Low carbon energy to boost metal mining demand

The transition to a clean energy system will boost demand for a wide variety of minerals and metals. That’s according to a new report from the World Bank, which says the continuing boom in low carbon energy technologies such as wind, solar and battery storage will require an increase in the supply of aluminum, copper, lead, lithium, manganese, […]

Scottish Government takes Crown Estate powers

Powers over Scotland’s Crown Estate have been officially given to the Scottish Government. The transfer of control over the revenue and management of the multi-million pound assets is expected to give local communities a stronger voice in how Scotland’s resources are used. Scottish Ministers now have control over thousands of hectares of rural land and approximately half […]

South East Europe has 740GW of untapped renewables

South East Europe (SEE) has a wealth of untapped renewable energy resources worth 740GW. That’s according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which says almost this entire potential capacity in countries such as Croatia, Albania and Montenegro could be cost-effectively deployed by 2030. This figure includes an estimated 532GW of wind generation and […]

Scotland seeks views on Crown Estate devolution

A consultation to decide the future of Scotland’s Crown Estate opened yesterday. The Scottish Government is seeking views on how best to manage and devolve the lands owned by the group, which includes much of the country’s foreshore and seabed. The consultation will run until 29th March. It follows calls from those who suggested the […]

We’ve used up our planet’s resources already this year!

Yesterday was a crucial date. On August 9th humanity used up all the resources of the Earth for this year, with almost five months to go! So called Earth Overshoot Day, is a date in the calendar when it’s estimated we consume the resources of the Earth. Since it started back in 2006, the day […]

A leading academic has condemned “blood oil”

A leading professor has said the West needs to rethink the way it buys its oil. Leif Wenar, Chair of Philosophy and Law at King’s College London, has blamed a law allowing countries like the UK and America to legally buy oil from dictatorships, militias and regimes for the majority of global crises and wars we face. […]

ReMade in Britain: wasting less is key to Brit economy say Tory MPs

A group of Tory MPs is calling on the Government to promote using resources in a better, more efficient way for a “quick economic win”. The subtly ‘green’ message from the 2020 Conservatives, a group of ‘modern’ green Tories, is part of a report which claims eliminating waste from business is an underrated route to […]

Guest Blog: Filippo Gaddo – Shale we take a step into the future?

I was reading a Wall Street Journal article about the demise of the Indian telegraph system last week and its title was ‘The future doesn’t stop.” After 163 years you won’t be able to send a telegram from Mumbai to Melbourne or Madhurai, the telegraph system has been consigned to the history bin. It had […]

Manufacturers clamour for action to halt “resource crisis”

Britain faces a “raw material crunch” unless the Government creates a stronger strategy to keep valuable raw materials circulating in the economy. That’s according to a group of business and environmental organisations which yesterday wrote to the Government calling for action and suggesting a new body be formed to specifically deal with the problem. The […]