Rhein on Energy and Climate

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After years of controversial political debate, China has its carbon tax! It has taken the courage of Julia Gillard, the socialist prime minister since 2010, to get there. As of July 1. 2012, 294 companies and municipal councils will be subject to a A$ 23 tax per ton of C02. That is more than twice… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The European Council meeting of 28/29 June 2012 may enter history as having advanced further towards a deeper union among European countries, accompanied by a progressive split among Euro and non-Euro members. It has also demonstrated the ever rising complexity of decisions taken. Shaping European policy has never been easy and keeps becoming more and… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

European Energy and Climate Policy are not in good shape. Commission, European Parliament and member States are at odds about the objectives to pursue and the best means to implement them. There is no agreement about increasing the target for reducing green house gas emissions to 25 per cent until 2025, Poland remaining dead against.… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Just in time for the Rio+ 20 Conference on sustainable development UNEP has published the latest data on investments in renewable power in 2011. These paint an overall positive picture: Investments have increased by 17 per cent over 2010, despite a stagnating global economy. Solar power accounted for roughly two thirds of the investments, continuing… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The parallel announcement Sunday June 10 by the Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy and EU Commissioner Oli Rehn that the Spanish government would ask for an EU support up to € 100 billion to recapitalise and restructure its ailing banks has been received with great relief by the political and financial class across the world and… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

By 2050 the EU aims at covering essentially all of its electricity needs from non-fossil sources: wind, hydro, solar, biomass,geothermal and possibly nuclear. A multitude of medium-sized power plants. widely scattered across the continent, will then satisfy an increasing electricity demand of 500 million European citizens and make Europe largely largely self-sufficient in electricity, except… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has raised an outcry in his country and beyond by opening a crusade against abortions and pleading for at least three children per family. He has called upon his government to prepare appropriate legislation to ban or restrict abortions and caesarian births to strictly medical indications. Abortion, which is legal… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Serbia has elected a new President. Against all odds and polls Tomislav Nicolic has won over the incumbent, Boris Tadic, though by a narrow majority. The new President has dubious political credentials. For most of his political career, he has been associated with the extreme right. He has been vice president of the Serbian Radical… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein