CEM7 launched new campaigns on energy efficiency and renewable energy to help meet Paris commitments

The seventh Clean Energy Ministerial meeting (CEM7) with participation of 23 countries and the European Union announced new commitments to expand clean energy deployment and cut global carbon emissions while driving economic growth.

2015 Climate Summit of the Americas kicks of in Toronto, Canada

On July 8th Ontario officially opened the Climate Summit of the Americas and welcomed more than 300 delegates from 20 states and regions who came to Toronto to work towards commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and discuss opportunities to invest in a global low carbon economy. States and regions attending the summit have a combined GDP of $6.6 trillion, what, for example, exceeds combined GDP of UK and France . 

California and Peru provide free solar panels to their poorest residents

The first California resident, who is a disabled man,  received a free rooftop solar system. If it performs as expected, the 2.5 kW solar electric system will save  $818 in the first year and $22,800 over its 30-year lifetime.

High death toll from India’s heat wave...

At least 1,400 people died in India in less than one week from unprecedentedly high temperatures, which reached  50C  (122F)  In some regions. 

Most energy efficient U.S. cities

Boston is at the top and Oklahoma City is at the bottom of the ranking published by ACEEE. 51 major cities in the U.S. were ranked for energy efficiency efforts across five policy areas: local government operations, community-wide initiatives, buildings, energy and water utilities, and transportation.  New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and Portland are among energy Efficiency leaders. Read more at http://nextcity.org/

Thousands March In Canada To Call For Action On Climate Change

The march in Quebec City, Quebec , which was organized by the environmental and social coalition Act on Climate, drew about 25,000 participants from across Canada, including representatives from First Nations, environmental groups, unions, and student groups. The protesters’ march comes a few days before Canada plans to host a provincial summit on climate change in Quebec City, during which the country’s premiers will discuss their plans in the lead-up to the U.N. climate talks this November in Paris. One of the messages the protesters wanted to send to the premiers was their opposition to proposed tar sands pipelines like Northern Gateway and Energy East. Those projects, opponents say, would endanger Canada’s land and water and accelerate the fossil fuel production that drives climate change. Read more at http://thinkprogress.org

Speech: Towards an Effective Energy Union

The EU plans to set an agenda for energy issues as the need for imports increases. Energy security is a key issue, according to Energy and Climate Change Miguel Arias Cañete. He stressed the need for integrating renewable energy into the grid and for being a world leader in this field. He also addressed the need to develop the internal energy market and a low-carbon economy. Read more at praguepost.com/eu-news

Governments Agree the Negotiating Text for the Paris Climate Agreement

Delegates from 194 countries convened in Geneva to continue work following the Lima Climate Change Conference held in Peru last year, which had produced elements for the negotiating text–known as the Lima Call for Climate Action.  Nations concluded the Geneva Climate Change Talks by successfully preparing the negotiating text for the 2015 agreement. The agreement is set to be reached in Paris at the end of 2015 and will come into effect in 2020.  Read more >>>
UNFCCC

Japan to Support Energy Saving, Storage-Battery Installations

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to set aside about 93 billion yen ($779 million) to help factories and small-sized businesses install devices to improve energy efficiency. The ministry is asking for the budget to set up devices such as light-emitting diode lamps and boilers with better efficiency, as well as it plans to spend about 81 billion yen in response to grid issues the country is facing in order to accommodate more renewable energy. Read more >>>
Bloomberg

5 Top Clean Energy Stories of 2014

The steady march of renewable energy, primarily wind and solar, toward mainstream usage continued apace in 2014. Read more >>>
alternet.org

Why Climate Change Is Not Inevitable

...  physics is inevitable: if you put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the planet warms, and as the planet warms, various kinds of chaos and ruin are let loose. Politics, on the other hand, is not inevitable. For example, not so many years ago it would have seemed inevitable that Chevron, currently the third biggest corporation in the country, would run the refinery town of Richmond, California, as its own private fiefdom. You could say that the divine right of Chevron seemed like a given. Except that people in Richmond refused to accept it and so this town of 107,000 mostly poor nonwhites pushed back. Read more >>>
The Nation