Archive for 2009/01 :

Containing population growth must become a global priority

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 29/01/09

Despite the positive signals of demographic stabilisation in the developed world and China, global population keeps increasing at an unsustainable rate. Every year it grows by about 80 million, the equivalent of the German population. UN projections for 2050 expect global population to reach more than 10 billion in the worst hypothesis, 8.4 billion in [...]

The EU should not over-stretch its Borders

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 26/01/09

Between 1995 and 2007 the EU has almost doubled its membership, from 15 to 27 members, accepting more new member states than ever before within a very short time span.
This rapid expansion has not been preceded by the necessary strengthening of its institutional functioning, in particular its decision making capacity. Since 2004, the EU has [...]

The New US Administration is serious with Climate Policy

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 23/01/09

“We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories…and we will work tirelessly to roll back the spectre of a warming planet”. These two sentences in Obama`s inaugural address express a revolution in thinking on the other side of the Atlantic.
Never before has there been [...]

Is the electric Car a Mirage?

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 23/01/09

Between 1995 and 2007 the EU has almost doubled its membership, from 15 to 27 members, accepting more new member states than ever before within a very short time span.
This rapid expansion has not been preceded by the necessary strengthening of its institutional functioning, in particular its decision making capacity. Since 2004, the EU has [...]

Russia is playing foul on Gas Supplies

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 15/01/09

The second gas crisis is as much directed at Ukraine as the first one in the winter of 2006. By cutting gas supplies to Ukraine in the worst time of the year Russia wants to weaken Ukraine economically and discredit its –pro-Western - government for its inability to provide the population with gas.
The connected disruption [...]

Can Climate Policy learn from anti-tobacco policy?

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 13/01/09

Climate change and lung cancer have one thing in common: Both are due to addiction. The climate changes because humanity has got addicted to burning coal, oil and gas, using cars, electricity, aircraft etc. Similarly dung cancer is mostly the consequence of individuals being addict to smoking.
Both processes are slow-moving and not externally visible [...]

Assuring warm homes today and tomorrow

Posted by Eberhard Rhein on 09/01/09

For the second time in three years, the EU faces a cut of its gas supplies from Russia, which provides about 25 percent of its gas needs.
Millions of people in South-East Europe find themselves without proper heating after the Ukrainian transit gas pipeline has been shut off January 7th amid harsh winter temperatures.
The reasons for [...]

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Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind. more.



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