January 28, 2011
Change in Egypt has become unstoppable. The Tunisian virus has infected Egyptian students and taken them to the streets, no longer by hundreds but by tens of thousands, no longer at one isolated place but in many places across the country. The battle call is the same as in Tunisia: Mubarak quit; go to Saudi… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
January 26, 2011
Wind and solar energy will be the two main pillars of Europe’s future clean energy supply. Though both are perfect instruments for reducing C02 emissions they generate negative by-effects for citizens living close to the areas of power generation and transmission. This goes particularly for wind energy. One cannot install wind parks without spoiling virgin… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
During the last 30 years Tunisia has received more economic assistance from the EU than any other North-African country with the exception of Palestine. Its very rapid economic development sine the beginning of the century, with an annual GDP growth of 5 percent would not have been possible without the Association Agreement guaranteeing Tunisian industry… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
This is a completely revised German text of the earlier blog concerning the Rhine freight-railway axis. It contains hefty criticism of the German transport policy. ER Europa braucht klare verkehrspolitische Prioritäten Eine stärkere Verlagerung des Güterverkehrs von der Strasse und des Personenverkehrs von Strasse und Luft auf die Bahn gehören zu den beiden wichtigsten langfristigen… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
During the last 12 months oil prices have risen by 15 percent, much less than either wheat or maize. At the London market they vacillate presently close to € 100 per barrel, about two thirds of the peak price registered in June 2008. There is a priori no reason for concern, the more so as… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
January 17, 2011
In 2009 China has thrown Germany from the pinnacle of the world’s biggest exporter of goods. That was an overdue record. Counting only German exports to non-EU countries, China had already been the no 1 exporting country for many years. Humanity must get used to the fact that during the last 30 years China has… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Business & Climate Change, Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized |
According to data released by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2010 has been -jointly with 2005- the warmest year on earth since the middle of the 19th century, when reliable meteorological measurements first started. In 2010,the global surface temperature was 0.6° above the average temperature of 14.5° during the 20th century, a big… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Business & Climate Change, Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized |
January 12, 2011
Munich-Re, the big re-insurance company, which has been following natural catastrophes very scrupulous for many years, has just submitted its traditional damage report for 2010. 950 natural catastrophes were registered last year, the highest number since 1980, causing financial damage of $ 130 billion, just about equal to the average of the past 10 years.… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Business & Climate Change, Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized |
January 11, 2011
For the first time in decades, EU agricultural expenditures will fall in 2011. The three percent decline constitutes a European contribution to the national austerity regimes. Nevertheless, with € 56.4 billion CAP expenditures will still account for 41 percent of 2011 EU budget expenditures. Fearing more cuts in the future, the French Agricultural Minister Bruno… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Business & Climate Change, Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized |
Among the 27 EU member states Germany pursues the most ambitious climate targets. By 2020 its C02 emissions should be 40 percent below 1990 levels. To that end, the government bets on a variety of actions ranging from C02 taxes, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy and, last not least, a programme for the energetic overhaul… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
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Business & Climate Change, Climate change, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply, English, Uncategorized |
Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind.
