Not even EVs: Much of central London could soon be going car-free

2014 BMW i3 in LondonElectric cars have been exempt from most attempts to regulate vehicular traffic in urban centers, but not a new London plan to create car-free zones. Cars—even those without tailpipes—will be banned from large areas of the British capital in order to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists, news network ITV reported Friday...

Plunge in demand for oil could be a win for renewables

Mulan wind farm [CREDIT: Global Climate Budget 2018]Decreases in overall energy demand resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic will hit fossil fuels hard, while driving a shift toward renewable energy, according to a report issued last Thursday. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that global energy demand will fall 6% in 2020—seven times the decline seen after the 2008...

Energy giant Shell joins BP in aim to be net-zero emissions by 2050

Shell logoYou know things are getting serious when oil companies move to reduce carbon emissions. Shell has joined BP in aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Don't expect the company to get out of the oil business entirely, though. "Society's expectations have shifted quickly in the debate around climate change," a Shell press release said...

GM opposition to cleaner California standards is costing it, poll suggests

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EVIn the battle between California and the Trump Administration over the state's right to set its own stricter emissions standards, General Motors sided with the President. That decision may be costing GM, according to a new poll. The majority of GM owners surveyed—regardless of party affiliation—oppose the automaker's stance on tougher...

EPA rejects tighter standards for soot and particulate matter

Smog over Los Angeles, courtesy Flickr user steven-bussAs the nation struggles to control a lung-related pandemic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to merely stay the course on its standards for fine particulates, produced in significant amounts by vehicles and power plants. “Based on review of the scientific literature and recommendation from our independent science...

Study links air pollution to higher COVID-19 death rates

Electric power plant outside Ithaca, New YorkPeople with the novel coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19, are more likely to die from the virus if they live in areas with high air pollution, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, updated Sunday to include the latest data, looked at 3,080 United States counties, comparing levels of...

Coronavirus shutdowns could be bringing best air quality in decades

New York City skylineThe unprecedented social distancing measures put in place by many countries to slow the spread of coronavirus have already produced a measurable effect in one important area--emissions. The slowdown of human activity in many of the world's most populous, most heavily industrialized countries has led to the best air quality in decades. Satellite...

Study: Particulate emissions from tire wear is higher than from tailpipes

Michelin X-Ice winter tiresTire and brake wear could be the next front of emissions testing, according to Emissions Analytics, an organization that conducts independent emissions tests. Emissions Analytics found that emissions of particulate matter from tire wear can be 1,000 times worse than from tailpipes. Particulate matter refers to solid material emitted by vehicles...