The world is changing fast. If we don’t keep track of the changes, we lose out on the opportunities we have right in front of our nose to transform, transition, change and improve our city, our homes and our lives.

Knowing what is happening in the rest of the world helps us realise what can be achieved – it reminds us that real positive change is not just some distant dream. Out there, others are already proving that it is possible.

During the last months, Colin Mockett has been helping us with this – keeping track – as he generously shares his global outlook and knowledge with us and our listeners in the beginning of each Sustainable Hour on 94.7 The Pulse.

These are some of Mockett’s world view reports and global outlook commentaries:

20 February 2019: How the world is tracking with the Paris Agreement

In July 2017 French Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot announced a plan to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles in France by 2040 as part of the Paris Agreement. Hulot also stated that France would no longer use coal to produce electricity after 2022 and that up to €4 billion will be invested in boosting energy efficiency.

» The Independent – 6 July 2017:
France will ban all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 

To reach the agreement’s emission targets, Norway will ban the sale of petrol- and diesel-powered cars by 2025

» The Independent – 4 June 2016:
Norway to ‘completely ban petrol powered cars by 2025’

The Netherlands will do the same by 2030.

» Eletrek.co – 10 October 2017:
The Dutch government confirms plan to ban new petrol and diesel cars by 2030

Electric trains running on the Dutch national rail network are already entirely powered by wind energy.

» The Guardian – 11 January 2017:
Dutch electric trains become 100% powered by wind energy 

The House of Representatives of the Netherlands passed a bill in June 2018 mandating that by 2050 the Netherlands will cut its 1990 greenhouse-gas emissions level by 95% — exceeding the Paris Agreement goals. [www.volkskrant.nl]

» UNFCCC secretariat – December 2015:
Paris Agreement, FCCC/CP/2015/L.9/Rev.1 (PDF)

» The Conversation AU – 26 February 2019:
Eighteen countries showing the way to carbon zero
“Reducing emissions doesn’t have to conflict with a growing economy, as these 18 developed nations show.”

» The Wuppertal Institute – 9 January 2019:
Ten Country Reports on Ambitious Climate Policy
“The sum of greenhouse gas emission reductions from Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) is...