Spy was “More Austin Powers than 007”

April 8, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post

Was it his Palestinian scarf, his Armani jeans, designer shirt or his permanent tan that gave him away? But a spy who infiltrated the direct action group Plane Stupid in the UK, has been exposed after making a series of elementary errors that aroused suspicions.

US Transport at Risk from Climate Change

March 12, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post

Flooded highways, railroads and airport runways are among the transportation snarls looming as the world’s climate changes, and officials should plan with this in mind, a U.S. study says. “We’re not just concerned about gradual changes in temperatures,” said Henry Schwartz, who chaired the National Research Council panel that wrote the report. “We’re mostly concerned … Read More

Sod the Climate, Lets Go on Holiday …

March 7, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post

When people do not know about a problem, it is difficult to expect them to act. The problem comes when they do no about a problem but then do nothing. Take the issue of climate change and flying. Climate change’s threat to the existence of the exotic resorts and beaches tourists crave has not dented … Read More

“The Great Green Betrayal”

March 5, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post

Environmental groups are accusing UK Prime Minster, Gordon Brown of the “Great Green Betrayal”. They are arguing that his government’s green policies are standing still or even going backwards. First, environmental taxation, which could help curb greenhouse gas emissions and much other pollution, is actually falling rather than rising – and falling substantially, a powerful … Read More

First Biofuel Flight Dismissed as Stunt

February 25, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post 2 Comments

The world’s first commercial aircraft powered partly by biofuel took off from Heathrow yesterday to a storm of criticism from climate change experts, who insisted it was nothing more than Sir Richard Branson’s latest “nonsensical” publicity stunt. The Virgin Atlantic 747 flew from London to Amsterdam using a 20 per cent biofuel mix of coconut … Read More

Europe to Oz in Under 5 Hours

February 5, 2008By Andy RowellBlog Post 1 Comment

Sometimes I wonder if I live in a parallel universe. Today’s news that the Earth’s tipping points could happen much sooner than expected is a serious reminder about how close we are to a climate catastrophe. Yet we are also now designing aircraft that can fly from Europe to Australia in under five hours – … Read More

Another industry off the hook…

December 21, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

The EU has caved in to another powerful industry. EU ministers have finally agreed to impose carbon emissions quotas on airlines in an attempt to fight climate change. However, the start date for the EU emissions trading scheme will be delayed to 2012, a year later than MEPs were asking for. The scheme also faces … Read More

Happy Xmas to the Airlines too

December 17, 2007By Andy RowellBlog Post

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.