Valuable diplomatic manoeuvring underway on climate change

While there has been understandable focus on the UN’s Climate Summit this week, the International Institute for Sustainable Development also reports on a meeting of another high-level group. Major Economies Forum Convenes Foreign Ministers MEF21 September 2014: The 20th Meeting of the Leaders' Representatives of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change … Continue reading Valuable diplomatic manoeuvring underway on climate change →

Coming to grips with how we feel about climate change

This article was written by George Marshall on the eve of the climate summit this week. He assesses how we internalise climate change and one of his points is particularly important: “So if we are to really mobilise action on climate change it is vital that we recognise that it exists in two forms: the … Continue reading Coming to grips with how we feel about climate change →

The need to shift to energy-efficient appliances

While the Climate Summit was held this week, focus was on the range of ways to address climate change. Achim Steiner, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) provided the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) with a guest article on the importance of shifting to energy-efficient appliances. It is well worth reading. Following its publication, … Continue reading The need to shift to energy-efficient appliances →

The EU challenge to find a united approach to achieving emissions targets

There are few who would argue with meeting emissions targets in Europe. But, they are expensive to achieve and many of the new member states have found it difficult to give this a priority when there are so many other economic and social issues to deal with. Christian Oliver writes in the Financial Times about … Continue reading The EU challenge to find a united approach to achieving emissions targets →

Expected impact of climate change on Asian economic growth

Victor Mallet writes in the Financial Times about a recent Asian Development Bank study that calculates the effect on GDP in six Asian countries if they maintain a “business as usual” scenario for global carbon emissions. Climate change to slash south Asian GDP, ADB warns South Asian economies will be badly squeezed by climate … Continue reading Expected impact of climate change on Asian economic growth →

We cannot ignore aviation’s contribution to GHG emissions

As many of us take to the skies to far off holidays, we should note the impact of air travel on GHG emissions. This is not to put a damper on our northern summer but at some point we are going to have to address this more effectively. The Press Association provides a good news … Continue reading We cannot ignore aviation’s contribution to GHG emissions →

Challenging myths that influence our views on climate

Robert H. Frank, an economics professor at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, writes in The Upshot section of the New York Times about the frequent incantation of a motley collection of myths, each one rooted in bad economics. This is good summer reading for all of you to reflect upon. … Continue reading Challenging myths that influence our views on climate →

Many in the American religious community supporting Obama’s environment programme

It is always fascinating to who is an environmentalist and who is a “denier.” While this is true globally, it is particularly true in the US where many conservatives are opposed to any effort to address climate change. Theodore Schleifer writes in the New York Times about a group of conservative faith leaders who have … Continue reading Many in the American religious community supporting Obama’s environment programme →

Politicians and economists – who do you believe?

We find that the Prime Ministers of Australia and Canada are convinced that carbon taxes do not work. Munir Sheikh, an executive fellow at the School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, and a former chief statistician of Canada argues the case of the economists in Canada’s Globe and Mail. What do these PMs … Continue reading Politicians and economists – who do you believe? →

Addressing climate change does not have to cost the earth

Fred Pearce provides a useful article on the New Scientist website about a relatively low cost way to avoid climate change. Stopping harmful climate change is surprisingly cheap Saving our skins might be surprisingly cheap. To avoid dangerous climate change, the world needs to boost spending on green energy by $1 trillion a year. … Continue reading Addressing climate change does not have to cost the earth →