Russia’s war on Ukraine has cast a shadow over this week’s meetings of world leaders at the G-20 summit in Bali and the United Nations climate change conference in Egypt. The war has dramatically disrupted energy markets the world over, leaving many countries vulnerable to price spikes amid supply shortages. Europe, worried about keeping the […]
There is no economy without environment
Herman Daly had a flair for stating the obvious. When an economy creates more costs than benefits, he called it “uneconomic growth.” But you won’t find that conclusion in economics textbooks. Even suggesting that economic growth could cost more than it’s worth can be seen as economic heresy. The renegade economist, known as the father […]
COP27 must work out how to cut carbon and still develop African economies
Averting a climate disaster without compromising economic growth and development is a key issue for African countries. Energy production and use is the single biggest contributor to global warming, accounting for roughly two-thirds of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, electricity use and access are strongly correlated with economic development. Many African countries are lagging behind […]
What if carbon border taxes applied to all carbon – fossil fuels, too?
The European Union is embarking on an experiment that will expand its climate policies to imports for the first time. It’s called a carbon border adjustment, and it aims to level the playing field for the EU’s domestic producers by taxing energy-intensive imports like steel and cement that are high in greenhouse gas emissions but […]
Fed rate hikes, recession fears and political backlash leave ESG investors at a crossroads
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates again on May 3, 2023, by a quarter point, making it the Fed’s 10th rate hike since March 2022 in an ongoing fight to tame inflation. These rate hikes have been reverberating through the economy, raising prospects of a recession amid heightened concerns about the fragile state of banks. […]
How to design clean energy subsidies that work – without wasting money on free riders
The planet is heating up as greenhouse gas emissions rise, contributing to extreme heat waves and once-unimaginable flooding. Yet despite the risks, countries’ policies are not on track to keep global warming in check. The problem isn’t a lack of technology. The International Energy Agency recently released a detailed analysis of the clean energy technology […]
Here are some of the political events that will dominate headlines in 2022
Last year started out hopeful with the emergence of COVID-19 vaccines, but quickly proved to be a challenging year for governments and communities worldwide. Still in the midst of the pandemic, 2022 will bring about a host of significant political issues and events that will impact communities, both locally and globally. Here are some of […]
Which path will humanity choose?
Governments have delayed action on climate change for too long, and incremental changes in energy and food production will no longer be enough to create a climate-resilient future, a new analysis from scientists around the world warns. The world is already seeing harmful impacts from climate change, including extreme storms, heat waves and other changes […]
A carbon tax on investment income could be more fair and make it less profitable to pollute – a new analysis shows why
About 10 years ago, a very thick book written by a French economist became a surprising bestseller. It was called “Capital in the 21st Century.” In it, Thomas Piketty traces the history of income and wealth inequality over the past couple of hundred years. The book’s insights struck a chord with people who felt a […]