The Sustainable Futures Report

COP 23, the annual climate conference, is running in Bonn, Germany. We have a report from a man on the ground. The US is not participating, at least not in a positive way; the UN is warning of an emissions gap while levels of CO2 and methane are racing ahead. Should we be driving electric cars? They're clean, aren't they? Some claim that they are just as dirty as combustion engined vehicles. Clien...

The history and purpose of the Sustainable Futures Report as it nears its 200th edition.

In London it could be time for tea, or you could be better off on a bike. Yvonne Teo tells us about her sustainable adventures on a bike. Have you checked your carbon footprint? Best foot forward!  

This week the British government published its Clean Growth strategy. Australia updated its energy policy as well. Both will be controversial. One of the major oil companies has seen the light and finds it's electric. Talking of seeing the light, a famous journalist seems to have had a Damascene conversion. Will the Daily Mail allow him to write for them ever again? Would you like a nuclear power...

So what's new and sustainable? This week it's about Our Ocean and the Prince and the plastic bottles, billions of them. More about plastic straws, too. Could the wind be changing? Had you heard that the war is over? That's the American war on coal. It seems the EPA is fighting a rearguard action. In Siberia they're using wood - too much of it by all accounts. And they'd rather you went away. Proba...

This week: Plan B.Earth and why another group is out to sue the government No fracking in Scotland Why London's mayor is putting out fires Energy from evaporation  Electric planes More on drinking straws Why the diesel market is all at sea Let's bring back heavy metal And Drawdown. Is this the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming?

The Met Office says the slowdown in global warming is over, but does everyone believe it? Is climate change a really urgent issue? Carbonbrief takes issue with the Daily Mail over this. Are we doing enough recycling? The Marine Conservation Society sees straws in the wind, but sadly they're plastic. The British government announces a Green Finance Taskforce. Haven't I heard of something like that...

In this wide-ranging discussion with Anthony Day, Karl Coplan talks about measuring your carbon footprint and sharing it with friends, whether hurricanes are caused by climate change, whether the US administration will change its position on the climate and how he lives the good life with a carbon footprint of only four tons.  

Shooting the breeze or shooting the hurricane. Is that a good idea? We'll find out. Whatever you do, don't mention climate change. At least not at the EPA, although perhaps you should mention it in the confessional and it may be brought up in court.  Careful how you cross the road! Carbon Tracker believes that those electric cars could be arriving more quickly than you thought, although Shell is n...

Time to mine the asteroids for scarce resources or should we be developing a circular economy closer to home? Or is space travel for holidays? Virgin Galactica passengers have paid their $250,000 fares but have been waiting in the departure lounge now for some years. Meanwhile, back on earth the future's electric (should I buy a new car?) inner-city vertical farms are starting to deliver locally-g...

The Sustainable Futures Report is back with a review of Al Gore's latest film, wildfires in unexpected places, earth overshoot day, hydrogen in a Belgian supermarket and a bright idea from Nottingham Trent University. Well done, Dylan, but will it wash? Don't forget to sign up for the Going Green Working Group Conference 2017. Links to all this and more at www.sustainablefutures.report .

Quite a lot to catch up on before I close down for a month. Apparently co-housing makes you happy but some people are quite cross and railing at the British Government's transport policies. They've also announced a new energy policy, which does seem to have confused the BBC somewhat. Is wind power all at sea, and if you're recycling - you certainly should be - are you doing it right? Michelle Mark...

What can I do about climate change? Does it make any difference if I recycle? How can I affect global challenges when there are multinational corporations which seem to be set in the opposite direction? Can we really do anything about population, pollution and climate change? How can I help? Burning questions and suggested answers.  

Here's what I'll be talking about today: Donald Trump at the G20 and his relationships with Ivanka, Theresa, Angela - and Juliana. The wildfires in Canada, Arizona, California and Utah. The new Tesla battery, the new Tesla battery plant and the new Tesla battery-powered Model 3. What the lady on the train told me. Why there's a new threat to the internet and why it's important to know that I'm not...

Hear what Tony O'Donnell of Cambium LLP has to say about the future of sustainability in this world of challenges, opportunities and innovation.  

  This week we return once again to energy; sustainable energy, clean energy and renewable energy. We also look at incredibly expensive energy and very unlikely energy. Community Energy Fortnight, running from 24th June to 9th July has kept me quite busy this last week. There's news from the Amazon, news from Hinkley and news from the Mexican border. First of all let me thank once again all my pat...

We live in challenging times. There is much to be said about the UK political landscape, but for the Sustainable Futures Report I limit myself to sustainability and futures. That doesn't rule out of politics altogether of course, because I am going to talk in more detail about the appointment of Michael Gove as Secretary of State for the environment and about the Juliana case against the US govern...

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Professor Andy Heyes talk on sustainable energy. He's agreed to share his thoughts with listeners to the Sustainable Futures Report. We spoke about renewables, wind, tidal and solar. We looked at innovative ways of managing demand. We discussed whether Drax is really green. Listen now or read the transcript. If you've been to the patreon site at patreon.com/s...

  Donald Trump has finally decided to break with Paris and repercussions were felt as far away as Pittsburg. He's still being pursued by Juliana and really didn't appreciate Emmanuel Macron giving him a hand. Al Gore is making last-minute changes to his latest film, Ellen MacArthur is offering a prize, Robert Llewellyn is leading the Great Village Green Crusade and beavers are beavering away, mayb...

Yes, it's the report you've all been waiting for: my analysis of the different promises on sustainability in the UK election manifestoes from the main parties. I'll tell you who I'm going to vote for and why. I also include a guide to the UK electoral system for those of my many listeners who are based outside the UK. Text and links at anthonyday.blogspot.com 

This week we're talking about clean energy, about rubbish and about pollution, both in the sea and in the air. If you think politicians are rubbish you'll hear of a politician who really is rubbish and proud of it. Should you have your coffee in a china cup or a paper cup or a styrofoam cup? We find the answer in Switzerland. We follow up on tellurium, look at a novel use for hydrogen, gaze throug...

Maybe it's because our election is dominating the news, but there's not a lot to talk about, so I won't detain you long.  In this report we see that Trump is procrastinating, the US judiciary is standing firm, and the Morteratsch Glacier is snowed up. Germany is using less coal, DEFRA is trembling at the prospect of Brexit and there's a new circular economy standard. More about cricket, but the in...

In this week's report: can you get a discount if you take your own cup to a coffeeshop? Are batteries the investment of the future? I'll tell you about my smart meter, about electric cars in India and about the implications of tellurium supplies for solar panels. The RHS comments on the effect of climate change on gardens. Will we soon been drinking GM tea? The court has ruled against the governme...

We've all heard of the Big Apple but Brighton has a Big Lemon. You can ride in it. You'll soon be able to ride in driverless cars. They're expected to arrive in 2019. After last week's edition on rubbish I can tell you about Reverse Vending and about grubs that eat plastic. Meanwhile the government is in court yet again over its failure to improve air quality. It's also using the election to delay...