UK ministers have resisted an organised backlash against heat pumps and the hype over hydrogen for home heating and are about to confirm targets for heat pump manufacture. The Scottish Government recently confirmed its ambitions on heat pumps with a target to …
Never mind the climate crisis
Labour’s botched retreat from their commitments to a massive investment in reducing climate emissions looks doubly bad given its timing. First, in 2021 there was the pledge to invest £28 billion a year in measures to combat climate change. Then, …
Granting new oil and gas licences is insane
Despite the International Energy Agency saying in 2021 that no country should be granting new oil and gas licences, despite the UN Secretary-General saying that investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure is “moral and economic madness” and despite December’s climate …
COP28 aftermath
Things are getting back to normal in Expo City Dubai, now that the 85,000 delegates for COP28 have headed back home after nearly two weeks of difficult negotiations. The talks ran over by about 24 hours and reactions to the …
COP28 and oil
As I write this COP28, this year’s UN climate talks in Dubai, are looking likely to fail, for the first time since COP6 in 2000. Tuesday morning’s deadline has passed, an improved draft agreement is due and there will clearly …
Tobacco style attacks on heat pumps
Transforming the heating of our homes and other buildings is essential to reduce climate emissions and protect people from the volatile costs of fossil fuels. But anti-climate forces and vested interests are using tactics straight out of the tobacco industry …
Grangemouth closure should have been no surprise
The announcement last week that Grangemouth refinery is to close should not have been a surprise to anyone, it is the inevitable consequence of taking climate change seriously. This makes the apparent lack of preparation for this event doubly surprising. The refinery …
Making Ecocide a crime in Scotland
Last week Labour/Co-operative Party MSP for Central Scotland Monica Lennon launched proposals for a bill to make ecocide a crime in Scotland, to act as a major deterrent to those who might create severe damage to the environment. Ecocide is defined as “unlawful or …
Good ideas on climate change needed more than ever
The world is in a climate crisis. Never has there been a greater need for good ideas to reduce emissions here and at home. I was lucky enough to be involved in the creation of a Climate Manifesto for Stop Climate Chaos …
Climate change accelerates, Tories retreat
The heavy flooding over the weekend graphically reminds us that Scotland is already feeling the extreme impacts of climate change. Farmers say millions of pounds worth of damage has been done to crops and the insurance bill for flooded homes and businesses …
Rosebank – racing towards climate chaos
Following Rishi Sunak’s disastrous leap backwards on climate policies, the UK government has decided to give the go-ahead to the controversial Rosebank oilfield development, to much international and domestic condemnation. In 2021 the International Energy Agency, not known for its …
Fossil-fuelled vehicle phase out – SNP roll over
Rishi Sunak may have gone backwards on the environment, but the SNP have been too quick to roll over on the ban on petrol and diesel vans. Despite delaying or scrapping a number of key commitments, Sunak claims that the …