Green and compact is the recipe for climate-friendly cities
How climate-friendly is the urban development in your municipality? A new tool helps planners compare alternatives.
Sustainability
LOADING CONTENT
COP29 resulted in a crisis of confidence – the last thing the world needs
An ineffective negotiation system was the main impression people left with from the climate summit in Baku. Restoring trust in this system must be the top priority for the next conference.
Making the world’s fastest skis
They won’t feature at this year’s World Championships in Trondheim, but NTNU researchers believe the world’s fastest and most flexible cross-country skis will be ready for the 2027 World Championships in Falun.
Trump wants Greenland – but here’s what the people of Greenland want
Donald Trump used a 2018 survey on Greenlandic preferences for national independence to bolster his argument for annexing the autonomous territory.
The secrets of small droplets can offer smelters substantial benefits
It’s been a mystery for many years: Every day, tonnes of ferromanganese – an important additive in steel – are “locked” in slag on their way out of the furnaces. We are now getting close to solving this problem.
Boardroom diversity affects carbon emissions – but not in the way you think
Forget gender, ethnic background, and age. When it comes to cutting carbon emissions, it’s the board’s diversity in skills, expertise, experience and insider/outsidership that matters.
Fossil fuels help us grow food. That’s good for food production but bad for the planet.
By now, most people know that a regular diet of animal-based products isn’t a good choice for the planet. But how bad are these foods, really?
Former airport is now an ‘eco-town’
It is essential that Norwegian towns and cities become climate-neutral. But how do we get this done? On the site of the old Oslo airport at Fornebu, researchers are demonstrating how real transformation can be implemented in practice.
Collected climate data from Nigeria that researchers need
Climate scientists often lack the information they need for their climate models. A master’s student helped to find important figures from Africa’s most populous country – Nigeria.
Three pieces of advice for politicians about plastic
Plastic, and plastic pollution, are a huge problem for both human health and the environment. An interdisciplinary panel of experts suggests that politicians take three concrete steps to better understand and rein in this growing problem.
Research is helping us to develop healthier and more climate-friendly protective footwear
Protective shoes are stiff and heavy and made primarily for protection. Many people feel they’re more trouble than they’re worth. But research is coming to the rescue, with better ergonomics and a reduced climate footprint.
Artificial geysers can compensate for our mineral shortages
By imitating nature, it may be possible to recover seabed minerals by extracting hot water from the Earth’s crust. We can harvest green energy and be sensitive to the environment – all at the same time.
Climate emissions from air travel 50 per cent higher than reported
A new study that looked at nearly 40 million flights in 2019 was able to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel for nearly every country on the planet. At 911 million tonnes, the total emissions from aviation are 50 per cent higher the 604 million tonnes reported to the United Nations for that year.
Researchers can help shipowners achieve ambitious climate targets
International shipping does not want to be a climate bad guy and is aiming to be emission-free by 2050. A new tool designed by researchers in Trondheim can help shipowners who are searching for green solutions.
Cheaper batteries are key to shifting transport away from fossil fuels. Can the market deliver?
High metal prices can drive up the costs of electric car batteries, which will reduce their adoption. Car manufacturers are already responding to this by shifting to different technologies.
Development projects should be assessed according to the cumulative impact they have on nature
Does it matter if a small area of rare wetland is lost if a lot more of the same area remains intact? In Norway, it is impossible to say, because no-one can show how many such wetlands are being destroyed elsewhere at the same time.
You may soon be making coffee powered by your car battery
Power cuts can be caused by heavy snow and icing, as well as lightning strikes and strong winds bringing down power lines. Together with more extreme weather events, Norway is also facing a major power supply deficit. So, what can we do to avoid a total electricity crisis?
If we can’t untangle this mess, Norway’s blue industry will never be green
For the first time, researchers have investigated how ropes and fishing lines are handled by the Norwegian commercial fishing industry. The fishing fleet loses almost 400 tonnes of rope in Norwegian waters every year.
European union’s ambitious climate goals are achievable – here’s how
Europe is well on its way to achieving its ambitious climate goals of a 55 per cent reduction in emissions in 2030 and “net zero” in 2050. But proposed policies must be implemented quickly and effectively.
The energy footprint of architecture built by oil
Four of the six Gulf States are among the top five biggest greenhouse gas emitters per capita. Why? Oil is the answer, but not quite in the way you might think.
Climate talks and the way forward
What should power the future’s shipping fleets? How can we change the way we build buildings so that they’re truly climate neutral? If we’re going to actively alter the planet’s climate, how should we study this?
Rethinking foreign aid may promote green innovation
Groundbreaking projects funded by Norway demonstrate that foreign aid can help to combat both poverty and environmental problems. One result is that uncontrolled plastic waste may become a resource for the cement industry.
Who should collect, manage and have access to data from the oceans?
Research institutions from Norway and other countries have collected a great amount of data from the northern oceans in recent years. Many people want access to this information.
Early whaling eradicated species from local waters
Several whale species disappeared from Europe long before whaling became a major industry. Two of the most common species are no longer found here, and one of them is almost extinct.