Rhein on Energy and Climate

Vattenfall, the state-owned Swedish power company, has announced the take-over of Nuon, a Dutch power company heavily engaged in wind energy. This decision follows the take-over bid made by RWE, the German power giant, for another Dutch utility, Essent, and the completion of the lengthy take-over battle for the Spanish Endesa by the Italian Enel… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The new US approach on climate policy has led American oil and energy companies to redefine their positions. Realising that it is no longer possible to block any action aiming at reducing C02 emissions they now accept working with the Administration with the objective of obtaining the most business-friendly solutions. Their main concern is, of… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

After 30 years of banning new nuclear power and decommissioning four reactors, the Swedish government has reversed its anti-nuclear course. The 10 reactors operating presently can continue until the end of their economic life time, maximum 60 years, and be replaced by new, even bigger ones on the present sites. But they will not receive… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Despite the positive signals of demographic stabilisation in the developed world and China, global population keeps increasing at an unsustainable rate. Every year it grows by about 80 million, the equivalent of the German population. UN projections for 2050 expect global population to reach more than 10 billion in the worst hypothesis, 8.4 billion in… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

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

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