Monthly Archives: December 2009

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 , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Greens Flavor of the Day in Domestic Climate Policy

Amid the white noise surrounding last week’s budget, the government made a number of announcements with potentially profound and long-term implications for Irish climate policy. Much as the PD’s allegedly provided the sauce in the meaty Fianna Fail coalition sandwich, … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Latest recruit to Confederacy of Climate Dunces

One by one, they’re coming out of the woodwork. Occasional climate sceptic William Reville was the latest to re-surface, this time in his weekly Irish Times column. I read it with dismay; I genuinely have no problem with him having … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Leaks no Impact on Copenhagen Blueprint

The leaking of hacked emails from one of the most highly regarded climate research units was perfectly timed to coincide with the start of the Copenhagen COP. Without entering into the minute details of just what was or was not … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Sustainability | 1 Comment

15 Reasons to be (Mildly) Optimistic about COP15

As the Copenhagen conference progresses, I thought it might be worthwhile to take a brief look what’s the various different countries have offered, and reasons why there is some room for optimism about a decent deal being done… 1. The … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Planning for the 21st Century: More Than Permission to Build

Planning as a concept has become synonymous with “permission to build” in this country. As in: “I got ‘the planning’ for the apartments on the flood-plain at the outer-rim of the commuter belt”. The original meaning – taking a strategic … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability | 7 Comments

A sceptic on the couch

I’ve had my say on KennyGate, as have a good many other people (to my new cadre of hate-mailers, sorry for not posting all your anonymous spleen. Life’s a bitch, eh? Give my regards to Elvis). Meanwhile, a regular correspondent, … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

John The Apostle Walks The Plank

Hell, it seems, hath no fury like a broadcaster scorned. After my recent adventures with RTE’s Pat Kenny, it was only a matter of time before the veteran broadcaster would try to even the score for what he no doubt … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics | Tagged , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Copenhagen: As MAD as it seems?

“We’re eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked” – these were the words of Secretary of State Dean Rusk at the height of the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962. It may be abhorrent to some, … Continue reading

Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus | Tagged | 16 Comments