“Environmental issues were pretty much ignored in leaders’ debate”
Not discussed during the Quebec party leaders’ debate were nature conservation, reduction of greenhouse gases, the protection of Quebec’s large share of Canada’s boreal forest and of the remaining pristine rivers in the province.
“World Energy Outlook hides the real potential of renewables”
http://www.energypost.eu/world-energy-outlook-hides-real-potential-renewables/
The IEA’s annual World Energy Outlook (WEO) is seen as the most authoritative set of energy scenarios in the world. Yet when we test the forecasts for the growth of renewable energies in the WEO’s main scenario against reality, we find that the WEO consistently comes out too low. Each year from 2006 on the WEO has had to increase its forecast for wind and solar power. Yet each year the WEO predicts the growth of renewables to level off by 2020, for no clear reason. This sends a wrong message to policy makers about the real potential of renewable energy. It is time for the IEA to acknowledge that its assumptions need correcting.
It seems like the IEA is deliberately low-balling the Renewable Energy numbers.
Reap What You Sow
NEW YORK CITY – March 20, 2014 – In response to a shareholder resolution, Exxon Mobil (XOM) – the largest U.S. energy company, for the first time ever has agreed to publish a
Carbon Asset Risk report on the Company website describing how it assesses the risk of stranded assets from climate change. The report will provide investors with greater transparency into how ExxonMobil plans for a future where market forces and climate regulation makes at least some portion of its carbon reserves unburnable.
Or not as the case may be!!!
Big Coal has been joined by Big Oil in the firing line.
“Climate Change Is On Everyone’s Lips”
Climate change is #1. When we say that, we don’t mean we’re all cheering for global warming. We mean the subject tops the list of the most important underreported issues in the world today—at least according to news aggregation site Upworthy.
What We Should Know
http://whatweknow.aaas.org/get-the-facts/
Based on the evidence, more than 97% of climate experts have concluded that human-caused climate change is happening. What We Know helps us understand the science behind the realities, risks and response to the climate challenge.
“Americans Again Pick Environment Over Economic Growth”
Americans are more likely to say protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth. Since 2009, during the economic downturn, Americans generally prioritized economic growth over the environment, except for immediately after the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in May 2010.
This seems to support the conclusion that marginal utility is only assigned to the environment during periods of economic growth.
“Evangelicals Urge Obama To Discuss Climate Change With Pope Francis”
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/03/19/3416401/evangelicals-petition-white-house/
A group of faith-based environmental advocates are encouraging thousands of religious Americans to sign a petition asking President Barack Obama to discuss climate change with Pope Francis during their upcoming meeting on March 27.
Billionaire To Support Electric Carsharing Network In London
Billionaire Vincent Bollore will back an electric carsharing network in London. The system will have thousands of electric vehicle charging stations and should be operating in late 2014 or early 2015.
Marginal Utility and Global Warming
Even as more Americans say they’re informed, blame on humans hasn’t grown
More Americans believe increases in the Earth’s temperature over the last century are due to pollution from human activities (57%) than to naturally occurring changes in the environment (40%). The balance of views on this issue is essentially unchanged from 2013, but reflects broader agreement with the idea that mankind is responsible for global warming than was the case from 2010 through 2012, when barely half believed it. Agreement that human activities are responsible has yet to return, however, to the 61% level seen as recently as 2007.
Americans’ Outlook for U.S. Environmental Quality Steady
Half of Americans think the quality of the environment in the U.S. is getting worse, a view that has remained stable for the past five years. Americans were more pessimistic about the environmental outlook before Barack Obama became president in 2009.
Interesting to see that after the Credit Crunch of 2008, during the recession, that American belief in the human causes of Global Warming actually decreased. It seems that when faced with economic hardship that attitudes towards Global Warming turn negative. Americans didn’t make the connection between economic survival and the environment when faced with economic hardship. It looks like environmental issues are still viewed as an economic luxury, in times of economic growth, rather than an economic necessity at all times. The utility derived from the environment is only something that occurs for those who have economic stability first. Politicians should note that the only time to make successful environmental policy is during the economic booms which lead to environmental problems.
My Trip To The Amazon 
Recent Comments