How Britain kicked coal

Despite the chaos of Brexit and the difficulty of expanding renewable generation in a country where sunshine is notoriously scarce, and despite strong opposition to wind turbines, Britain has just about ended its use of coal-fired electricity. The last coal-fired power stations are set to close by 2025, but the process is almost complete already. How was this achieved?

The answer can be found in this graph released by Ofgem, the British electricity regulator. As it shows, coal (shown in orange) supplied around 40 per cent of British electricity in 2006, yet by 2018 its contribution was negligible. (The graph on Ofgem’s site is interactive, so you can see the actual numbers there.)

Read the story by John Quiggan from Inside Story - “How Britain kicked coal.”

Hollande hoping for a miracle in Paris in December

T

he French president sees businesses as being the key to the success of any emissions agreement reached by world’s nations at crunch climate change talks in Paris at the end of this year.

Francois Hollande - looking
 for a miracle in
Paris later this year.

The Guardian has said, “François Hollande, president of France, has called for a “miracle” to happen later this year at a crunch climate change conference in Paris, saying this would be needed for a compromise to be reached on the future of limiting greenhouse gases that would involve both developed and developing countries.

“He urged all countries to come up with commitments on limiting greenhouse gas emissions, ahead of the signing of a new global agreement by world governments later this year in Paris.

“He ruefully acknowledged the difficulty of coming up with such an agreement. “We must have a consensus. If within our own country, that’s difficult, imagine what it’s like with 196 countries. A miracle!” He added he was confident it could be achieved,”

Read more about the President’s observations here - “François Hollande calls for 'miracle' climate agreement at Paris talks”.

More moisture in the atmosphere, more downpours, more landslides

One of the prime indicators of climate change is more moisture in the atmosphere and subsequent heavier and sudden downpours.

Climate change means more moisture in
 earth's atmosphere, more downpours and
 more soil erosion and landslides.

Those downpours are now frequently so intense that existing drainage systems and the geography of various places are often unable to cope.

The difficulty is often worsened in those areas were unrestrained market-driven systems have stripped away existing flora in the pursuit of profit leaving the soil vulnerable to rushing water from these storms.

With the root structures from vegetation virtually gone, serious erosion results and in hilly areas, landslides become a reality.

Indonesia, known for its deforestation recently experienced that trouble when more than 50 died in a landslide as reported by the ABC in a story headed: “Indonesian landslide death toll rises to 56.”

Countries a paralyzed, but cities are acting

Ariel Schwartz
 is a Senior
Editor at
Co.Exist

Cities are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, but while countries procrastinate about resolving the difficulty, our urban conurbations are acting.

According to co.Exist in a story headed: “Here’s how the world’s biggest cities are tackling climate change” cities around the world are leaping forward with innovative programs that reduce emissions.

It point that most national governments are paralyzed when it comes to taking action on climate change, some business have dabbled in the edge of the water and so it is our cities that are “diving” right in with the aim of easing the difficulty.