(Bali, Dec. 16) A day after the dramatic ending of the Bali climate talks, many are wondering if the result was indeed best outcome possible given the circumstances. The US was brought back to the fold, but at the cost of excising from the final document–the so-called Bali Roadmap–any reference to the need for a … Read More
Month: December 2007
Bali and the Bigotry of Low Expectations
Kenny Bruno explains why “Just Hang in there 13 more months” was the unoffiical motto of the Bali conference on climate change. Despite a last minute dramatic confrontation, the recent Climate Convention meeting in Bali, touted as “the most important climate meeting in 10 years,” turned out to be business as usual. First, most of … Read More
Europe Divided Over Car Targets
It’s a political row that has been going on for months. Tomorrow the European Commission is due to publish its long-awaited plans to reduce carbon emissions from passenger cars to 120 grams per kilometre within five years. But a bitter fallout between France and Germany has plunged the key negotiations into crisis. French manufacturers such … Read More
Not so Happy Xmas Shell
MEND – the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta – released a statement yesterday that said all “genuine” militant groups should come together and cripple the Nigerian oil industry “once and for all.” Nigerian officials have not commented on the statement, which was e-mailed to journalists. MEND and other groups in the Niger … Read More
Iraq Launches 1st Tanker in 27 Years
Are the Iraqis gearing up for a major oil export drive? They have just launched their first new ship in 27 years and delivery of two more tankers is expected within three months. The Dijlah — the name for the Tigris River in Arabic — was inaugurated in the southern port city of Basra on … Read More
Silly Xmas Stories Number One
A Canadian oil-field worker has been stunned to get a C$85,000 cell phone bill. Piotr Staniaszek, a 22-year-old oil and gas well tester in rural northwest Alberta, has become an international media star after his father went to the press to complain about the size of his son’s bill. Staniaszek’s father said his son thought … Read More
Happy Xmas to the Airlines too
Oh the irony. Airlines stand to make billions of pounds in “windfall profits” from an emissions trading scheme that was supposed to make them pay for the environmental damage they cause. A UK government report argues the airlines will take advantage of the scheme to raise fares substantially, even though their costs will hardly change.
And Happy Xmas to Big Coal as Well..
And its Happy Xmas to Big Coal too. Britain plans to build eight new coal power stations as part of the country’s efforts to address its looming energy crisis. Although it is an early Christmas present to Big Coal, it will completely undermine the Bali agreement on climate change and discredit Britain’s efforts to reduce … Read More
Merry Xmas, Big Oil
All spin aside, you have to say this was a bad last few days for the planet. The week started off well in Oslo, but then we get the terrifying news that the Arctic might be sea ice free by 2013. Next, the US Congress backs down from taking away oil industry subsidies and requiring … Read More
But Its Groundhog Day Again
What a surprise. Same conference, different day, same story, and same villain. Heard it all before? Yes. The US stands accused of trying to derail the Bali talks. Again. With just one day left of the 14-day talks between representatives from more than 180 countries in Bali, it looks increasingly likely that no agreement will … Read More