Rhein on Energy and Climate

Archives for US climate policy

Climate Policy Makers should Beware of California

July 6, 2009

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

English, Uncategorized

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US Congress climate legislation is inadequate

June 29, 2009

After months of tough horse trading the House of Representatives adopted an 1100 page (!) bill aiming at curbing American green house gas emissions. The vote was 219 to 212! Unfortunately, the bill falls far short of what would be necessary to put the USA into the driver’s seat at the forthcoming climate negotiations in… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Uncategorized

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Energy companies should produce rising shares of their output from renewable sources

May 29, 2009

Conventional climate policy relies on curbing emissions and fossil energy demand. Emission caps on utilities, oil refineries, steel and chemical energies are the principal tool for fighting against climate change. High taxes on gasoline and subsidies on renewable energies complete the tool box. This approach aims at making fossil energy more expensive and encouraging investment… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Uncategorized

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US Congress Starting Work on Climate Legislation

April 29, 2009

Spurred by the ruling of the Environmental Protection Agency declaring C02 emissions a risk for human health and welfare, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has begun work on what might become one of the most ambitious pieces of legislation passed by Congress. Its basic contours would resemble EU legislation, in particular a cap and… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Uncategorized

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USA rules on climate change welfare hazards

April 23, 2009

On April 17, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a provisional ruling that the concentration of six green house gases in the atmosphere constitute a risk for human health and welfare and that the combined emissions of C02, CH4, N2O and FsH HFCs from new motor vehicle engines contribute to further concentration of green… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

English, Uncategorized

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Power utilities are going global and green

March 28, 2009

The generation of electricity has traditionally been in the hands of municipalities, in Europe, or small private companies, in the USA. This business model belongs to the past. In the future power generation – and separately transmission – will be concentrated in the hands of big transnational companies operating globally. European companies have been the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Business & Climate Change, Energy Supply, English, Trade & Industry, Uncategorized

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Rhein on Energy and Climate

Thoughts on energy and climate, the Mediterranean and whatever comes to mind.

Eberhard Rhein has devoted most of his life to European and global issues. During the 1980s and  1990s,  he served successively as chef de cabinet to the Commission VP in charge of external relations and director responsible for the Mediterrranean and Arab world.

For the past 10 years he has focused more on global environmental issues.

He also gives a course on economic  policy at the "Mediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies" in Malta. He is the author of many articles on EU, Mediterranean and international subjects


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