Climate Solutions

Invested by Europe: Why Space is the Backbone of Europe’s Economy

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Space is often associated with rockets and missions to the Moon. But space technology underpins many of the services we rely on every day — from navigation and weather forecasting to communications, agriculture and secure financial transactions.

In this episode of Invested by Europe, Pierre Limouzin, senior investment officer at the European Investment Bank, explains why space has become a strategic sector for Europe’s economy and security. He discusses how falling launch costs and new technologies have transformed the industry, what makes investing in space different from other tech sectors, and why strengthening Europe’s space ecosystem is essential for competitiveness and sovereignty.

We also explore how satellite manufacturing is changing, the dual‑use nature of space technologies, and how space data could shape daily life in the years to come — from Earth observation to more futuristic applications such as manufacturing and healthcare research that’s carried out in space.

Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy. In each episode, we hear from experts working on some of Europe’s most important long‑term challenges — and how investment is helping turn innovation into impact.

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Invested by Europe: How to Play Defence Against Climate Change

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Climate action is about more than cutting emissions. Even if mitigation succeeds, societies and economies will continue to face climate risks for years to come. Climate adaptation is how those risks are managed.

In this episode of Invested by Europe, we speak with Roman Röhrl, climate change specialist at the European Investment Bank, about what climate adaptation really means and how it works in practice. The conversation explores how adaptation helps protect people, infrastructure and economic activity from climate hazards such as flooding, heatwaves and drought.

The episode looks at why adaptation needs to be built into investment decisions across sectors, how long‑term finance and clear standards can help scale up resilience, and the role that institutions, policymakers and the financial sector play in supporting climate‑resilient development.

🎧 Invested by Europe is the European Investment Bank’s video podcast exploring how Europe invests in its future — from climate and energy to housing, infrastructure and social cohesion.

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Invested by Europe: What Actually Makes Affordable Housing Possible?

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Across Europe, affordable housing depends on more than construction alone. It requires long‑term finance, clear rules, access to land and careful urban planning.

In this episode of Invested by Europe, we speak with Grzegorz Gajda, Senior Urban Specialist at the European Investment Bank, about what makes affordable housing work in practice. Drawing on experience from across Europe and beyond, the conversation looks at how governments, cities, investors and institutions can work together to increase supply, keep housing affordable and build sustainable urban communities.

The episode explores how long‑term funding mechanisms, effective regulation, land recycling and mixed‑use development can help deliver housing that people can afford — and cities that function better for everyone.

🎧 Invested by Europe is the European Investment Bank’s video podcast, exploring how Europe invests in its future — from housing and energy to innovation, infrastructure and social cohesion.

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Invested by Europe: How Innovation Could Make Construction an Industry You’ll Want to Work in

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:41:33 GMT

Explore how innovation in construction materials, digital tools and industrialised processes could transform how Europe builds—and who works in construction.

The conversation looks at why construction has changed so little for decades and how technologies such as digital twins, Building Information Modelling (BIM), robotics and artificial intelligence are reshaping design, production and collaboration. Industrialised, factory-based construction offers major gains in precision, cost control, waste reduction and worker safety. That will make construction attractive to young people and help solve the industry’s labour shortage.

The episode argues for a life-cycle approach to buildings, from design and construction to operation and end-of-life reuse of materials. By combining innovation with circular thinking, Europe can deliver buildings that are both affordable and sustainable.

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Invested by Europe: Why Social Investment Drives Europe’s Economic Success

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Social investment shapes everyday life in Europe — from education and healthcare to childcare and housing. In this episode of Invested by Europe, we explore why investing in social infrastructure is not just about social protection, but a key driver of inclusive economic growth.

The podcast looks at how social investment helps more people participate in the labour market, boosts productivity and supports ageing societies. We examine gaps in childcare provision, the housing affordability challenge and Europe’s growing skills shortages — and why addressing them could significantly strengthen Europe’s economy.

The episode also explores how innovation, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence, can help deliver social services more efficiently, even as fiscal pressures rise.

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Invested by Europe: Why Security and Defence is a Race Against Time for Europe

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Europe’s security environment is changing fast — and investment decisions made today will shape its resilience for decades. In this episode of Invested by Europe, we examine why security and defence is such an urgent priority and what European strategic autonomy means in practice.

The podcast explores how Europe is closing long-standing capability gaps through coordinated investment, joint procurement and new financing tools. Innovation emerges as a central theme, spanning areas such as cybersecurity, space, artificial intelligence and advanced electronics — many of them dual-use technologies with both civilian and military applications.

The episode also looks at the role of small and medium-sized enterprises, the importance of mobilising private investment alongside public funding, and how readiness depends on a broad ecosystem of technologies and suppliers.

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Invested by Europe: Why Energy Efficiency Is Europe’s Fastest Climate Solution

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Explore why accelerating energy efficiency renovations is one of the fastest and most effective ways to cut energy demand, reduce emissions and lower energy bills.

The podcast looks at why renovation rates remain too low, what’s holding back households, businesses and cities, and how investment and public support can help unlock action. We also examine the role of digital tools and artificial intelligence in planning renovations and operating buildings more efficiently.

The episode explains how energy efficiency supports the rollout of renewable energy, improves comfort for citizens and delivers more predictable energy costs — and how the European Investment Bank helps scale up investment through financing and technical assistance.

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Climate Solutions presents Invested by Europe

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:59:00 GMT

Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy. In each episode, we hear from experts tackling the most pressing challenges—from housing and energy to innovation and infrastructure, security and defence. We look at what’s changing, what the solutions are, and how Europe is investing in its future.

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SPECIAL: Ozone: How to Solve an Environmental Crisis (re-release)

Fri, 16 May 2025 03:16:00 GMT

Marking 40 years since the discovery of the ozone hole, this award-winning audiomentary revisits how scientists and policymakers united to address one of the most pressing environmental crises before climate change. Explore the journey from alarming discovery to global action that led to the healing of our planet's protective shield.

🎧 Winner of the 2024 European Excellence Award for Best Podcast.

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The green transition's time has come

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 06:00:08 GMT

The green transition

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Europe's pivot to wind and solar

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 06:00:55 GMT

The energy transition

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On the grid

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 06:00:16 GMT

The future of energy storage

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How to store the sun and the wind

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 06:00:00 GMT

The future of energy storage

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The power of waves

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 06:00:24 GMT

The other renewables

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Ancient energy

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 06:00:52 GMT

The other renewables

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Energy from the good earth

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 06:00:37 GMT

The other renewables

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The power to blow your mind

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 06:00:44 GMT

The future of wind energy

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You can't embargo the sun

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 06:00:35 GMT

The future of solar energy

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More than a magic trick

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 05:00:32 GMT

The history of renewables

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Wind picks up

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 05:00:50 GMT

The history of renewables

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The rise of white coal

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 05:00:33 GMT

The history of renewables

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The boy who harnessed the wind

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 13:34:32 GMT

Henrik Stiesdal interview, © European Patent Office

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Boosting learning, saving energy

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 05:00:53 GMT

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A fresh idea

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 05:00:50 GMT

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Green and humane

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 05:00:41 GMT

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Giga-push for European batteries

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 05:00:40 GMT

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Roll with the robots

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 05:00:13 GMT

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All hands on deck

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 05:00:41 GMT

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Gigawatt on the roof

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 05:00:36 GMT

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Above and beyond

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:00:45 GMT

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The future of climate adaptation

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 05:00:41 GMT

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What are countries doing about climate adaptation?

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 05:00:55 GMT

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What is 'just resilience'?

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:21:26 GMT

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Audiomentary: Ozone: How to Solve an Environmental Crisis

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 05:30:37 GMT

Listen to our first audio documentary on how we solved the ozone crisis, the biggest environmental disaster humanity encountered before climate change.

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Extra: Why trust science

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:00:16 GMT

Bonus content: An interview with Naomi Oreskes.

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The jigsaw puzzle

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 06:00:08 GMT

How lessons learnt then can help us solve the climate crisis today.

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Extra: An endling

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 06:00:16 GMT

Bonus content: Once there were billions.

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The smoking gun

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:00:41 GMT

How we saved the planet.

Sources: Ozone layer recovery is on track, due to success of Montreal Protocol | UN News, | Ozone Secretariat (unep.org), About Montreal Protocol (unep.org), Oral history interview with Mario J. Molina - Science History Institute Digital Collections.

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Extra: The wonderful story of Henny Penny

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 06:00:38 GMT

Bonus content: A folk tale.

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The sky is falling

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:00:38 GMT

How scientists fought against ozone denial.

Sources: IN THE FACE OF DOUBT | The New Yorker, Look Up and Live. (The Ozone Is Still Tiere.) - The New York Times (nytimes.com), INERT | The New Yorker.

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Invisible gases and invisible rays in an invisible atmosphere

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 06:00:40 GMT

How hair sprays and deodorants almost destroyed the ozone layer.

Sources: Oral history interview with Mario J. Molina - Science History Institute Digital Collections, Oral History Interview with F. Sherwood Rowland | OpenSky (ucar.edu).

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Extra: The good, the bad and the ugly ozone

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 05:00:11 GMT

Bonus content: All about ozone.

Sources: A Killer of a Cure | Science History Institute, The Great American Fraud/Chapter 3 - Wikisource, the free online library, The History of Ozone (illinois.edu), Nasa Ozone Watch: Ozone facts.

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The proof is in the snow

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 05:00:17 GMT

How the world got rid of lead in gasoline.

Sources: REVIEW: Clair Patterson and Robert Kehoe: Two Views of Lead Toxicity (uniwa.gr), Chemical concentrations of pollutant lead aerosols, terrestrial dusts and sea salts in Greenland and Antarctic snow strata - ScienceDirect, Historical changes in integrity and worth of scientific knowledge - ScienceDirect, The Removal of Lead from Gasoline: Historical and Personal Reflections - ScienceDirect, LSU Press :: Books - A Thousand Ways Denied, The Ancient Oyster - Country Roads Magazine, The Development of the Louisiana Oyster Industry in the 19th Century. (lsu.edu), Historical review of European gasoline lead content regulations and their impact on German industrial markets (Technical Report) | ETDEWEB (osti.gov), Precautionary Principle and the Kehoe Principle • LITFL • CCC.

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Extra: The iceman only rings once

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 05:00:14 GMT

Bonus content: All about a forgotten profession.

Sources: Iceman (occupation) - Wikipedia, When Everyone Wanted to Be the Iceman - Gastro Obscura (atlasobscura.com), Delivering Blocks of Ice: The Story of the Icemen Through Vintage Photos - Rare Historical Photos.

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The miracle chemical

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 05:00:16 GMT

How the refrigerator changed our lives.

Sources: CFCS RISE AND FALL OF CHEMICAL 'MIRACLE' - The Washington Post, The History of the Refrigerator: How Our Ancestors Kept Their Cool (familytreemagazine.com), The Birth of The Refrigerator: How We All Ended Up With One (memphisice.com), How It All Began: The History of the Refrigerator (liebherr.com), Ice trade - Wikipedia, White Goods in Italy during a Golden Age (l948-1973) on JSTOR.

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Extra: A car nut

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 05:00:48 GMT

Bonus content: Jamie Kitman talks about being an environmentalist and a car enthusiast.

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A one-man environmental disaster

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:00:29 GMT

How one man’s inventions almost destroyed the planet.

Sources: The Secret History of Lead | The Nation, When Work Drives You Mad: Tales from the Deadly "Loony Gas" Building | Mental Floss

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Extra: Opposite to the north

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Bonus: Jonathan Shanklin talks about his experiences in Antarctica.

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‘This has to be wrong, it has to be wrong’

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 05:00:09 GMT

How scientists discovered a hole in the sky.

Sources: Ozone Layer (nationalgeographic.org), Ozone depletion - Wikipedia, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2018 (noaa.gov).

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Preview: Climate Solutions presents Ozone

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:00:47 GMT

You can listen to the part of our first episode of our new season today. The full episode is out on Tuesday, October 3rd. After that, we will be dropping a new episode every Tuesday.

Subscribe to Climate Solutions so you don’t miss any of it.

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Trailer: Ozone: How to solve an environmental crisis

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 05:00:42 GMT

Have you ever heard of the ozone hole? If you were born after the 1990s, the chances are you might not have. If you were born before, the chances are you have forgotten all about it. But just before the turn of the century, it was on everybody’s lips. The biggest environmental disaster humanity had encountered up to that point.

In our new season, we will tell you all about what caused the ozone hole, how it was discovered and how the world came together to fix it. We will also show you how the lessons learnt then can help us (in solving the climate crisis) today. This is the story of the ozone hole.

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May 1985

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:24:52 GMT

Climate Solutions presents Ozone: How to solve an environmental crisis. Coming soon.

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The school that thinks differently

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:00:25 GMT

A primary school in the Milan suburbs illustrates the future of school design and learning, thanks to innovative education financing.

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Climate tracking on a remote Greek island

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 09:41:26 GMT

A new Mediterranean climate change research centre on the Greek island of Antikythera will collect valuable data to help model the impacts of climate change in the region.

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A wind power wonder off Portugal’s stormy coast

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 05:00:01 GMT

Europe’s first floating wind farm, off the coast of Portugal, towers 210 meters above the North Atlantic. An impressive feat of engineering, the three turbines generate enough electricity for 60 000 households, saving an estimated 33 000 tons of CO2 a year.

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Hospitals in uncharted waters

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 09:20:23 GMT

Runa Khan believes that everyone should have access to healthcare. Her organisation Friendship brings medicines, vaccines, and education to remote areas of Bangladesh. What does that have to do with the climate?

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Nature’s highways

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 05:00:00 GMT

A plan to revive Lithuania’s inland waterways with electric barges could cut carbon emissions by cutting 48 000 trucks journeys each a year.

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Local climate solutions

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 05:00:15 GMT

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What drives firms’ investment in climate action?

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:37:53 GMT

Europe’s two major challenges, energy independence and climate change, are closely intertwined. But they share one solution – a swift transition to a greener, more sustainable economy.

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The ocean ashore

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 05:00:41 GMT

A Swedish company aims to farm salmon on land, providing nutritious, sustainable local salmon to Sweden.

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Quenching Jordan’s thirst

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 05:00:18 GMT

The Aqaba-Amman desalination project is an innovative and sustainable plan to solve Jordan’s water scarcity.

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Car conundrum

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:00:11 GMT

Electric vehicles could make a big dent in Europe’s stubborn transport emissions, but they aren’t an absolute cure for the pollution and social problems of mobility.

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A tale of two cities

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 05:00:24 GMT

Urban climate adaptation is the next step for cities that need to protect themselves—and their citizens—against the inevitable effects of climate change. Here are some ideas about how to do it.

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Stocking up for resilience

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 05:00:05 GMT

In the spring of 2022, international wheat prices rose to their highest level in 20 years. In Tunisia, the official price of a baguette remained the same as it had been for more than 15 years – 0.19 Tunisian dinars (about 6 euro cents).

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How bringing back an ancient species helps the climate

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 05:00:36 GMT

Rewilding Europe has a new solution for biodiversity management and revives ancient animals in the process.

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Green ships on the blue

Fri, 26 May 2023 05:00:38 GMT

Shippers are investing in scrubbers, better blades and sleeker boats to clean up sea and air.

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Building up energy efficiency, brick by brick

Fri, 19 May 2023 05:00:02 GMT

Cities and regions across Europe slash costs and emissions with energy efficiency investments.

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Free electricity

Fri, 12 May 2023 08:00:54 GMT

To halt illegal connections, Eletropaulo puts people in São Paulo’s favelas on its regular grid, promoting social inclusion, gender equality and social energy tariff.

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Subatomic climate solutions

Fri, 05 May 2023 05:00:58 GMT

A neutron source facility in Sweden seeks to bring European materials research and green innovation to unmatched levels.

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Heating that is greener

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 05:00:01 GMT

A Dublin- headquartered group foresees that the Internet of Things can help to reduce emissions from household heating. It’s researching smart ways to make it happen.

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The sound of glasses

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 05:00:18 GMT

Austrian high-tech firm USound pioneers the world’s smallest loudspeakers based on a truly digital technology that requires 80% less power.

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Cold fusion? You’re getting warmer

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 05:00:16 GMT

As a renewable energy source, cold fusion is potentially unlimited clean energy. But what is fusion energy, how does it work, and is there such a thing as cold fusion?

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Floating wind farms

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 05:00:42 GMT

Port in southern France embarks on a huge expansion to support two floating wind farms in the Mediterranean.

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Beam me up, Varjo

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:00:30 GMT

Finnish metaverse company Varjo is boldly going where no one has gone before with virtual reality technology that makes virtual teleportation a reality.

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A loan that pays (if you cut emissions)

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 06:00:02 GMT

To encourage less pollution, EIB climate finance loan offers Enel a lower interest rate if it cuts more CO2 emissions.

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Let there be power

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:00:15 GMT

An Italian took his childhood love for invention and turned it into a company whose energy efficient electronics could make big cuts in carbon emissions.

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How to turn a rail system green

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 06:00:45 GMT

Denmark’s entire rail network just switched from diesel to electric. It took a long time to make the change and cost a lot of money. But here’s how the Danes did it—and why it’s so important for other rail systems to do the same thing.

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How to build a Gigafactory

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 06:00:43 GMT

In the north of Sweden, a new factory is turning out batteries for electric vehicles. It’s a “Gigafactory” owned by Northvolt, a Swedish startup. We’ll find out what Gigafactories are and what impact they can have on climate change.

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Green and blue go together

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 06:00:03 GMT

Urban climate adaptation is the next step for cities that need to protect themselves—and their citizens—against the inevitable effects of climate change. Here are some ideas about how to do it.

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Automating solid waste treatment

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:00:16 GMT

A new Portugal sustainable waste management plant uses automated sorting for recycling and energy generation, while improving services to cohesion regions and contributing to the circular economy.

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Shoring up against erosion

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 06:00:47 GMT

Romania tackles coastal erosion and protects its tourist industry, as well as protecting biodiversity in the sea and coastal wetlands.

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Do good and make money

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 06:00:46 GMT

An investment approach that aims turning a benefit to society into profit.

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Space for everyone

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 06:00:20 GMT

Bulgarian nanosatellite SME EnduroSat’s unique technology helps cut the cost of accessing space-based sensors and equipment for scientists and businesses. Though hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company continues to grow with venture debt from the EIB under the Pan-European Guarantee Fund.

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These seeds work

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 06:00:17 GMT

Rice is a major source of carbon emissions, because of the way it’s grown. A private equity-backed Indian company has developed sustainable varieties that require less water, cutting carbon emissions, and boosting yields and incomes for farmers.

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Solar power for rural Africa

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 06:00:02 GMT

A scaled up off-grid model transforms access to solar power in rural Africa

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The last green mile

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 06:00:53 GMT

Poste italiane launches an electric fleet for its mail carriers to cut emissions and meet growing demand for mail and parcels across Italy

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Space for life

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 06:00:12 GMT

After COVID-19, urban planning will need to adapt to the needs of citizens during a pandemic, as well as making cities greener and climate resilient. Barcelona shows the way

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Beets to beat disease

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 06:00:36 GMT

A French firm is breeding plants that resist climate change and need less pesticide and fertilizer

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Internet of Things

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 06:00:00 GMT

Internet of Things (IoT) technology holds the key to transforming and optimising the way we live, drive, work, manufacture products, or receive healthcare. It can reduce communication and storage costs, as well as energy consumption and carbon footprints.

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Navigating the storm

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 11:01:32 GMT

A Finnish company believes that automated vehicles will help halt climate change, so it’s developing software to operate them in all weather conditions

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Rise of the delivery robots

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 11:31:34 GMT

Stories about companies from all over the world which are coming up with climate solutions:

Robotics company Starship Technologies is reshaping our shopping and delivery habits, bringing green innovation to urban mobility.

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Energetic innovation

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 06:00:43 GMT

To cope with changes in climate energy solutions will become even more innovative in years to come. But many of the solutions are already being developed. Here are the most important.

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In hot water

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 06:00:22 GMT

Whether there’s not enough of it or too much, water is a big problem. Here are innovative water climate solutions to deal with scarcity and flooding in the coming decades.

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Get used to it

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 05:00:40 GMT

Even with innovations to slow global warming, we’ll need climate adaptation for a long time. Here are some new ways of dealing with the impact of climate change that will become big in the years ahead.

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Transport solutions for a cleaner world

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 05:00:16 GMT

As the only sector that’s emitting more carbon than it used to do, transport climate solutions are more important than ever. Here’s how climate action will change mobility.

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Digitalising the climate fight

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 05:00:24 GMT

Circular economy climate solutions are more than just recycling. With artificial intelligence and the internet of things, digitalisation is a big tool for reusing things we currently throw away.

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Urban climate solutions for 15-minute cities

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 05:00:40 GMT

If you were mayor of your city, what urban climate solutions would you put in place to cut carbon emissions and improve the quality of life? Here’s a checklist.

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An energy efficient future

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 05:00:53 GMT

Energy efficient climate solutions could shave a huge slice off global emissions. Here’s how our buildings are going to change, as we stop global warming.

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Blade Runner saves the climate

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 04:00:21 GMT

In the future, air travel will be even more common than today—but it won’t be bad for the climate. What are the airline climate solutions that aviation companies are working on?

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Climate Solutions season 3 is now available in French, German, Italian and Spanish!

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Climate Solutions: A Dictionary of Green Finance is available inner languages!

Listen in French, German, Italian and Spanish!

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What’s next? No one left behind

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story that has yet to be told

Glossary: carbon tax, carbon pricing, just transition

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What is the European Investment Bank?

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the EU climate bank

Glossary: European Investment Bank, European Investment Fund, EIB energy lending policy

Sources:

>€1 trillion for <1.5°C, European Investment Bank, 2020

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A natural bond

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about a bond, a green bond

Glossary: green bonds, bonds, Climate Awareness Bonds, Sustainability Awareness Bonds

Sources:

Climate solutions: Confucius and green finance, Aldo Romani, European Investment Bank, 2019

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The virtuous circle

Mon, 31 May 2021 22:00:00 GMT

A story about taking the waste out of the take-make-waste economy

Glossary: circular economy, linear economy, eco-design, cradle-to-cradle approach, sharing economy

Sources:

A Dictionary of Finance, podcast, European Investment Bank, 2018

The virtuous circle, Ellen MacArthur, Big Ideas, European Investment Bank, 2019

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The digital footprint

Thu, 27 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the Jevons Paradox

Glossary: digital emissions, ICT, decarbonisation, Jevons Paradox

Sources:

Climate solutions: What are your virtual CO2 emissions? Andres Gavira Etzel, European Investment Bank, 2019

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Changing our diet

Tue, 25 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about how our food is threatening the climate

Glossary: blockchain, sustainable diet, climate change and agriculture, food waste

Sources:

Climate solutions: Your stomach can save humanity, Janel Siemplenski Lefort, Arnold Verbeek, Surya Fackelmann and Brendan McDonagh, European Investment Bank, 2019

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The Big Blue

Thu, 20 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about how blue can be green

Glossary: microplastics, blue economy

Sources:

Climate solutions: Investment to save the seas, Alessandra Borrello and Jonas Byström, European Investment Bank, 2019

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The Secret Economic Life of Bees

Tue, 18 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the economic value of pollination

Glossary: biodiversity, ecosystem services

Sources:

Climate solutions: Working with nature, Stephen Hart and Andrew Neill, European Investment Bank, 2019

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An energy fairytale

Thu, 13 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the ugly duckling of clean energy

Glossary: energy efficiency, retrofitting, nearly zero-energy buildings

Sources:

Climate solutions: The fast way to save energy, Louise White and Reinhard Six, European Investment Bank, 2019

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E-mobility

Tue, 11 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the electric puzzle

Glossary: e-mobility, sustainable transport

Sources:

Climate Solutions: Road to Utopia, Neil Valentine, Merijn Martens and Birgitte Keulen, European Investment Bank, 2019

Climate Solutions: When climate action means better roads, Diego Ferrer, Birgitte Keulen and Meryn Martens, European Investment Bank, 2019

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To adapt or not to adapt? The urban non-dilemma.

Thu, 06 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story of how cities tackle climate change

Glossary: climate adaptation, climate mitigation, green infrastructure, Green-Blue infrastructure, nature-based solutions, Natural Capital Finance Facility

Sources:

Climate solutions: The city as a sponge, Leonor Berriochoa Alberola and Giulia Macagno, European Investment Bank, 2019

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The tipping point

Tue, 04 May 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story about the greatest market failure ever seen

Glossary: climate crisis, carbon budget, climate action, climate finance, climate mitigation, climate adaptation, environmental finance, natural capital, renewable energy, blending

Sources:

A Dictionary of Finance, podcast, European Investment Bank, 2018

>€1 trillion for <1.5°C, European Investment Bank, 2020

This is the global economic cost of air pollution, Niall McCarthy, World Economic Forum, 2020

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Profit, people, planet

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story of how we changed the rules of the game

Glossary: environmental, social and governance (ESG), sustainable finance, Sullivan Principles, socially responsible investing, triple bottom line, impact investing

Sources:

A Dictionary of Finance, podcast, European Investment Bank, 2018

Investopedia.com

wikipedia.org

ESG Definition, Principles And Examples, YouMatter, 2019

Milton Friedman Was Wrong About Corporate Social Responsibility, John Friedman, The Huffington Post, 2013

Happy Workers, Richer Companies? Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 2014:

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Prasine, smaragdine or green?

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story of how green became the new black, and how quarters became centuries

Glossary: sustainability, green finance, sustainable finance, Sustainable Development Goals, greenwashing

Sources:

Defining "green" in the context of green finance, European Commission, 2017

A Dictionary of Finance, podcast, European Investment Bank, 2018

Investopedia.com

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Whatever happened to the ozone hole?

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

A story of how we saved the planet, and how we need to do it again

Glossary: green finance, Montreal Protocol, ozone depletion, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases, Kyoto Protocol, Conference of Parties (COP), Paris Agreement, European Green Deal, climate neutrality, carbon offsetting, climate change, carbon trading, carbon pricing

Sources:

Defining "green" in the context of green finance, European Commission, 2017

European Green Deal, European Commission, 2019

Stratospheric Sink for Chlorofluoromethanes: Chlorine Atom-Catalysed Destruction of Ozone. Mario Molina and FS Rowland, Nature, 1974

The World Solved the Ozone Problem. It Can Solve Climate Change. The Editorial Board, New York Times, 2019

Has the Kyoto protocol made any difference to carbon emissions? Duncan Clark, The Guardian, 2012

climate.nasa.gov, NASA (Goddard Institute for Space Studies)

unep.org, Unite Nations Environment Programme

wikipedia.org

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Climate Solutions: A dictionary of green finance (Season 3 trailer)

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 15:01:56 GMT

Climate Solutions is the award-winning podcast from the European Investment Bank. We know that stopping climate change is going to be very expensive. We’ll need to build more wind and solar farms. We’ll need to renovate buildings and electrify cars. We’ll need new technologies we haven’t even thought of yet. This is why we need green finance. And it’s why you should subscribe to the new season of Climate solutions: A dictionary of green finance.

New episodes starting from Thursday, April 22nd (Earth Day)!

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The very philosophical episode: Climate change and post-materialism

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

Here’s what happens when two of your three podcast guests are French. You find yourself talking about sociology and philosophy. This episode starts off with hard facts about climate change and ends up with ideas that will have you thinking long after you’ve finished listening.

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Travel into the future

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

If there were a contemporary equivalent of the Beach Boys, they’d be singing about their monthly bus tickets and offering to take their girlfriends for a ride on an electric bike. Total global emissions come from a few main areas of human activity—energy, industry, agriculture…and transport. Our experts look at how mobility will get greener to stop climate change.

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How much would you pay to stop climate change?

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 05:00:00 GMT

The price of what you buy. It’s not the first idea that comes to you, but it makes sense. If things that cause climate change cost more—and things that don’t cause climate change cost less—which things would YOU buy? Are people ready actually to pay to stop climate change? Our experts look at the possibility that possibility that the price of goods will be a decisive factor in stopping climate change.

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Down to work: COVID, teleworking and behaviour changes

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Are you making radical lifestyle changes to stop climate change? Limited efforts? Do you want to change, but can’t do it? Or do you think you don’t need to make a contribution? We’ll tell you whether you’re trying harder than the 30,000 people in our big climate survey, and our experts explain what that means for the future of humanity.

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What would you give up to save humanity?

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT

What’s the connection between cars….Netflix…your new pants…and sausages? If you said, climate change, you were right. Each of these things has an impact on climate change, because making them or running them results in the emission of carbon into the atmosphere. But which of these things would be harder for you to give up, if you had to, to halt climate change? We look at our survey of 30,000 people around the world and ask our experts what the answers mean for climate change—and your pants.

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Is COVID-19 good or bad for the climate?

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Has COVID-19 changed our behaviour in ways that might be good for climate change. For example, teleworking, instead of commuting to an office, means fewer carbon emissions and, therefore, is good for the climate. And what about the economic recovery? Are people just so desperate for an end to the COVID-19 recession that they want investment at any cost? Or do they want a green recovery? We look at the results of our massive climate survey and ask the experts what they think it all means.

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Season 2: What people really think about climate change?

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 06:00:00 GMT

What would you give up to solve the climate crisis? Flights to exotic holidays? Red meat? Your car?…Climate Solutions surveyed 30 000 people in every EU country, in China, the US and the UK to find out what they’re ready to do to fight climate change. And whether they’re even worried about climate change at all now that COVID-19 threatens us. Then we spoke to experts about what it all means for the future of our planet.

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Your digits have a footprint

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 06:00:00 GMT

Do digital devices reduce energy and emissions? Our climate podcast digitalisation episode finds that the answer’s not as clear as you might think

Video-conferencing should be good for the environment. Instead of business teams commuting to a single office in vehicles that emit greenhouse gases, they can meet virtually on screen. But if they don’t have to come to an office, the team might end up living far apart, even in different countries. So their occasional meetings could generate a still greater amount of carbon emissions.

That’s the kind of dilemma we’re looking at in our climate podcast digitalisation episode. Is the production and use of digital devices good for the environment—because we don’t need to cut down a tree to make the paper for you to read the news, for example. Or are there just so many of these devices that they end up consuming more resources than ever.

You’ll find out on Climate Solutions.

Subscribe to the entire series of Climate Solutions from the European Investment Bank, the EU climate bank. Learn what you should do to fight climate change in the oceans, on the road, on your dinner plate and even in the windowbox of your apartment.

In the climate podcast digital episode, you’ll find out:

· some studies say that the carbon dioxide emitted by digital technologies has increased by around 450 million tonnes since 2013 in OECD countries

· but others indicate that emissions have flattened out in recent years, because ICT equipment is more energy efficient

· the connection between Abraham Lincoln’s second inauguration, Lewis Carrol’s publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the theory formulated by a British economist named William Stanley Jevons that explains why more efficient digital devices might lead to an apparently paradoxical increase in emissions

· why the circular economy could be key to ensuring that the production and use of digital devices doesn’t increase greenhouse gas emissions in the long run

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Cool it, hot stuff!

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 06:00:00 GMT

When we cool or heat our buildings, we waste a lot of energy—and release emissions that damage the climate. Our climate podcast energy efficiency episode shows how you can turn that around

When I was a kid, my dad used to go around the house switching off lights and shouting that we were wasting electricity—in those days that meant we were throwing away money. My eight-year-old daughter goes around the house switching off lights, shouting that we’re wasting electricity—which today means we’re harming the climate.

Energy efficiency is a crucial part of the fight against climate change. In our climate podcast energy efficiency episode, we’ll show you how to reduce the energy you use to cool or heat your home—and the impact that can have on climate change.

In the climate podcast energy efficiency episode, you’ll find out:

· The electricity and fuel used to heat, cool and light buildings account for nearly 40% of energy consumption in Europe. It’s responsible for around 35% of greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings are the single biggest consumers of energy, so making them more efficient can have a big impact on the race to meet climate goals

· 75% of buildings and housing could be made more energy efficient. But less than 1% of housing is renovated each year for energy efficiency

· The European Union wants to cut overall emissions by 40% by 2030 and it wants to increase energy efficiency by more than 30%.

· One energy efficiency programme operated by the European Investment Bank, ELENA, has worked on 95 projects so far. These projects will eventually lead to over €6 billion in investment in energy and transport efficiency. That will save more than 3,600 GWh of energy and 1.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Clean up your commute

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 06:00:00 GMT

Cleaner urban transport can be a big part of halting climate change—and saving our lungs. Our climate podcast urban transport episode lays out a roadmap to climate-friendly mobility

We know that cleaner, electric urban transport will be a big improvement for our cities. But it’s not always clear how we get there. Our climate podcast urban transport episode lays out the benefits of cleaner mobility for the climate—and our health.

In the climate podcast urban transport episode, you’ll find out:

· An electric vehicle isn’t only cleaner than an internal combustion vehicle, it’s also more efficient. Electric vehicles consume one-third of the energy of traditional cars.

· The number of electric cars is growing exponentially. In 2018, the number of electric vehicles on the road surged to 5.1 million, up 2 million from 2017. Most of those electric vehicles, 45%, were in China, with the European Union making up 24% and the United States 22%. Of course electric vehicles still represent only a small fraction of the more than 1 billion cars on the road.

· Europe has also made progress addressing the other part of the electric puzzle: the charging infrastructure. The number of charging stations in the European Union surged from a mere 3 800 in 2011 to more than 150 000 expected by the end of 2019. The rollout is being fuelled by projects like Enel X Mobility, which plans to install 14 000 charging stations in Italy by 2022. The European Investment Bank is supporting that project with a €115 million loan.

· Electric vehicles still face many challenges. For one, the cost of batteries has to come down for electric cars to be as affordable as conventional cars. Progress on this is encouraging. Electric car prices have fallen 85% from 2010 to 2018.

· In Europe, emissions from electricity production have fallen steadily, from over 500 grams of carbon per kilowatt hour in 1990 to less than 300 grams of carbon per kilowatt hour in 2016. That decline means that electric cars are responsible for less emissions per kilometre driven than conventional cars, throughout the European Union.

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to

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How green was my bond?

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 06:00:00 GMT

Why is it so important to know how green a bond is? Our climate podcast green finance episode explains this is crucial to the fight against climate change

Any kid with a paint set knows there are lots of different shades of green. So if I try to sell you a “green bond” to help fight climate change, can you know how green it really is?

Our climate podcast green finance episode will tell you how big institutions have figured out a set of rules to make sure that you—or the pension fund or bank that buys them for you—will be able to tell just how green your green bond is.

That’s more important than it might sound. Because fighting climate change is a lot of things—it’s urgent, it’s crucial to the survival of humanity, and it’s really, really expensive.

If we’re going to hit our climate targets, we need to invest trillions of euros in renewable energy and energy efficiency, in adaptation projects that protect us from the impact climate change is already having—and we need to develop new technologies that none of us have even thought of yet.

All this costs a lot of money, and we won’t raise that money unless we can demonstrate to investors that it’s being spent on climate projects with a real impact. That’s what you’ll find out about on our climate podcast green finance episode.

In the climate podcast green finance episode, you’ll find out:

· What are green bonds? Green bonds are bonds whose proceeds are allocated to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

· Before we get to green bonds, we’ll also explain what bonds are. A bond is a financial instrument that’s sold by a company or an institution or even a country. The investor buys the bonds, because the issuer—the seller of the bond—agrees to pay back the investor’s money plus interest at a set time in the future. Green bonds do all this, but with a cool twist.

· What is a sustainability awareness bond? Sustainability Awareness Bonds are financial bonds whose proceeds go to projects that contribute to sustainability objectives, beyond climate change mitigation (because mitigation is for green bonds). Sustainability awareness bonds deal with other issues related to the environment.

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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How much is nature worth?

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 06:00:00 GMT

We don’t have to choose between protecting nature and economic growth. Our climate podcast biodiversity episode details the economic value of nature

Some people say we face a straight choice between innovative, thriving human communities and saving the natural world. Our climate podcast biodiversity episode proves that’s not true.

When we invest in and maintain our biodiversity, we expand our way of thinking about economics. Biodiversity is our natural infrastructure. It’s just as important to economic development in the decades ahead as the infrastructure we build with concrete, steel and fibre optic cables.

Our climate podcast biodiversity episode looks at the massive contribution biodiversity makes to our economy—and demonstrates that while we’re waiting for the great innovations that will solve the climate crisis, we can slow climate change by protecting and investing in nature.

In the climate podcast biodiversity episode, you’ll find out:

· The economic importance of protecting pollinators like bees. Pollination of crops is essential to the fruits and vegetables grown across the world. Globally, crop pollination contributes the equivalent of €150 billion every year. That’s a real, tangible value created by biodiversity with very low costs. It’s also a fun way to silence your grumpy old uncle who thinks protecting nature should take second place to economic growth.

· There are only 50 countries in the world with a GDP bigger than those tiny little crop pollinators.

· The combined value to the world’s economy provided by ecosystems is called ecosystem services. They contribute $125 trillion to $140 trillion a year. That’s seven times the GDP of the United States. (How do you like that, grumpy old uncle?)

· Commercial forestry can support sustainable landscapes and foster rural economic growth and employment. Global demand for wood, renewable fibre and other forest products is growing, driven primarily by biodegradable packaging, soft tissue products and renewable energy.

· More good news. In the EU, forests and other wooded areas account for over 40% of the land. In recent decades, afforestation has increased this area by about 0.4% a year. The actual volume of the EU’s forests is also rising. Only 60% of the annual forest growth is harvested.

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Singin’ the blues for the oceans blue

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 06:00:48 GMT

The blue economy must be a priority to protect the oceans from plastics and waste. Hear how you can help in our climate podcast oceans episode

Blues singers usually wail about a lover who ain’t treatin’ them right, but on this episode of the Climate Solutions podcast we sing the blues for the ocean.

Our climate podcast oceans episode looks at the unexpected ways in which we’re polluting the oceans—and the way that pollution plays a role in climate change. We also give you a checklist of things you can do to hold back the tide of pollution.

In the climate podcast oceans episode you find out:

· What we need to do on land to save the seas

· About 40% of the plastic that ends up in the oceans comes from trash discarded in or near rivers by the two billion people who lack waste collection services. Of all the plastic arriving in the oceans from rivers, 90% comes from just 10 rivers, mainly in Africa and Asia.

· The oceans contain trillions of miniscule pieces of plastic, as well as giant “garbage patches,” the biggest of which, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, covers an area three times the size of France.

· What are microplastics? Microplastics are tiny plastic pieces polluting the oceans. Microplastics account for the large majority of plastic debris on the oceans’ surfaces. Microplastics include broken-down plastic waste, synthetic fibres and beads found in personal hygiene products. They harm marine life, which mistake them for food, and they’re consumed by humans through seafood and tap water.

· Which of the following is getting a €214 million clean-up backed by the European Investment Bank? My kitchen drain, or the Kitchener Drain, a 69-kilometre network of canals in Egypt’s Nile Delta.

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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When climate action means better roads

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 06:00:00 GMT

Hear how developing countries are working to protect their economies—and their people—from climate change in our climate podcast development episode

To those of us in the developed world, climate action means switching to electric vehicles, taking a bike or public transport… Or maybe eating tofu, but let’s not go there.

These are very important things to do, but they’re also what some people call “First World problems”. In the developing world, climate action means building better roads.

Developing countries need better roads to protect them against the disastrous human and economic effects of climate change that occur when roads are flooded, covered by landslides or interrupted by unusable bridges. This adaptation to climate change ensures that infrastructure and people are better prepared to cope with extreme weather and protected from its consequences.

This episode of the Climate Solutions podcast tells you what adaptation is and gives you concrete examples of how it works in projects financed by the European Investment Bank, the EU bank, in countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America.

In this episode you’ll find out:

· What is climate adaptation? Climate adaptation moderates harm or finds beneficial opportunities that result from changes in natural or human systems caused by actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects. (You can hear some more about adaptation in episode one of Climate Solutions, which is on urban development and looks at how your city is fighting climate change with adaptation projects.)

· How long are roads meant to last? Roads are built to last from 20 to 50 years and to withstand extreme weather events that occur only once in 50 to 100 years. Climate change means that these events will become more severe and more frequent. That’s a problem in developing countries, because design and maintenance of roads are sometimes underfunded and are not always based on recent extreme weather predictions. At the same time, existing infrastructure may degrade faster due to harsh weather conditions, resulting in the need for earlier upgrade and replacement.

· What is capacity building? Capacity building is the process by which skills, experience and technical and management capabilities are developed. Capacity building is often the result of the something called technical assistance, where international organisations give advice on how to prepare projects, so that they can then get funds from banks and other development institutions.

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Your stomach can fight climate change

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 06:00:00 GMT

Hear how agriculture can feed a growing population and cut its impact on global warming in our climate podcast agriculture episode

We all know that climate has a big impact on our food. After all, if there’s no rain and sunshine, crops don’t grow. But increasingly we’re learning that the way we grow our food has a big impact on the climate. In fact, we’re at a crisis point.

This episode of our Climate Solutions podcast looks at some of the research and innovation under way that’s rethinking what we eat and how we produce it, so that it will have a less damaging effect on the climate.

In this episode you’ll find out:

· How often a forest the size of Luxembourg is destroyed to make way for agriculture

· How more efficient agriculture could cut the roughly 30% of food that is currently lost or wasted

· How big data is helping farmers track and better target their production. You’ll hear about GPS soil sampling that allows farmers to create soil fertility maps with information about a field’s nutrients, its pH level and other data. That enables farmers to make better decisions about which seeds to plant, where to plant them, and what kinds of fertiliser to use

· How many data points per year does an automated milking system store on a single cow? The answer is 200 000—but we’ll also tell you what they’re for

· How many people in the world are undernourished? It’s 821 million, and we’ll lay out some solutions to help feed them

· We’ll also have reassuring news for gastronomes. France throws away an estimated 10 million tons, or 10 billion kilos, of food each year—but the government has passed laws to ensure that restaurants and supermarkets give that food to needy people, rather than tossing it. We like that, because why, oh, why would anyone throw away French food?

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Your city is a sponge

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 05:30:00 GMT

Hear how urban planners are confronting the effects of global warming on our climate podcast adaptation episode.

Cities are where most of us live. They’re also where we’re most likely to be affected by climate change in the form of increasingly frequent floods and super-high temperatures, both of which are a big cost to the economy and, even worse, cause death.

So, if we can agree that we don’t want people in our cities to die faster than they already do, let’s look at what we can do to reduce the impact of climate change on urban areas.

This episode of the Climate Solutions podcast tells you about some of the big projects going on in this area, in particular in some cities you may know—Florence in Italy, and Athens in Greece, with brief stops in the Netherlands, Spain and France. At the end of the episode, you’ll bet a checklist of things you can do to help your city cope with climate change.

In this episode you’ll find out:

· What is climate mitigation? It’s something that cuts the amount of greenhouse gas emitted, such as a wind farm or an energy efficiency renovation.

· What is climate adaptation? This is a project that doesn’t necessarily change the amount of greenhouse gas emitted, but instead focuses on helping a city cope with the effects of climate change. We look at a project in Florence that deals with adaptation to the increasing flooding caused by climate change.

· What’s the difference between climate mitigation and adaptation?

· What is Green-Blue infrastructure? Green-Blue infrastructure is a city planning term that means incorporating natural landscapes into public spaces (green) and combining them with good water management (blue).

If you’ve got something to say about climate in general or this podcast in particular, let me know @EIBMatt on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Climate Solutions.

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Climate Solutions: The Climate Podcast trailer

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 10:00:00 GMT

Climate change is humanity’s biggest problem. The Climate Solutions podcast tells you exactly what you can do to fight climate change. From the way you heat your home to the food you eat and the digital devices you use, Climate Solutions is your checklist for climate action.

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