Tomorrow is the first Anniversary of the UN Kyoto Protocol taking effect. A year on the Protocol is fundamentally weakened by the Bush Administration’s refusal to sign up to it. However some parts of the agreement are booming – especially carbon trading. Carbon dioxide is now one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, worth as much … Read More
Climate Change
Chelsea Tractors Take Over London
To their admirers, they are the latest must-haves in status, style and chic. To their critics, they are dangerous, polluting and gas guzzling brutes. Known as Chelsea tractors they are urban 4X4s or SUVs. But the news that Londoners are the most likely people in the whole of the UK to buy 4X4s will come … Read More
That Sinking Feeling
The British Environment Agency has calculated that over two million homes are at risk of being flooded, a situation that will get worse because of climate change. “The risk of flooding is ever present, and increasing”, says the Environment Agency (EA). Despite everyone knowing that climate change will make matters worse, developers are still trying … Read More
Evangelical Chistians Now Urge Bush to Act on Climate
The fight against climate change received an unexpected boost yesterday when 86 evangelical Christian leaders in American backed a major initiative to fight climate change. A statement they released said: “millions of people could die in this century because of climate change, most of them our poorest global neighbors.” The statement continued: “For most of … Read More
A good old pension – pity about the climate
Yesterday saw BP join Shell and Exxon in reporting record profits of $19.3bn (£11bn). What the three company results highlight is the fundamental flaw of how they are valued by city investors. As both Shell and BP posted record profits their share price actually went down as the profits were not as large as some … Read More
UK Climate Change Strategy “Paralysed”
More on that story of Britain’s stagnated climate change strategy. The Guardian reports how the strategy has “been paralysed for seven months by a dispute between two Whitehall departments.” So yesterday we find out that Blair says climate change is worse than previously thought – the greatest threat facing humanity. Today we read about the … Read More
Even Blair Says We are in Trouble Because of Climate Change
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair has admitted that climate change could be much more serious than previously thought in a new government report on global warming published today. The report is a major update to a scientific conference held in Exeter last year by the British government on the subject.
Meanwhile Shell’s vision is ….. “green fossil fuels”
Whilst everyone else gets excited about the potential for renewable energy, the Chief Executive of Shell, Jeroen Van Der Veer shows a remarkable lack of foresight or imagination. Writing in the Financial Times this week, Van Der Veer outlined his “vision for meeting energy needs beyond oil”.
Two continents: Same message: The solutions are there.
Let’s move on from the last blog about the political will being needed to make technological change. Two reports on two different continents show how we could reduce our oil dependency now, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions given political will and economic investment.
Gaia Scientist Says we are Doomed as BP Says it is “Time To Listen”
Today’s Independent newspaper carries an indepth interview with celebrated scientist, James Lovelock who invented the “Gaia” theory thirty years ago. His new book, called the The Revenge of Gaia is published next month. In it Lovelock argues that climate change has already past the point of no return and that billions of people will die … Read More