Under the Same Sky
The first Chinese character I ever learnt to write was tiān 天, which means “sky” or “heaven”. Perhaps because it’s easy to remember. It is made up of the charac...
The Chinese Century
Back in the day, when you wanted to glimpse into the future, you’d head to San Francisco or Las Vegas. Today, you travel to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu or Hangzhou. Robotics, AI, renewable en...
Getting the best out of the ETS/MSR reform and flexibilities
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer: subscribe to the newsletter Twenty years since its launch, the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) has become the w...
Air pollution: GRI fills a reporting gap
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has recently published the draft of a new reporting standard on air pollution issues, while simultaneously releasing standards on soil pollution and critical in...
Let's discuss ETS, while staying on track with the transition
The world has changed dramatically since 2005. A prime example? Those who were around back then may remember the first BlackBerrys, but had no idea what a smartphone was. Today’s events remind...
Political risk in the carbon market: the LOA trap
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer: subscribe to the newsletter In almost every Article 6 conversation, the same acronym comes up: LOA – Letter of Authorisation....
Article 6, discounts at the frontier?
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer: subscribe to the newsletter The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reached a significant milestone in 2...
CSRD, survey: 9 out of 10 companies disclose sustainability data even without legal obligations
Since March 18, the new version of the CSRD, watered down following the approval of the Omnibus I package, has been published in the European Gazette. It now awaits its transposition by EU member st...
Europe cannot afford to weaken its water protection laws
This article is part of the thematic channel The Water Observer: subscribe to our newsletter and receive exclusive contents from the world of water Europe’s water crisis is no longer a warnin...
An Orderly Chaotic World
Some of the most fascinating explanations are often found in the etymology of a word. When Jean Baptiste van Helmont first coined the word “gas” in the 17th century, he took it from &chi...
Europe doesn’t recycle its e-waste, it exports the problem
E-waste is not just a recycling problem. It is a consumption problem, a governance problem, and ultimately a responsibility problem that Europe quietly and efficiently outsources. Not into statistic...
Quality & Integrity: What are Developers really thinking about?
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer. Subscribe to the newsletter or update your preferences. I recently published Part I of this short series on the words “qualit...
Epic Gamble: The Renewed Israel-US Attack on Iran and Its Wider Impacts
It was a shock but not much of a surprise when Israeli and US air forces unloaded munitions on targets in Iran on Saturday, 28 February 2026. The buildup of US forces in the immediate vicinity ...
The Board of Whatever
World diplomacy reduced to a curtain-raiser. That's how one could sum up the first meeting of Donald J. Trump's Board of Peace, held on Thursday, February 19, at the Donald J. Trump United States of...
Investing in resilience as a development strategy
Stockholm Resilience Centre’s publications are always worth a careful reading. The latest report, “Resilience Science Must-Knows”, focuses on a single concept, widely debated in a ...
The OECD Reshapes the Global Water Agenda: What Is Its Legitimacy?
From the end of World War II, the United Nations and Bretton Woods Institutions dominated the world water order. They facilitated funding for water infrastructure, and they defined norms, institutio...
Integrity and Quality: The Words That Now Decide Prices in Carbon Markets
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer. Subscribe to the newsletter or update your preferences. What do integrity and quality really mean? I have my own interpretatio...
Introducing: The Carbon Observer
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer. Subscribe to the newsletter or update your preferences. The CO₂ market has moved into a new phase: no longer a business for ...
The return of carbon diplomacy
This article is part of the thematic channel The Carbon Observer. Subscribe to the newsletter or update your preferences. Over the past year, two political developments have profoundly affecte...
Why the Citizens Energy Package is the key to Europe’s energy autonomy
Europe currently stands at a crossroads. It must address several imperatives: ensuring energy independence, security, and access to affordable, clean renewable energy. Europe’s last energy cri...