Rhein on Energy and Climate

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I cannot resist responding to Svetoslav Apostolov`s long letter to the editor (July 13) concerning the “EU institutions hypocritical fight against climate change“. Basically, he makes three points: – Man made climate change does not take place, but the EU institutions have made it their mantra. – The EU institutions waste energy and therefore behave… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The US Department of Energy expect the share of wind energy to treble from a minuscule 1.4 percent today to still tiny 4 percent of electricity generation in 2030. This projection is based on targets fixed by states. It shows the very long way the USA still has to go towards cutting green house gas… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The G8+5 meeting in l`Aquila was disappointing for all those who had hoped the main green house gas emitter countries, which account for 80 percent of global C02 emissions, would pave the way for a successful outcome of the crucial Copenhagen climate Conference in December. Unfortunately, the gulf between developed and emerging countries remains wider… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The Swedish Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, wants to make the fight against climate change a top priority of the Swedish Presidency. To that end, he has proposed that member states introduce a C02 tax as a complement to the December 2008 EU- climate package. He is fully aware that such a tax would not be… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Modern agriculture has become a major emitter of green house gases, in particular methane from animal husbandry, nitrogen oxide from intensive fertiliser use and C02 from mechanical farming. In the USA it accounts for as much as seven percent of green house gas emissions, in the EU the share might be around five percent, but… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The Unthinkable has happened. California, the biggest US state, had to declare insolvency and a state of fiscal insolvency. As of July 1st, it will have to pay in newly emitted treasury bills. Its public debt will rise by another $ 26 billion in fiscal year 2009. Governor Schwarzenegger had desperately tried to convince, first… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Dubai, one of the seven tiny countries of the United Arab Republic (UAE), has been more profoundly affected than other Arab countries by the ongoing financial and economic crisis. Disposing only of limited oil and gas reserves that might be depleted in 20 years, it had wisely started engaging in transforming its economy to the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The Middle East oil/gas producer countries- GCC, Iraq and Iran – are among the big C02 emitters on the planet. Jointly they are responsible for more than four percent of global emissions – more than India – due to the nature of their industries, their high living standards, low energy prices and an excessive waste… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The EU wind power potential is sufficient to cover future European electricity demand at competitive costs. This is the encouraging conclusion of a technical report published by the European Environmental Agency in early June. Currently, the capacity of wind turbines installed in the EU amounts to 10 GW, which generate 4 percent of EU power… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

BP: Beyond Petroleum?

The new BP chairman, who will take over 1st January 2010, has expressed his concerns about the future of the planet. Humanity cannot go on tripling global production and doubling population until 2050. The planet will have great difficulty in coping with such a challenge. The pace of growth of car ownership and air travel… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein