Rhein on Energy and Climate

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Between 1995 and 2007 the EU has almost doubled its membership, from 15 to 27 members, accepting more new member states than ever before within a very short time span. This rapid expansion has not been preceded by the necessary strengthening of its institutional functioning, in particular its decision making capacity. Since 2004, the EU… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The second gas crisis is as much directed at Ukraine as the first one in the winter of 2006. By cutting gas supplies to Ukraine in the worst time of the year Russia wants to weaken Ukraine economically and discredit its –pro-Western – government for its inability to provide the population with gas. The connected… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Climate change and lung cancer have one thing in common: Both are due to addiction. The climate changes because humanity has got addicted to burning coal, oil and gas, using cars, electricity, aircraft etc. Similarly dung cancer is mostly the consequence of individuals being addict to smoking. Both processes are slow-moving and not externally visible… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

For the second time in three years, the EU faces a cut of its gas supplies from Russia, which provides about 25 percent of its gas needs. Millions of people in South-East Europe find themselves without proper heating after the Ukrainian transit gas pipeline has been shut off January 7th amid harsh winter temperatures. The… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

It seems next to impossible for the international community to agree before the end of 2009, in just 12 months, on a meaningful package for mitigating climate change. The odds speak against. First, it has taken the EU 12 months from proposals to adopting legislation, but only thanks to formidable preparative efforts by the EU… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

For 35 years the EU and its two direct neighbour countries – Norway and Switzerland – have been linked by free trade areas. Since 1973, the contractual relations with these two countries have deepened into ever new areas, mostly related to the single market. Norway has gone further than Switzerland in that direction to the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Just two days after the European Council has adopted the EU climate policy package, the Australian government has followed suit, presenting its “carbon pollution reduction scheme”. That is good news because it shows that the rich countries are finally getting serious for the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December 2009. For Australia action on the climate… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

After its agreement on December 12, the EU might wish to sit back and say: mission accomplished. That would be a fatal error. The real mission only starts now. The EU has to motivate the rest of the world to also engage in the battle against climate change. The preparatory meetings for the decisive international… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein