Rhein on Energy and Climate

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Humanity must not again become Hostage to the USA in Climate Policy

January 22, 2010

For those fighting to preserve the earth’s climate, the second decade of the 21st century has begun with two bad news: · UN member countries will not honour the deadline of February 1st, by which to submit their climate targets for 2020, as “agreed” in the “Copenhagen Accord”. That might be the beginning of the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Climate change, English, Environment, EU Priorities and Opinion, Uncategorized

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The Euro group should contain its Ambitions

January 20, 2010

Since the introduction of the common currency, the 16 member countries, that have presently adopted the Euro, form an informal group within the EU institutional framework where they discuss their specific concerns on monetary and fiscal policies. This has often been very useful. The Lisbon Treaty has therefore formally confirmed the Euro group. Backed by… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Economy & Euro, English, EU Priorities and Opinion, EU Treaty & Institutions, Uncategorized

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How to pass from Copenhagen to Mexico

At the Commission Hearings by the EP, January 15, the new Climate Commissioner, Connie Hedegaard, has pleaded in favour of continuing to rely on the UN machinery as the way to reach an international agreement on climate change. After two years of unsuccessful preparations, in the UN framework, for the Copenhagen Climate Conference, this is… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Climate change, English, Environment, EU Treaty & Institutions, Uncategorized

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Europe is bracing for off-shore wind power

January 12, 2010

In December 2008 the EU has decided onto providing at least 20 percent of its energy needs – the equivalent of 30 percent of its electricity consumption – supply from renewable sources by 2020 latest. To that end, it will need to generate about one third of its electricity from renewables. This is anything but… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

BioTech, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized

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Brazil engages in the fight against climate change

January 8, 2010

As of January 1st, the new Brazilian climate legislation (“National Policy on Climate Change Act”) has entered into force. It fixes ambitious targets. By 2020 green house gas emissions should be 39 percent lower than “business as usual”, which should bring back Brazil‘s emissions back to 1994 levels. To reach this objective, Brazil must first… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Environment, Uncategorized

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France should persevere with its ecological tax reform

As of January 1, 2010, France was supposed to have launched its ecological tax reform, under which fossil energy would be taxed at increasingly higher rates and taxes on income and would be lowered correspondingly. On December 27th, the Conseil d`Etat has, however, declared the envisaged legislation as unconstitutional, on the grounds that it contained… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Uncategorized

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The Gulf is going Nuclear

The signature of a $ 20 billion contract, at the end of 2009, between the United Arab Republic and a South Korean industrial consortium under the leadership of the Korea Electric Company for the construction of four nuclear 1400 MW power plants marks a milestone in global energy cooperation: · The UAE will be the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Security, Uncategorized

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Global Climate Action requires restrictions of national sovereignty

January 4, 2010

Fighting climate change requires action by all countries, but in particular the small number of major emitting countries- China, USA, EU, Russia, Japan, India, Gulf states, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Korea, South Africa – on which effective mitigation of global climate change hinges. Up to now only the EU and Japan have taken stringent actions… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Climate change, Energy Efficiency, English, Environment, Uncategorized

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Rhein on Energy and Climate

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

Eberhard Rhein has devoted most of his life to European and global issues. During the 1980s and  1990s,  he served successively as chef de cabinet to the Commission VP in charge of external relations and director responsible for the Mediterrranean and Arab world.

For the past 10 years he has focused more on global environmental issues.

He also gives a course on economic  policy at the "Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies" in Malta. He is the author of many articles on EU, Mediterranean and international subjects


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