How the economics world needs to respond to climate change

Erin Nash and Yuan Yang from Rethinking Economics write on the Responding to Climate Change website about exactly that, rethinking economics. They state that economics education is creating a generation who don’t understand climate change. It will be interesting to get the views of EiD readers.   Climate change means we must rewrite economics textbooks … Continue reading How the economics world needs to respond to climate change →

Oil industry becoming more attractive than Silicon Valley

This is an unusual post for EiD but it is interesting to see the attraction that the oil industry is having for the new generation coming into the workforce. Isaac Arnsdorf provided this in The Independent. New breed of Texan oilmen cash in on shale Mark Hiduke has just raised $100m (£59m) to build his … Continue reading Oil industry becoming more attractive than Silicon Valley →

OECD finds air pollution from road transport costs member states US$1.7 trillion annually

Deaths and health impacts from air pollution cost advanced economies, together with China and India, US$3.5 trillion annually, according to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, 'The Cost of Air Pollution: Health Impacts of Road Transport.' Air pollution and its impacts on human health cost society an estimated US$1.7 trillion per year … Continue reading OECD finds air pollution from road transport costs member states US$1.7 trillion annually →

How political experience can be used to promote renewables

It is difficult for small “green” electricity companies to make gains in the market. Diane Cardwell writes in the New York Times about one former political operative and his move to break into the market.   Applying the Lessons of Politics to Green Power Over the years, Tom Matzzie — by working as a political … Continue reading How political experience can be used to promote renewables →

Trying to change attitudes towards fracking

Damian Carrington has an excellent blog in the Guardian about what won’t work to convince the British of the need and benefits of fracking. It is definitely going to take a lot of convincing. Fracking: shock and awe will not win the battle of Britain Removing the ability of people to block shale exploration under … Continue reading Trying to change attitudes towards fracking →

Canada re-thinking its approach to climate change

Canada has been in the global doghouse concerning climate change ever since it decided to walk out of the Kyoto Protocol. Yes, it did make some half-hearted commitment at the climate conference in Copenhagen several years ago. The priority has been on resource development – mainly tar sands – but now Josh Wingrove writes in … Continue reading Canada re-thinking its approach to climate change →

New communication on energy security from the European Commission

It is good to see that the European Commission has come out with its new communication on energy security. Energy security certainly needs to be given higher priority. It is good to see that energy efficiency is mentioned first. When the Commission first proposed its non-binding target for energy efficiency, there were many complaints that … Continue reading New communication on energy security from the European Commission →

New BPIE study: Alleviating Fuel Poverty in the EU

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has published a new report that should be mandatory reading for all EiD followers. While the topic comes up regularly, we are getting nowhere to resolving the issue of fuel poverty. As the new BPIE report explains, fuel poverty is a major problem in and for Europe. In 2012, … Continue reading New BPIE study: Alleviating Fuel Poverty in the EU →