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Mafalda Duarte interview at Sustainable Energy for All Forum

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Learn|Energy|Technology

Renewables helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the EU

Wind, solar and other renewable energy sources are steadily increasing their share in energy consumption across the European Union, further reducing the need for CO2-emitting fossil fuel energy, according to a report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today. This trend is driving down greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation, buildings’ heating and cooling, and transport.

The EEA report ‘Renewable energy in Europe 2017: recent growth and knock-on effects,’ shows that renewables have become a major contributor to the energy transition occurring in many parts of Europe. Growth in renewables continues to bolster climate change mitigation in the EU. The EU-wide share of renewable energy use increased from 15% in 2013 to 16% in 2014. This upward trend continued also in 2015, as renewable energy accounted for the majority (77%) of new electricity-generating capacity for the eighth year in a row. Recent data from Eurostat showed that the EU-wide renewable energy use finally reached 16.7% in 2015 – which is close to the EEA’s 16.4% preliminary estimate published in December 2016. This steady EU-wide progress in renewables since 2005 enables the EU to stay well on course to reach its target of 20 % by 2020.

At Member State level, the shares of renewable energy use continues to vary widely, ranging from over 30% in Finland, Latvia and Sweden, to 5% or less in Luxembourg and Malta.

Increased reliance on renewables reduces the need for fossil fuels, lowering associated emissions

The uptake of renewable energy since 2005 allowed the EU to cut its fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by about a tenth in 2015 – comparable to the annual fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions of Italy. Three quarters of these greenhouse gas reductions attributable to renewables came from the development of renewable electricity production. Coal was the most substituted fuel across Europe, representing about one half of all avoided fossil fuels, followed by natural gas (28% of all avoided fossil fuels). In both 2014 and 2015, the largest reductions in fossil fuel use and CO₂ emissions due to the uptake of renewable energy sources took place in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Renewables catching on worldwide

Global investments in renewables continued to show steady growth over the past decade. This has led to a doubling of global renewable electricity capacity between 2005 and 2015. The EU plays a leading role in developing clean energy technology and is ranked second after China in installed and grid-connected domestic renewable electricity capacity. Still, some non-EU countries are seeing faster progress, something observed also in terms of the share of renewable-energy related jobs in the labour force where in 2015 the EU was overtaken by other countries, such as Japan and China.

The EU and its Member States will need to step-up their climate and energy efforts if they want to meet EU ambitions to become a sustainable, low-carbon economy by 2050, the report says. Key challenges remain, including the formulation of adequate policies that deliver targets, agreeing on an EU monitoring system and improving innovation capabilities to reap the full benefits of the energy transition in Europe.

Source: European Environment Agency

Banner Photo Credits to Allan F. Castañeda

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Film4Climate|Education|Technology

Connect4Climate at Earth Day TX 2017

April 21, 2017 (All day) to April 23, 2017 (All day)

Earth Day Texas (EDTx) is a nonprofit organization that promotes a positive impact on the environment through education, events and curating a public platform for sustainable thought leadership. Founded in 2011 by philanthropist Trammell S. Crow, this three-day free event is held in April to celebrate progress, hope, and innovation and is the largest event in the world of its kind.

EARTHxGlobal Gala

EARTHxFilm

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Learn|Oceans

World Ocean Festival

June 4, 2017 (All day)

On June 4, 2017, New York City will host the inaugural World Ocean Festival. The Festival, organized by The Global Brain Foundation and hosted by the City of New York, is an effort to raise the voices of millions of people and organizations who care deeply about the Ocean and who will stand together for its protection.

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Learn|Oceans

New York City to host World Ocean Festival and Ocean March

On June 4, 2017, New York City will host the inaugural World Ocean Festival. The Festival, organized by The Global Brain Foundation and hosted by the City of New York, is an effort to raise the voices of millions of people and organizations who care deeply about the Ocean and who will stand together for its protection.

In New York, we are building a more resilient, sustainable and fair city - and that includes supporting and preserving healthy oceans. I am pleased that our city can host the World Ocean Festival focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is vital to our well-being as a coastal city.

- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

The World Ocean Festival is a public event on June 4 timed to support The Ocean Conference at UN Headquarters in New York City (June 5-9), where heads of state, ministers, marine experts, civil society and the business community will gather to discuss the rapidly deteriorating health of the world’s ocean and what needs to be done to save it. They will also commemorate World Ocean Day on June 8.

The City of New York has shown great leadership in embracing the Sustainable Development Goals, and we welcome the announcement of this public event in support of The Ocean Conference and Sustainable Development Goal 14. This is a critical time for the Ocean. We must rally together and drive conservation and sustainable management of Ocean’s resources.

- H.E. Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly

The World Ocean Festival was announced this Tuesday, April 11, at United Nations Headquarters in New York City at a press briefing by Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs Penny Abeywardena, Founder of the World Ocean Festival and The Global Brain Foundation Natalia Vega Berry, and President of the United Nations General Assembly H.E. Peter Thomson.

The people of New York City and all over the world will be invited to join the World Ocean Festival activities, which include:

• A public Ocean March in New York City’s waterways in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. Interested participants are invited to register at the World Ocean Festival's website. The Ocean March route will be published along with viewing sites along the route.

• A public Ocean Village celebrating art, education, innovation and tools for action in support of the Ocean. The Village will take place in Gantry State Park in Long Island City, New York overlooking the East River.

The City of New York and The Global Brain are joined by leaders in ocean conservation, advocacy, and sustainable development our Founding Partners Ocean Elders, Mission Blue, and Oceanic, as well Core Supporters including Peace Boat, Connect4Climate, Ocean Collectiv and NGO Committee of Sustainable Development. The event is made possible by support from Founding Sponsor Toyota USA, creator of the Mirai fuel cell vehicle.

New York City has shown a history of leadership in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals through its One New York program. Launched on April 22, 2015, “One New York: The Plan for a Just and Strong City” is an innovative blueprint for the City’s future that focuses on four interdependent visions: growth, equity, sustainability, and resiliency.

The issues that threaten the Ocean range from illegal fishing threatening species, human sustenance, and economies worldwide; to marine pollution in the form of chemical run-off, spills, and proliferation of plastics filling our Ocean and now entering our food chain; to climate change that is killing our coral reefs, flooding human and animal habitats and feeding a disastrous feedback loop of rising world temperatures.

Nonprofit organizations, foundations, community organizations and others working to promote conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean will be present at the Ocean Village space on June 4 and promoted through a media campaign leading up to the event.

The World Ocean Festival is a public event hosted by the City of New York and organized by The Global Brain Foundation to raise peoples’ voices for the preservation and sustainable use of the Ocean (Sustainable Development Goal 14) in advance of the The Ocean Conference at United Nations Headquarters, which aims to be the game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity. For more information about the World Ocean Festival and to register for the Ocean March on June 4, 2017, visit the official website or follow on Twitter @WorldOceanFest, on Instagram @WorldOceanFestival, and on Facebook @WorldOceanFestival.

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Learn|Communication

March for Science 2017

April 22, 2017 (All day)

This Earth Day, April 22, Earth Day Network and the March for Science are co-organizing a rally and teach-in on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The day’s program will include speeches and training with scientists and civic organizers, musical performances, and a march through the streets of Washington, D.C. The crowd will gather at 8:00 am, and the teach-in will begin at 10:00 am.

This Earth Day, join the effort to defend the vital public service role science plays in our communities and our world.

About Earth Day Network

About March for Science

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