Climate Change, Economics, Energy, Most Popular
Green MBAs Find $350 Million With Climate Corps
This past summer, 47 Fortune 1000 companies discovered opportunities for saving a combined $350 million through energy efficiency measures. Across all projects, these savings represent an opportunity to reduce over 400,000 metric tons of annual greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions. These figures are enough to catch the attention of any business manager looking to improve the [...]
Solving the Energy Efficiency Puzzle
In 2008 and 2009, McKinsey & Company published two leading reports that describe the vast potential for economic and environmental gains that are possible through energy efficiency measures. However, it’s almost 2011 and we have yet to see widespread investment in such (EE) measures. This begs the question, “why don’t we see more businesses and [...]
International Climate Policy is in a Global Gridlock
On Wednesday of this week, the G8 leaders failed to pass unanimously a climate bill to mandate a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. The group’s failure to agree is further evidence that international agreements on a global climate change policy are stalling. The cause of the gridlock stems from disagreements among national leaders [...]
Australian Climate Change Legislation Could Cause an Early Election
Australia’s inaugural cap-and-trade legislation is causing the nation’s political climate to heat up so much that it has now become the deciding factor between whether or not the country will see an early election this year. The country’s opposition leader, Malcolm Turnbull, has made it clear that his coalition will vote against the nation’s first-ever [...]
International Climate Policy is in a Global Gridlock
On Wednesday of this week, the G8 leaders failed to pass unanimously a climate bill to mandate a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. The group’s failure to agree is further evidence that international agreements on a global climate change policy are stalling. The cause of the gridlock stems from disagreements among national leaders [...]
The Impact of Free Trade on Climate Change
On Friday, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) published a report that indicates increased economic activity could result in a rise in carbon dioxide emissions. However, the report also stipulates that increased ease of trade can also help combat climate change through delivering energy efficient and renewable energy technologies [...]
Seeking Refuge from Melting Ice Sheets
Recent studies estimate that the IPCC’s projections of an 18 to 59 centimeter rise in sea level due to the melting of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets is well within the range of possibilities during this century. In fact, a study conducted by the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment estimates that a sea level rise [...]
Climate Change: Developed and Developing Nations Share the Burden of Change
On Wednesday, The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) released a first draft of a treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol (1997) which is set to expire in 2012. This new 53 page document is considered to be the basis for the agreements to be made in the international climate talks scheduled for December [...]
Will China initiate a carbon tax?
China’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Environmental Protection have requested research from a regional think-tank to develop preliminary proposals for a national carbon tax. The proposals, which are due for publication within the month, may one day become a part of the Chinese government’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. International governments have pressed [...]
Will the US be the Leading Market for Electric Vehicles?
As industry leaders closely watch the consumer response to new electric vehicles, ideas are quickly taking shape in regards to where manufacturers should target their sales and production. While North American, European and Chinese auto manufacturers race to bring a viable electric car to market, the question remains, who will arrive first and where will [...]
