Energy

By Patrick GALEY | – Paris (AFP) – The five largest publicly listed oil and gas majors have spent $1 billion since the 2015 Paris climate deal on public relations or lobbying that is “overwhelmingly in conflict” with the landmark accord’s goals, a watchdog said Friday. Despite outwardly committing to support the Paris agreement and […]

Featured

In Bellwether, Norway Wealth Fund Dumps Oil Exploration Stocks as Bad Investment

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Norway is an extremely ambiguous actor when it comes to hydrocarbons. The Scandinavian country is Europe’s biggest oil producer, and some 20% of its national income derives from oil sales. At the same time, Norway recognizes the dangers of the climate crisis, and has moved to ban coal and promote […]

Climate Change

Why Critics of the Green New Deal are Just Plain Wrong

The Conversation

By Kyla Tienhaara | – Everyone, it seems, has an opinion about the (new) Green New Deal. It’s an ambitious plan to make America carbon-neutral — as well as more equitable — in a mere 10 years. Although the Green New Deal resolution that will be voted on in the U.S. Senate is likely to […]

Featured

Spain’s Socialists aim for 75% Renewables in Ten Years (at 40% Today)

Juan Cole

Spain is already getting 40% of its electricity from renewables, but its Socialist government hopes to nearly double that proportion in a little over a decade. Spain’s Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez and his cabinet have approved a draft proposal to get t 74% of the country’s electricity from renewables by 2030, a little over […]

Costa Rica

Is Costa Rica’s ambitious Decarbonization Program a Model for the US Green New Deal?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Last week, Costa Rica’s president, Carlos Alvarado, announced one of the more ambitious plans for a transition of a country to Net Carbon Zero proposed anywhere in the world. While many countries have made strides toward reducing their carbon dioxide production from electricity generation, Costa Rica is now addressing transportation, […]

Green Energy

The Green New Deal puts Climate Back on the Agenda

Tan Copsey

By Tan Copsey | – (China Dialogue) – The weeks after the Democratic Party won back control of the House of Representatives saw the longest government shutdown in US history, as President Trump unsuccessfully demanded money to pay for a wall on the Mexican border. Now that the shutdown is over, Democrats have started setting […]

European Union

Morocco Produced 35% of its Electricity from Renewables in 2018

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Morocco produced 35% of its electricity last year from wind, solar, and hydroelectric sources, putting it on track to its goal of getting 42% from green sources by 2020. It had a further goal of 52% renewables by 2030, but now hopes to go even faster. In contrast, the US […]

Climate Change

Climate Emergency: Australian Judge Strikes down Coal Mine in Part because of its Carbon Emissions

Juan Cole

Informed Comment (Ann Arbor) – In what is likely to be the first of many such rulings, an Australian court has ruled against a coal mine in part on grounds of the environmental damage that burning coal does by contributing to the climate emergency. Burning coal releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a powerful greenhouse […]

Green Energy

“Sun is Setting on Dirty Energy:” Green New Deal Resolution’s New Era of Climate Action

Common Dreams

By Jake Johnson, staff writer | – (Commondreams.org) – “When we look back on today, this will be the moment we will be able to say that the political tide has turned on the rising seas.” “Today is a good day for the country, for the climate movement, and for all humanity.” After years of […]