Category Archives: Energy
In the world, at the limits to growth
By David Korowicz* We imagine this country is in crisis, yet crisis is relative. Most people in the world would envy our material austerity and be thankful for our endlessly ‘collapsing’ health service. But, with our expectations thwarted and in … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Tagged collapse, David Korowicz, Feasta, Peak Oil, Sustainability
4 Comments
Fukushima a godsend for anti-nuclear bandwagon
I’ve been following the unfolding nuclear “crisis” in Japan with growing alarm. People who call themselves environmentalists have been jumping up and down with thinly disguised glee, pointing and waving and saying: “there, we warned you, nuclear is GONNA KILL … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Nuclear, Sustainability
Tagged Coal, earthquake, Energy, Fukushima, Japan, nuclear, radiation, tsunami
45 Comments
Out of his depth in Deepwater thinking…
According to a tweet from John Gormley in the last couple of hours, a climate change bill will finally make its way to the Cabinet next Tuesday (16th). Much credit here is due to Labour’s Liz McManus, rapporteur on the … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Peak Oil
Tagged Conor Lenihan, deepwater horizon, Eamon Ryan, Oil, renewables
12 Comments
Energy constraints will collapse global economic recovery
We may rail against the regulators, politicians, and others who failed to understand and manage past risks, but we are just as culpable for our failure to engage with severe, well-signposted, imminent ones. Impassioned arguments over bank nationalisation, the austerity-stimulus … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Tagged Energy, ESRI, Feasta, Hirsch, Korowicz, Nama, Peak Oil
15 Comments
Driving an Electric Car
I was fortunate enough to test-drive the Nissan Leaf this week, and thought I would post some first impressions. The car itself is very comfortable, and for anyone used to a Prius (or any automatic), it drives exactly like a … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Tagged carbon, CO2, Electric Cars, electricity, Peak Oil
4 Comments
Argument versus Proselytising: Developing and defending a rational debate on energy and survival.
The debate on climate change faces a number of inherent handicaps. Human nature is perhaps the most important. At our best, we deal reasonably well with the present and the immediate future. If next Christmas seems remote, our abilities to … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Peak Oil, Sceptics, Sustainability
Tagged Climategate, CRU, denial, Energy, Peak Oil
3 Comments
Ireland among most vulnerable to peak oil
HERE’S A conundrum: restarting global economic growth will, by definition, push up energy costs. Rising energy costs will in turn choke off that economic recovery, leading to a fall in energy prices. Try to restart growth again, and the brick … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Tagged Energy, Feasta, Forfas, Hirsch, Korowicz, Peak Oil
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Decreasing carbon emissions without affecting the quality of life
There are a couple of simple ideas, which if implemented could make deep and long term cuts in our carbon emissions, while maintaining (or even increasing) the quality of life for all. In no particular order, they are: 1. Immediately … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged carbon, climate, climate change, CO2, emissions, global warming, Sustainability
4 Comments
Doing our best versus doing what’s required
Yesterday afternoon, I was one of a panel of four from the ‘environmental’ field who met under the ageis of Common Purpose with a group of around 25-30 senior figures from the world of business, finance, the semi-state sector and … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Sceptics, Sustainability
Tagged advocacy, Al Gore, climate, IPCC
5 Comments
Do you believe in miracles?
Bill Gates is for many the Dr Evil of the corporate world. His Microsoft behemoth has had a stranglehold on the world’s personal computer market for the last two decades, and wrung hundreds of billions out of users in the … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Nuclear, Sustainability
Tagged climate, collapse, Energy, nuclear, Peak Oil, Sustainability
7 Comments
Time for prosperity without growth
If there’s one book you read this winter make it Tim Jackson’s Prosperity without Growth. We can have a stable climate and leave enough resources for future generations. Or we can continue with the fantasy of perpetual economic growth, with … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged affluenza, consumerism, consumption, debt, economics, growth, James Nix, lending, The Spirit Level, Tim Jackson
6 Comments
21st Century Swords to Plowshares: From Megatons to Megawatts
Currently, hydropower provides 6% of the USA’s electrical power, and solar, biomass, wind and geothermal combined provide 3%. Dismantled nuclear weapons provide 10%. The ‘Megatons to Megawatts’ programme was instituted in the 1990s as a means to secure the weapons … Continue reading
To the last drop?
Take a minute or two to study the chart below. It is just issued by the International Energy Agency, an industry-centric organisation not prone to engaging in eco-alarmism. But this is alarming, truly shocking in fact. The dark blue chart … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Nuclear, Peak Oil, Sustainability
Tagged carbon, climate change, emissions, Energy, global warming, nuclear, Peak Oil
31 Comments
A fair wind for renewable energy sector?
The Green Party seems to have snatched an unlikely victory at the weekend – they somehow maneuvered themselves from being pinned between the proverbial rock and a hard place and wriggled free with party unity intact and a hatful of … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged Andris Piebalgs, Arklow Bay, car, carbon, CO2, Eamon Ryan, elect, electricity, Energy, fossil fuels, Green Party, interconnector, supply, wind, wind farms
6 Comments
Which part of ‘conserve’ don’t conservatives get?
Let’s hear it for Connie Hedegaard. Connie who? She’s the Danish minister for climate and energy and, crucially, will host the UN-sponsored global climate treaty negotiations in Copenhagen this December. That puts her in the hottest of hot seats in … Continue reading
Posted in Biodiversity, Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged carbon, climate, climate change, Energy, environment, John Gibbons, pollution, species loss, Sustainability
2 Comments
