July 7, 2015
Germany’s perception as a champion of fighting climate change is better than reality. It continues to be the sixth biggest CO2 emitter after big China, USA, Russia, India and Japan; and its per capita emissions are higher than of any other EU country. This is essentially a consequence of its precipitated 2011 decision to end… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
In the Arab world Morocco is one the very few countries without oil or gas resources. To cover its fast rising energy consumption it has been totally dependent on imports. Fortunately it possesses a big potential of renewable energy, in particular wind and solar: more than 1000 km coast line with winds blowing almost continuously;… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
April 22, 2015
According to the calculations of the world’s top climate scientists, humanity has only 30 years to go, until 2045, before reaching an increase of global temperature of more than two centigrade, its self-imposed “red light”. Indeed, at present annual global emissions of 40 billion tons the atmosphere will no longer be able to absorb additional… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
|
Business & Climate Change, Climate & Environment, Climate change, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Supply |
April 13, 2015
In a 120-page report published April 8th the French Agency for Environment and Energy concludes that by 2050 France might be able to cover all its electricity needs from photovoltaic and wind energies. For a country that has drawn three quarters of its power supply from nuclear reactors and was not renowned for its reliance… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
March 3, 2015
Coal is the most polluting fossil energy. It emits roughly twice as much CO2 as gas. From a climate point of view mankind should therefore urgently get rid of coal. This will not be easy as coal is the cheapest fossil energy, which reflects its ample resources in major coal producing countries like Australia, South… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
January 26, 2015
International oil prices have declined to $ 50/barrel, levels not seen for years; but governments fail to neutralise these ultra-low prices by raising excise taxes. They seem to be much more interested in pleasing consumers than in seizing the opportunity for reducing their budget deficits and fighting climate change. This is irresponsible! Have governments completely… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
December 10, 2014
COP 20, the 20th annual climate conference, has started in Lima in a mood of increasing realism. Those who still believe in containing global warming within two degrees Celsius target are becoming rarer. The issue becomes more and more if Humanity will get away with acceptable conditions of survival or succumb to famine, non-ending natural… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
December 2, 2014
Within a few months oil prices have seen a precipitous decline from $ 100/barrel to $ 70/barrel. While consumers across the globe may rejoice, this development is bound to be judged with serious misgivings by the 2000 diplomats meeting as of today in Lima/Peru for another conference with the objective of containing the emission of… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
November 24, 2014
For many years Ukraine has wasted huge amounts of energy through exorbitant subsidies on gas consumption, coupled with in-transparent multiple gas prices and large-scale corruption. Due to these factors, Ukraine has become one of the most wasteful energy consuming countries in the world. With household gas prices substantially lower than in any other European country… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
November 20, 2014
At the Pittsburgh G 20 meeting in September 2009 the heads of government had agreed to phase out subsidies on fossil fuels by 2020. At that time, the global volume of these climate-damaging consumption subsidies amounted to $ 300 annually, mostly in developing and emerging countries. Today, their volume has risen to $500 billion, and… » read more
Posted by Eberhard Rhein
Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind.
