Category: Analysis

New study on attitudes on energy consumption to begin

Rachael Fergusson for Energy and Technology Magazine describes the start of an important new study on attitudes about energy consumption in the work place. Project to study attitudes to energy use at work A new £1.3m project is to examine people’s attitudes to energy consumption in the workplace. Led by researchers at the University of … Continue reading New study on attitudes on energy consumption to begin →

New publication on climate change ethics

As the world turns its attention to the negotiations at the next climate change conference in Doha, it is useful to truly reflect on the subject.  Most observers of climate change policy developments around the world agree that climate change is a civilization challenging ethical problem, yet most governments have utterly failed to enact climate … Continue reading New publication on climate change ethics →

Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives

Richard Anderson, Business Reporter of the BBC has published an extensive article on the BBC website on what the global growth of coal will mean to climate change objectives.   Coal resurgence calls undermine clean energy commitments Coal, the dirtiest and most polluting of all the major fossil fuels, is making a comeback. Despite stringent … Continue reading Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives →

New publication on our global environmental challenges

Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockström have written an important report for the Club of Rome entitled Bankrupting Nature, Denying Our Planetary Boundaries.  Both authors are recognised for their work on sustainability issues.  Anders Wijkman is a co-President of the Club of Rome, a former MEP and actively involved in many environmental activities.  Johan Rockström is … Continue reading New publication on our global environmental challenges →

Creating jobs and boosting the economy

Energy efficiency investment is one of the best ways to boost the economy, new research reveals.  GreenWise provides a good review of a new study from Consumer Focus in the UK.  The lessons from this, however, go well beyond the UK.   Carbon taxes could boost economy and lower energy bills Investing money raised through … Continue reading Creating jobs and boosting the economy →

What the IEA’s World Energy Outlook says about energy efficiency

This week, the International Energy Agency published its 2012 version of its World Energy Outlook.  There was considerable attention given to energy efficiency.  It is instructive to read some excerpts on energy efficiency from the executive summary. Our Efficient World Scenario shows how tackling the barriers to energy efficiency investment can unleash this potential and … Continue reading What the IEA’s World Energy Outlook says about energy efficiency →

The struggles of a resource economy

A recent report commissioned by the Canadian International Council analyses how Canada should start shaping its resource policies for the future.  Fur, fish, wood, and minerals may have shaped this country's early history, but more recently, natural resources were largely regarded as part of the old economy, best left behind as Canada raced toward a glittery … Continue reading The struggles of a resource economy →

Health effects from wind farms

Andrew Gilligan of The Telegraph writes about the first peer-reviewed scientific study on the health effects from the noise of wind farms. Wind farm noise does harm sleep and health, say scientists American and British researchers compared two groups of residents in the US state of Maine. One group lived within a mile of a … Continue reading Health effects from wind farms →