Welcome ! As a young French Marketing professional with a Master's in International Management I have been selecting since January 2007 the latest headlines and best researches on sustainable development, climate change, cleantech and the world energy sector. Sounds great ? Don't hesitate to subscribe now !
For my ultimate post of 2011, I would like to write about something that was little to not noticed at all, yet as crucial as the increased importance of extreme weather events : oil prices were at their highest average ever this year.
According to some research carried out by the Cambridge Energy Research Associates (Cera) mentioned in Le Figaro [Fr] oil prices averaged $111 throughout 2011.
In 2008 – when oil prices reached the all-time high levels of $147 – the barrel of brent had averaged ” only ” $99. We had then noticed a near-exponential escalation of oil prices… Continue »
Here are two good news. First : this seems too good to be true as such a fact would sure lead to a bigger role of climate change in politics all around the 27 nations of the European Union.
According to an article from the Guardian : ” Europeans believe that dangers of climate change represent a more serious problem than the current financial turmoil, according to a new poll. ”
But wait, there is more. To the latest figures from the European Commission, the Union decreased its emissions by 15.5 percent since 1990. And we keep clinging to 20 percent cuts… Continue »
To the AFP news agency : ” Brent crude rose on Tuesday, holding above $101 on fears that worsening turmoil in Egypt could disrupt supply flows through the strategic Suez Canal, analysts said. “
It had been more than two years than oil didn’t reach such levels. This happens as I read yesterday an interesting post : The Peak Oil Catastrophe-in-Waiting on GreenTech Media.
The author urges the United States to decrease fast their huge oil consumption as peak oil is nearing or behind us (nearly a quarter of the global production is siphoned by the country). Continue »
To the World Meteorological Organization the main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – keep increasing in the atmosphere, and this despite the efforts and the economic recession. To the WMO :
” The report highlights concerns that global warming may lead to even greater emissions of methane from Arctic areas. To the Bulletin, total radiative forcing of all long-lived greenhouse gases increased by 27.5% from 1990 to 2009.”
Meanwhile, NASA reports 2010 is the hottest year on record so far. It seems that more than ever before, drastic action is needed. Will the call be heard in Cancun ? Continue »
According to a study to be released in November by the International Energy Agency, global greenhouse gases emissions decreased by no less than 2.6 percent. This can be explained by several factors.
Among these factors are the economic recession which decreased the emissions of the global industrial sector but also the various commitments of the United States, the European Union and China.
In the Washington Post, Lester Brown noted that US emissions went down by no less than nine percent over the last two years, ending a century of increasing emissions. Continue »
No, I am not thinking that unemployment is good. It ain’t, and I know about it as I am myself currently seeking employment. However, this recession is the occasion for us to embrace a more sustainable development.
Less money means we have to reduce the amount of stuff we buy and focus back more on our NEEDS instead of our WANTS. The Pew Research Center shows that this begins to happen in the United States.
Similar trends have been found in France and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the case in other rich and developed countries. Continue »
Last weeks were horrendous for our financial institutions and economies. Many concerns arise in Europe and around the world over GDP growth which is due to be low in 2008 and 2009.
What if building a greener and more sustainable world actually brought economic growth, millions of jobs and most important of all, hope of a brighter low carbon future ?
A report assessing this possibility was published and the results are most encouraging. The only question I have is : what are we waiting for to carry this plan out ? Continue »
