European Union

Chancellor Scholz on Ukraine: Putin Tried to Blackmail Germany with Fossil Gas, but only Accelerated Energy Diversification

By Benjamin Wehrmann | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Russia’s attempt to blackmail Germany and the rest of Europe into giving up its support of Ukraine by cutting energy supplies has failed, chancellor Olaf Scholz has said on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion attempt of its western neighbour. “Those who look at the […]

China

China Dominates Solar and Wind Energy: Can the U.S. and Europe Finally Catch Up?

The Conversation

By Michael Jacobs, University of Sheffield | – Climate change policy has entered a new era. The growing row between the United States and the European Union over the impacts of the new American green subsidy regime makes that all too clear. Yet in many ways, this story is ultimately about China. For the last […]

European Union

Ukraine war has exposed the Folly – and unintended Consequences – of ‘Armed Missionaries’

Ronald Suny

By Ronald Suny, University of Michigan | – ( The Conversation) – The evening before Russia invaded Ukraine, it seemed to many observers – me included – nearly unimaginable that Putin would carry through with weeks of a threatened military attack. As I wrote at the time, Putin is not as erratic or rash as […]

Germany

German States ‘unprecedentedly United’ for Wind Power, Seeking 80% Green Electricity by 2030

Benjamin Wehrmann

( Clean Energy Wire ) – The German states have signalled their readiness to expand onshore wind power in the country “in almost unknown unity”, economy and climate minister Robert Habeck said. His comments came after he met with representatives of the 16 ‘Länder’ to discuss further buildout of renewables. The Green Party minister said […]

Climate Crisis

German Chancellor Scholz promises Construction of “four to five wind turbines per day” to reach 2030 Target

Benjamin Wehrmann

( Clean Energy Wire ) – In a bid to achieve the high renewable power expansion targets for the end of the decade, German chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to make the buildout a priority and hold talks with the 16 states every month to assess and improve expansion speed. The envisaged pace until 2030 would […]

Climate Crisis

In 4th Quarter, for first time Hybrid and Electric Vehicles outsold Diesel and Gasoline Cars in the European Union

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In the European Union in the fourth quarter of 2022, for the first time in history diesel- and gasoline-powered automobiles with internal combustion engines (ICE) were a minority of vehicles purchased. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric (BEV) cars together outsold the ICE models, according to DW. The European average was […]

Climate Crisis

As US-EU Trade Tensions Rise, Conflicting Carbon Tariffs could undermine Climate Efforts

The Conversation

By Noah Kaufman, Columbia University;Chris Bataille, Columbia University; Gautam Jain, Columbia University; and Sagatom Saha, Columbia University | – Rising trade tensions between the U.S. and the European Union, two of the most important global leaders when it comes to climate policy, could undermine key climate initiatives of both governments and make it harder for […]

Climate Crisis

3/4s of German Homeowners are Ready to Put Solar Panels on their Roofs: Survey

Benjamin Wehrmann

( Clean Energy Wire ) – Three in four houseowners in Germany wish to put a solar PV array on their roofs, according to a survey commissioned by the country’s solar industry lobby group BSW Solar. One in five houseowners aims to install solar PV arrays within the next twelve months, the survey by pollster […]

Far Right

The Unbearable Whiteness of Being French: Murderer of Kurds ‘William M.’ Treated with kid Gloves

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Last Thursday, one “William M.,” a retired French train conductor, went to the Kurdish Cultural center in the 10th Arondissement of Paris with a gun and shot six people, killing three and wounding three others, all Kurds. Some were in a hairdresser’s shop. So write Nathalie Birchem et Denis Peiron […]