Rhein on Energy and Climate

Archives for Climate change

Politicians have little time to think and therefore often come up with bizarre ideas. One of these is the carbon border tax proposed by President Sarkozy and favoured also by other politicians in Europe. A carbon border tax is an instrument for protecting European industries against imports of carbon-intensive products like cement, steel, aluminium or… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The European Commission has given green light to making available € 1 billion for funding six “clean” power stations trying different technologies for capturing and underground storing of C02 emissions (CCS) across Europe. It is to be hoped that the European Parliament will rapidly approve the funding proposal despite objections from green NG0s. In order… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The answer is: yes, though wind power is still far ahead. It will therefore take 20 years or more before the globally installed solar capacity will exceed that of wind power. At the end of 2008, the global capacity of wind energy exceeded 100 GW, about half of which installed in Western and Northern Europe,… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

No other country on earth wastes more energy than Russia. According to Russian estimates, the country could save about 40 percent of its energy consumption if its energy sector functioned according to Western standards. The losses due to poor heat isolation of buildings, outdated equipment in industry and power generation and transmission are colossal. It… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

In 2007, the US Supreme Court had issued a ruling requiring the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to determine whether C02 emissions endangered public health or welfare. Following pressure from the automobile and fossil power industries and instructions from the White House, the EPA failed to comply with the rule of this Supreme Court. Now the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Following in US footsteps the EU has been negotiating a free trade agreement with Korea during the last two years, which is on the point of being finalised. If signed and ratified by both parties it would progressively abolish duties and other import obstacles on a bilateral trade volume of some $ 100 billion within… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The 19/20 March 2009 European Council Meeting was a rare show of European unity and resolution to tackle unprecedented challenges Europe and the world are confronted with. It was visible in declarations of the leaders and the resolute Presidency Conclusions. The accusations of protectionism and the frictions between the French President and the Czech Presidency… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

PM Gordon Brown has decided to add climate change to the already overcharged agenda of the G 20 summit meeting in London April 2nd. That is a wise and courageous decision considering the poor state of preparation of the International Climate Conference to be held in December in Copenhagen. Indeed, the G 20 countries account… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

British prime ministers are among the few dignitaries in the world privileged to address the US Congress, when they visit Washington. Gordon Brown did so two days ago. He delivered a vibrant plea to the US representatives and senators for more global cooperation. National and even continental cooperation are no longer sufficient to solve our… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The international community is busy negotiating new C02 reduction targets for 2013-2020. There is agreement that these ought to be much tougher than those for 1990-2010. For the developed countries the ambition is for a 25-40 cut over 1990. That is a tall order! The risk is therefore high that governments will take commitments without… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein