Energy

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The UN Convention to Combat Desertification issued a new report, “Drought in Numbers 2022 on Friday, warning of the dangers of the climate emergency for further desertification and wildfires and massive loss of human life. “The report warns that The number and duration of droughts has increased by 29 percent […]

Climate Crisis

Climate Change isn’t just making Cyclones worse, it’s making the Floods they cause worse too

The Conversation

By Laurence Hawker, University of Bristol; Dann Mitchell, University of Bristol; and Natalie Lord, University of Bristol | – Super cyclones, known as hurricanes or typhoons in different parts of the world, are among the most destructive weather events on our planet. Although wind speeds within these storms can reach 270 km/h, the largest loss […]

Climate Crisis

Wind and Solar generate Fully 20% of US Electricity in April for First time as Renewables Jump to 26.5%

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The United States generates 6.5% of its electricity from dams, producing hydroelectricity, mainly in the West. Up until about a decade ago, that was the major renewable source of electricity in the country. In 2021, the total proportion of renewables in the US energy mix was 20%, i.e. 13.5% came […]

Climate Crisis

What Remains of the U.S. Green New Deal?

John Feffer

By John Feffer | – In November 2018, the Green New Deal became a rallying cry for climate activists when members of the Sunrise Movement occupied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and adopted the slogan as their unifying message. A few months later, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who had joined the young activists in Pelosi’s […]

Climate Crisis

Could Europe Install a Terawatt of new “Freedom Solar” by 2030 to Escape Russian Gas?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – John Ainger at Bloomsberg reports that a coalition within the European Union is pressing Brussels to set a goal of 1,000 gigawatts of new solar capacity by 2030 as a way of escaping dependence on Russian methane gas for electricity generation. The European Union is seeking to boycott Russian goods […]

Climate Crisis

Phasing out Oil can offer a better Life for Many

The Conversation

By Jack Marley | – The EU could ban crude oil imports from Russia within six months if a new round of sanctions is approved. Excluding a handful of countries, refined Russian oil products like petrol and diesel could cease to flow into the EU by the end of 2022. The EU currently relies on […]

Climate Crisis

How treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate – and cost countries billions

The Conversation

By Rachel Thrasher, Boston University; Blake Alexander Simmons, Colorado State University; and Kyla Tienhaara, Queen’s University, Ontario | – Fossil fuel companies have access to an obscure legal tool that could jeopardize worldwide efforts to protect the climate, and they’re starting to use it. The result could cost countries that press ahead with those efforts […]

Climate Crisis

Denmark makes Bid for “Putin-Free” Energy by Accelerating Mammoth Artificial Wind Island Plan

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Europe has faced a dilemma in standing up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, since most European countries have tied themselves to Russian methane gas and petroleum imports. These countries are thus funding the very war they rail against. Denmark, for its part, is accelerating the building of two mammoth wind […]

Climate Crisis

Could a European Union boycott of Putin’s Oil, with Qatari and UAE help, Crash the Russian Economy?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The breaking news is that the German Minister of Economy and Climate Robert Habeck, who is also the Vice-Chancellor has just announced that Germany is all in on a European Union plan to boycott Russian petroleum. Germany has already reduced its imports from Russia from 35% to 12% in only […]