RECENT ARTICLES
Pricing carbon: regressive or not?
Economists don't always agree: but they all seem to like the idea of setting a price on carbon. Either through a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme, a levy on carbon appears certain to eventually reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. But at a price. The poorest sector of the population carries a disproportionately greater burden. It's a regressive tax. Is there a way to reduce emissions without penalizing low-income families? Read More
Antarctic melt accelerates sea level rise
Recent satellite data from NASA and the ESA show that the Antarctic ice sheet is melting much faster than previously thought--leading to more rapid global sea level rise. The rate of increase of atmosheric carbon dioxide is also increasing. These data show evidence of geophysical positive feedbacks that will be difficult if not impossible to control without forceful measures to reduce emissions of carbon. Read More
Solar, wind, and batteries: a winning trifecta
Solar energy and wind power are inexaustible sources of cheap renewable energy--but there's a fatal flaw. They are inherently intermittent, and this makes them poor candidates for providing dispatchable power. But coupled with megawatt scale batteries, solar and wind become star performers.. Read More
Two steps forward? Not for Canada.
2017 was an exceptional year for renewable energy. That was the good news. But the bad news is that energy intensity declined worldwide, CO2 emissions are once again on the rise, and king coal refuses to cede its place to cleaner fuels. Surprisingly, the US gets good grades--and Canada gets the raspberry. Read More
Three suicides and climate change
It was a depressing week. Three suicides, one of which was by a man who made the ultimate sacrifice in protest against the environmental policies of Scott Pruit's EPA. But no-one should be driven to the point where they are willing to sacrifice their life in the hope that government climate policies will change for the better. Read More
Is the TMEX pipeline a future stranded asset?
The US and Canada, rely heavily on fossil fuel production and exports. But the surging market penetration of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency improvements, and climate emission policies will substantially reduce the global demand for fossil fuels. As the demand for fossil fuels declines and the price of oil falls, the impact on the oil industry in the US and Canada is severe--curtailing production and stranding their assets. The oil sands are exceptionally vulnerable, and the purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline by the Canadian government looks like a colossal mistake. Read More
Maria’s death toll in Puerto Rico more than 5700
A recent review of the additional mortality in Puerto Rico associated with the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria in September 2017 has sharply revised the numbers upwards--by almost two orders of magnitude. Most deaths occurred after the hurricane had passed--and are due to the failure of health care systems because of power outages, water shortages, and communication black-outs. Read More
Alberto, Beryl, and Chris
These are the names proposed for the first three named tropical storms that develop in the Atlantic and Caribbean during this year’s hurricane season. Alberto has already shown up early. Although the season doesn’t officially start until June 1, Alberto who started life in the south west Caribbean close to Belize, is heading north for […] Read More