Environment

Dear Climate Change Deniers: This summer, Russia, a former icebox, is so hot that it is actually on fire. A third of Pakistan is affected by massive flooding caused by especially hot tropical waters. Parts of the Greenland ice shelf are plopping into the ocean. That is all.

Energy

Portugal’s Green Energy Revolution and the true Cost of Gas, Coal and Oil

Juan Cole

Don’t miss Elisabeth Rosenthal’s important and well-written piece at NYT on Portugal’s energy policy. With remarkable clarity given the potentially technical subject matter, she explains exactly how the Portuguese government went from generating 17% of its electricity from alternative sources a few years ago to 45% today. (That is electricity, not all energy; so they’re […]

Energy

Take that, Dennis Miller; Climate Change is Real and Dangerous

Juan Cole

I have a bone to pick with comic Dennis Miller. We all know about his famous shift to the political right after the September 11 attacks. Although I can remember an interview in which he said it went back further, to when he used to hear liberals complain about Mayor Rudolph Giuliani´s law and order […]

Energy

Dietrich: Energy and the Future of U.S. Diplomacy

Juan Cole

Christopher R. W. Dietrich writes in a guest editorial for Informed Comment: Energy and the Future of U.S. Diplomacy In a paper written in conjunction with Lloyds of London, Dr. Paul Stevens of Chatham House recently predicted that oil could arrive at $200 per barrel by 2013. As the events in the Gulf of Mexico […]

al-Qaeda

Global Warming and al-Qaeda in the Greater Indian Ocean

Juan Cole

Politico says that the fate of the earth, i.e. the climate bill in the senate, is now in the hands of Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico. This is because he is seen as someone who could get a bipartisan consensus. But Democrats on the Hill are missing their big opportunity to appeal to Republicans […]

Environment

Germany Will Seek 100% of its Electricity from Renewables by 2050

Juan Cole

Germany, which generates 16% of its power from renewable sources such as hydro-electric, wind and solar, now plans to get 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2050. It is an audacious plan, but German economists maintain it will actually improve the German economy and forestall the dislocations of the global warming that will otherwise […]

Environment

Hurricane Alex Halts Efforts to Deal with Gulf Oil Gusher

Juan Cole

VOA reports that the oil skimming ships are gone. The booms protecting islands and marshes have been torn from their anchors. Sand bags have been overwhelmed. The headline is that Hurricane Alex is delaying the clean-up. But what is really going on is that Hurricane Alex is making a real clean-up unlikely. Reuters has more, […]

Environment

Walthen: I saw 100 Dolphins in the Oil, some Dying

Juan Cole

John L. Walthen and companions take a helicopter trip out over the Gulf of Mexico. “This was the most emotionally disturbing video I have ever done! A flight over the BP Slick Source where I saw at least 100 Dolphins in the oil, some dying. I also photographed a Sperm Whale covered in oil all […]

Environment

Jindal idles National Guardsmen He Demanded

Juan Cole

CBS reports that after jumping up and down demanding Federal government resources for Louisiana to deal with the BP Gulf oil gusher, Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal has only put to work about 1,000 of the 6,000 national guardsman provided by the Pentagon in response. CBS also has a video report: Watch CBS News Videos Online […]