Rhein on Energy and Climate

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On an ordinary October day 2010 the international media carried four reports concerning EU activities: EU moves to block a Polish deal with Russia; EU claims victory over aircraft C02 emissions; EU Parliament to extend motherhood vacation to 20 weeks; EU Presidency proposes compromise over environmental levies on trucks. Each of these apparently trivial and… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

US militaries have for a long time warned of the impact from climate change global security and, more directly, of the security risks resulting from excessive US dependence on imported oil from an unstable Middle East. But recently, as the New York Times reports, the Army has taken concrete steps towards weaning itself off fossil… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

In two months another climate conference will take place. Formally it will be the 16th meeting of the “Contracting Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change” (COP 16). Nobody following climate issues has high expectations for its outcome. That makes it different from Copenhagen. After the failure of the climate legislation package in… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The EU has been in a process of permanent enlargements since its very beginning in 1958. In 2010 it is negotiating with two more candidate countries: Croatia and Turkey. It has given membership promises to six West Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo). In the East, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia also cherish… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The Philippine President Aquino has angered the Catholic Church in his country by announcing his intention to make contraceptives freely available to couples who cannot afford them. This incident did not happen in the 20th century but at the end of September 2010! No other single institution in the world has been responsible for so… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

For the past 50 years European farmers have benefited from an exceptional set of protection and subsidies. No other group of society, with the exception of coal miners, has ever been so pampered through guaranteed prices and, in the last 15 years, direct subsidies from the EU budget. From 1995 to 2010, the cumulative budget… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Within just five years China has established itself as the dominant world manufacturer of solar panels and wind turbines. In 2010, it looks poised to account for about half of global production for what are the key market segments of renewable energies, with a focus on EU and USA, the two major markets. It has… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

No other country-continent on earth enjoys such an abundance of renewable resources as Australia. It could easily supply its 22 million people with non-fossil, non-nuclear energy, provided governments muster the political will and give the necessary push for a long-term energy and climate strategy based on renewables and energy efficiency. Australia has more than plenty… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

After months of internal controversy focused on the future of nuclear power the German government has adopted a nine-point strategy for making its energy supply secure and essentially C02 free by 2050. It is the first EU country to do so setting an example for all EU countries to follow. The strategy fixes the targets… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein