Energy

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The annual report of the World Meteorological Organization concludes that in 2023, the latest year for which a complete analysis has been carried out, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere reached its highest level ever recorded —- about 420 parts per million (ppm). That’s 151% higher than […]

Featured

European CO2 Emissions keep Plummeting, as 47% of Electricity is Green

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The 27 countries of the European Union, with a population of about 450 million, produce 3.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, helping heat up and destabilize the global climate. This is according to the new EU report on energy dated 2025. But the good news is that […]

Featured

Germany: A Not-So-Green Departing Government, A Future Coalition even Less Ambitious on Climate?

Marc Martorell Junyent

Zwickau/Munich (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) –– When Germans voted in a national election in September 2021, 33% of the population considered that the environment and climate were among the two main problems Germany was facing. In a poll from January 2025, one month before last weekend’s election, only 13% of the population held the […]

Featured

For First time, US is at 42% Zero Carbon Electricity, as Solar Surges by 49 GW

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy Factbook is out, and it has good news for the environment despite the dark shadow being cast by a climate denialist White House. The good news is that the incredible advance of solar power generation has boosted renewable sources of power to 24% of […]

Climate Crisis

Trump Order Shifts the Financial Burden of Climate Change Onto Individuals

ProPublica

By by Abrahm Lustgarten | – ( ProPublica ) – One of President Donald Trump’s most damaging strikes at the foundation of U.S. climate policy is buried deep in a sweeping Inauguration Day executive order focused on “Unleashing American Energy.” Half way through the lengthy document is a directive that would obliterate an obscure but […]

Iran

Can Israel Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Program?

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Kian Sharifi ( RFE/ RL ) – U.S. intelligence has concluded that the odds of an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program in the next few months are high, according to major American media, but the jury is out on whether Israel can destroy its archfoe’s nuclear facilities on its own. Iran is widely […]

Asia

As Trump Shutters US Offshore Wind, Asia’s Renewables Promise Cheaper Manufacturing, Trade Surpluses

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Trump has halted the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from granting new offshore wind licenses. This move will gut the growing US offshore wind industry, though it does not necessarily affect already-granted licenses. Gavin Maguire at Reuters explains the outcome of this policy will be high energy costs for Americans, […]

China

China dominates Middle East Solar Sector as Trump hobbles Renewables in US

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Chinese firms dominate the manufacture of photovoltaic solar panels, accounting for 80% of the global market (along with most elements of the supply chain). Volumes in China’s solar sector, including panels, batteries and EVs, expanded by a third in 2024, even though panel prices had plummeted. The Chinese will, however, […]

Donald Trump

Trump’s offshore Wind Energy Freeze: What States lose if the Executive Order remains in Place

The Conversation

By Barbara Kates-Garnick, Tufts University (The Conversation) – A single wind turbine spinning off the U.S. Northeast coast today can power thousands of homes – without the pollution that comes from fossil fuel power plants. A dozen of those turbines together can produce enough electricity for an entire community. The opportunity to tap into such […]