone. Article continues after bonus IC […]

Climate Crisis

Renewables Cover Half of Germany’s Electricity Demand in First Quarter of 2023

Clean Energy Wire

By Carolina Kyllmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – Renewable energy covered about half of electricity consumption in Germany during the first three months of 2023, according to preliminary calculations by energy industry association BDEW and the centre for solar research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). In total, around 138 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) were consumed – […]

Canada

Germany Welcomes G7 Goals: 150 GW in New offshore Wind, 1,000 GW of Solar by 2030, and no more Coal

Clean Energy Wire

Sören Amelang ( Clean Energy Wire ) – The German government and NGOs have welcomed the first G7 commitment to concrete targets for the rollout of renewables, but environmentalists also warned that the rich nation’s inclusion of carbon capture and storage (CCS) could lead to a “huge greenwashing show”. Following a meeting of climate, energy […]

Climate Crisis

Paris is Burning: France Braces for 7.2° F. Heating in its ‘Turning Point’ Strategy

Clean Energy Wire

By Claire Stam | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Shocked by recent heatwaves, floods, wildfires and ongoing droughts, France is currently rebooting its strategy to cope with the impacts of climate change. In a “turning point” in the country’s adaptation efforts, the plans will also include proposals on how to deal with 4 […]

Climate Crisis

Environmental NGO wins greenwashing lawsuit against French Oil Co. TotalEnergies SE

Clean Energy Wire

By Carolina Kyllmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Climate Action Germany (DUH) has won a lawsuit against TotalEnergies over “climate-neutral” and “CO2-compensated” heating oil claims, the environmental NGO announced. DHU had sued on the basis that TotalEnergies’ Thermoplus heating oil was advertised to consumers in a way that violated consumer protection law, […]

Climate Crisis

Scotland’s Renewables soar by 28%, as new Muslim Leader pledges Net Zero and Just Climate Transition

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Neil Pooran and Peter A Walker at Business Insider report that 28% more renewable electricity was generated in Scotland in 2022 than in the previous year. The impressive increase was largely driven by onshore wind farms. Scotland’s green energy generation capacity is expected to soar further as big offshore wind […]

Climate Crisis

Germany’s Heat Pump Boom Causes its Biggest Chip Maker to Expand

Clean Energy Wire

By Edgar Meza | – Handelsblatt ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Germany’s shift away from Russian gas, coupled with government plans to phase out fossil fuel heating systems, has led to a massive heat pump boom that is forcing the country’s biggest semiconductor producer, Infineon, to expand capacity, business daily Handelsblatt reports. Computer chips […]

European Union

‘Dirty Smear Campaign:’ How the United Arab Emirates Spread Hysteria against Islam in Europe (Yes)

Middle East Monitor

Nasim Ahmed Nasimbythedocks ( Middle East Monitor) – A “smear campaign” alleged to be orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates and executed through a Geneva-based private intelligence firm has apparently been peddling hateful misinformation associated with anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists, an article in New Yorker Magazine has revealed. In “The dirty […]

Islam

Humza Yousaf: Scotland gets a Muslim Leader in a moment of extraordinary Change for British Politics

The Conversation

By Parveen Akhtar, Aston University and Timothy Peace, University of Glasgow | – Humza Yousaf’s appointment as first minister of Scotland is a historic moment for the UK. It means that, for the first time in history, the country has a Hindu prime minister in Westminster (Rishi Sunak) and a Muslim first minister in Scotland. […]