Test - tomorrow

Showing posts with label tomorrow. Show all posts

Canada's Hopes for an Environmentally Friendly Federal Leadership Now Rest with Justin Trudeau

April 17, 2013 Add Comment Edit

The federal Liberals officially named 41 year old Justin Trudeau as their new leader on Sunday April 14, 2013. The ruling Conservatives are telling Canadians that they have to make a choice between the economy and the environment, Trudeau believes this is a false choice.

Justin believes that the Conservative doctrine of forcing Canadians to choose between the economy and the environment is reckless and dangerous.

As he explains in his website, "Instead, it is increasingly obvious that a healthy economy is dependent on a healthy environment, and the two will thrive resiliently if we engage in responsible actions based on long-term thinking."

Justin won the support of about 80 per cent of Liberals who gave him an overwhelming first-ballot victory, 45 years to the month after his father took the same position. Justin is the eldest son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau.

Elected on October 14th, 2008, as Member of Parliament for Papineau, Justin's three primary policy positions involve youth, diversity and the environment.

Justin was a member of the House’s Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development. In his years before politics he worked with various environmental groups dedicated to the protection of our Canadian wilderness, supplementing his activism with graduate work in environmental geography at McGill University.

Justin has a difficult road ahead of him if he is to succeed in taking his party from its current third place standing and returning to its former glory as the country’s so-called “natural governing party.” If he is to be the next Prime Minister he will have to defeat Harper's Conservatives and move ahead of the NDP led by Thomas Mulcair.

Despite these difficulties opinion polls suggest that the new Liberal leader could very well win an election if it were held today.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Canadian Conservative Minister Attacks Climate Scientist
Canada Ruling Conservatives at Odds with US and China on Climate Change
Report Urges Canada's Federal Conservatives to Regulate Oil and Gas Sector to Meet GHG Targets
Canada Withdraws from UN Efforts to Combat Desertification
Canada Pulls out of Kyoto
Canada's Ruling Conservative Government is Trying to Silence American Scientists
Canada's Ruling Conservatives Muzzle Scientists
Canada is an Environmental Pariah at Rio+20
Canadian Government Spending on Dirty Projects
Conservative Budget Guts the Environment
Canada is a Dirty Energy Superpower
Canada's Leader of the Official Opposition on the Keystone XL

Will 2013 Bring a New, Sustainable World?

January 30, 2013 Add Comment Edit

This article was written by Pavan Sukhdev and published in Guardian Sustainable Business Blog on January 4, 2013. Pavan is an environmental economist and board member for Conservation International. He is also the UN Environment Programme's goodwill ambassador. A former banker, he led the UNEP's green economy initiative and is author of a new book, Corporation 2020.

The new year brings with it a host of ecological, governmental and social issues but a new world is, and has to be, possibleThey were right, the world has ended. The world as we knew it came to an end more or less when the Mayan calendar ran out, on winter solstice, 2012.

The old world that died in 2012 had a stable climate, cheap commodities, governments managing change, high growth in output and consumption, and corporations driving economies and serving societies all deeply infused with a blind belief in free markets.

The new world that begins now, in 2013, will be defined by frightening climate instability, commodity and food prices ratcheting skywards, impotent governments reduced to spectators in their own countries, continuing recession, and corporations either being hounded as common criminals or laurelled as champions of virtuous change. An internet-enabled anarchy of the wronged will pull entire countries along unplanned roller-coaster rides through a Disneyland world of commotion and crises. Briefly, here is why I think so.

Breaching the Limits of the World's Ecosystems

Our world is rapidly approaching planetary boundaries – across climate, biodiversity, nitrogen, phosphorous, ocean acidification, freshwater scarcity, inter alia. Economies worldwide are still headed in the wrong direction – towards resource exhaustion, social disparities, and persistent poverty. What we need is change at the speed of light, driven by bold leaders. What we have is change at the speed of change, hesitantly nudged by cautious governments. Too little, too late, such prevarication will spill into natural disasters. We saw some as 2012 ended – we shall see more as the earth's ecosystems do what all systems in equilibrium try their best to do: stay in equilibrium, until they simply cannot. Until what we call "resilience" is replaced by "thresholds" being breached, planetary boundaries being crossed.

Breached thresholds will lead ecosystems into new states of equilibrium, which may not be any good for human life, society, or economy.

The Vulnerable will Suffer Most

Increasing climate disruptions will cause higher price volatility in agricommodities, due to crop failures and crop losses. The world is over-invested in intensive agriculture, and due to a corresponding lack of investment to improve yields and resilience for smallholder farming, the poor will actually suffer the most from these supply disruptions and price shocks.

Bold Leadership

In the absence of political leadership, others will provide bold leadership, such as corporations, who are the lion's share of today's economy, GDP and jobs. Some have already shown real leadership in 2012, such as by measuring and disclosing their externalities (Puma), or lengthening their investor and analyst horizons by stopping quarterly reports (Unilever). Many more will follow these trendsetters in 2013.

An End to Crony Capitalism

At the same time, adherents of the old model of corporation – profit-fixated, externality-churning, disconnected from social purpose – will find the going tougher. Public patience with being exploited by the freedoms of freemarket capitalism is running thin. Public outrage at investment banking excesses has not died even four years after the global financial crisis. "Corporate externalities" is no longer an obscure term hidden at the end of economics textbooks, but a common phrase in news media.

Corporations that habitually free-lunched off global and national governance weaknesses and cheap natural resources will realise that their free lunch is nearly over; mainly because the "crony" governments of their crony-capitalist alliances are either emaciated, or bankrupt, or cannot toe the line of corporate profitability any longer in the face of scientific evidence and citizen activism. Indeed, from the first Arab Spring uprising to a campaign of moral outrage in Britain over corporate tax avoidance, which immediately yielded millions from Starbucks, the internet-enabled anarchy of the wronged has become the vehicle of successful change.

Many years ago, Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things said: "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."

Winter solstice, 2012, was a quiet day. The earth's magnetic field did not flip. Planes did not fall out of the sky. A nuclear holocaust was not launched. A giant meteorite did not slam into earth.
But if you had listened for a quieter strain, you would have heard her. A new world had begun.

Source: Guardian Sustainable Business Blog

Global Solutions to Climate Change (Video)

October 13, 2012 Add Comment Edit

October 10, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Infographic by Jobvine Jobs

Romney Lied about the Success of Obama's Green Stimulus

October 09, 2012 Add Comment Edit

During the presidential debate, Mitt Romney lied to the American public about the success of President Obama's green stimulus spending. A big part of the success of the Democrat's stimulus spending concerned the creation of green jobs. The US unemployment rate is now at 7.8 percent, this is the first time since the President took office that they have dropped below 8 percent. The President's support for green jobs are part of this favorable employment trend. According to a study from the Bureau of Labor as of 2010 there were already 3.1 million green jobs in the US. While the Obama administration was growing the number of green jobs, the Republicans were pushing legislation that undermines green job growth.

As reviewed by Wonkblog, Mitt Romney criticized the Obama administration for putting “$90 billion into green jobs.” A closer inspection of this statement reveals that Romney's criticisms are unfounded, the facts indicate that Obama's green energy investments have been very successful.

One of Romney's many lies during the presidential debate concerned his claims that half the companies funded by these energy programs have “gone out of business.” The truth is less than less than 1 percent of the President's energy programs have failed.

After fact checkers disputed Romney’s lies, his camp claimed the Republican presidential nominee was referring to the Energy Department’s 1705 loan program, which provides about $16.1 billion to clean-energy companies. Even if we accept this explanation, of the 33 companies that have received loan guarantees, only three are in bankruptcy. This puts the default rate at just 2.6 percent for this one program in the stimulus.

Failure is an inevitable part of any business endeavor, but the rate is far below what Congress anticipated for the 1705 loan program. As explained by energy analyst Gregory Kats, the loan program’s final cost will likely end up well below the $2.47 billion Congress set aside to cover losses.

Romeny is right on one count, the Obama administration has provided a $90 billion stimulus for a wide array of clean energy programs. According to the White House, here is a breakdown of clean energy stimulus spending.

$29 billion for improving energy efficiency, including home retrofits (One million US homes have been weatherized)
$21 billion in incentives for renewable generation, such as solar and wind
$10 billion for modernizing the electric grid $6 billion to promote advanced vehicles and a domestic battery industry
$18 billion for high-speed rail and other trains
$3 billion for research into carbon capture for coal plants
$3 billion for job training
$3 billion for clean manufacturing tax credits

Under the Obama administration non-hydro renewable energy sources have almost doubled. From January 1 to June 30, 2012 non-hydro renewable energy sources (geothermal, biomass, solar, and wind) provided 5.76 percent of net electrical generation, an increase of 10.97 percent for the same period last year. Utility scale solar increased 97.2 percent from one year ago, wind generation grew 16.3 percent and geothermal by 0.2 percent. Biomass declined by 0.8 percent.

As stated by Mike Grunwald with a top-line summary: Wind power has doubled from 25 gigawatts (GW) before President Obama took office, the U.S. to 50 GW. Solar has increased by six times since Obama was elected from less than 1 GW to 5 GW of solar.

The Obama administration has also seen costs of renewable energy fall, which is crucial if they are ever to compete with cheap fossil fuels. The price of photovoltaic systems has fallen by half, from $7.20 per watt in 2007 to $3.47 per watt in 2011. The cost of new wind turbines fell 27 percent from 2008 to 2011.

Renewable energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal have received about $21 billion from the stimulus. If spread out over 15 years, renewables are still getting far less support than oil, gas, and nuclear did in their first two decades. Even today oil and gas companies continue to receive a number of tax breaks conservatively estimated to be worth about $2.8 billion per year.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
The Obama Administration Has Grown Renewable Energy
American Voters Want More Renewable Energy
The Green Elements of the First 2012 Presidential Debate
Obama's Energy Efficiency Executive Order for Industry
Obama Administration's New Vehicle Standards
Romney's Coal Fired Campaign Versus Obama's Wind Power
Obama Striving to Put an End to Oil Subsidies
Obama's National Goal of One Million EVs by 2020
Obama's Jobs Plan Emphasizes green employment
Obama 2013 Budget Seeks to Make Renewable Tax Credits Permanent
Clean Energy Excerpts of President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Speech
President Obama's 2013 Budget
President Obama's 2013 Environmental Budget
Excerpts of President Obama's American Jobs Act
Energy Efficiency Partnerships: Obama's American Jobs Act
President Obama's American Jobs Act (Video)
Environmental Politics: Obama Versus the GOP
Highlights of Obama's 2011 State of the Union Address
Excerpts of President Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address
Obama Renews His Commitments to Clean Energy and Efficiency
Excerpts from President Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address
President Obama's "HomeStar" Program
Alternative Energy Investments Under Obama
Green Government Investments and Job Creation
The Fate of the Democrats is Tied to Green Jobs
10 Jobs that Serve the Environment
Green Skills that you Need to be an Energy Contractor
Hopeful Statistics for Green Job Growth
Top 10 "Shovel Ready" Green Jobs
Green Job Bank
Green Jobs Growth First Quarter 2012
Best Places for Green Jobs in the US
Green Jobs for America
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond
Government Investment Green Jobs and Economic Recovery
State Green Jobs Initiatives Need Federal Legislation
Republican Cuts Target Green Jobs
Electric Vehicles Create Jobs
The Economic and Employment Benefits of Forests
Excerpts of President Obama's American Jobs Act Speech
Obama's Jobs Plan Emphasizes Education and Greener Schools
Video: President Obama's American Jobs Act
Video of White House Policy Briefing on Green
Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 Report:
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond

10 Jobs that Serve the Environment

October 09, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Here are ten careers that give you a chance to help reduce human impacts on the environment. No matter how you look at it, green jobs are are on the increase all around the world. In addition to the important field of green energy contractors here are ten areas that are vital for the health and well being of our environment.

1. Renewable Energy Engineer

Whatever the future holds for the energy sector, we will have to transition away from fossil fuels sooner or later. Either because we seek to avert the worst impacts of global warming or as a worst case scenario, because of the growing scarcity of oil. Engineers that specialize in technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal are required to conceive and develop new approaches to energy post oil. We will continue to investigate new ways to develop a cleaner and more efficient sources of energy and renewable energy engineers are a crucial part of it.

2. Sustainable Fisherman

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish a little too well, with a worldwide fleet of ships, vast inescapable nets, and 21st-century technology, and you end up with a crisis. It's the "tragedy of the commons" in its purest form. Many of our most delectable seafood favorites are being fished nearly into oblivion and will face extinction shockingly soon if we don't make some intelligent collective decisions.

3. Seed Banker

The priceless importance of biodiversity has become clear to us, as we watch many of the world's species of plants and animals meet their end. In agriculture this risk takes on a special human significance, as mankind's dabbling "improves" crops (we've been genetic engineers for 10,000 years) but can ultimately homogenize them, leaving them vulnerable to disease and other problems. Seed banks aim to provide back-up copies of all the plants we use, in case of famine or global catastrophe. Though seed banks exist all over the world, the most impressive must be the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, where nearly a million varieties are stored under a mountain on a an island in the Arctic, just outside the world's northernmost town.

4. Park Ranger

Conservation matters, an insight that may have been new and radical over a century ago, coming from Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir, but we should accept it as obvious by now. Unfortunately, we can expect economic factors to increase pressure on governments to divest themselves of protected public land for energy and mineral extraction and other commercial uses. That would be a shame. National parks are some of our most valuable assets … and not all assets are for spending.

5. Bioethicist

The amazing things going on in biotechnology are going to change not only our individual lives, but our idea of what humanity itself is. We'll need to develop new moral norms to adapt to this brave new world and keep our souls.

6. Schoolteacher

Education is our future, it is ultimately what children learn in their formative years will translate to what they do as adults. Learning about our planet and human impacts will go a long way to helping young people to get involved in efforts to make things better.

7. Writer

Communicating with large numbers of people about the state of our planet and our impacts upon it is crucial, as is sharing ways we can improve our relationship to the Earth. Writing has the potential to change the world and the alphabet remains our most powerful technology to hack minds and alter society.

8. Sustainability Officer

A sustainability officer is an increasingly important position within a corporation. More companies are coming to understand that sustainability is also about profitability. They help to develop, measure and coordinate a companies sustainability initiatives. An increasing number of institutions offer training to help people become corporate sustainability officers.

9. Corporate Social Responsibility Manager:

This position is an invaluable occupation in a society where businesses are leading the charge to reduce their impacts on the Earth. They work to ensure that corporations are more benevolent. It's good PR for them, and just plain good for the rest of us.

10. Elected Official

Never more than today we need to see elected officials who have the courage to put environmental issues on the map. The failure of elected officials to act on climate change is a travesty. We need to see more people entering public service with the aim of making environmental issues issues a top priority.

Some of these career choices have been derived from an article entitled 30 Jobs that Will Save the Planet.

Related Articles
Green Skills that you Need to be an Energy Contractor
Hopeful Statistics for Green Job Growth Top 10 "Shovel Ready" Green Jobs
Green Job Bank
Green Jobs Growth First Quarter 2012
Best Places for Green Jobs in the US
Green Jobs for America
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond
Government Investment Green Jobs and Economic Recovery
Green Government Investments and Job Creation
The Fate of the Democrats is Tied to Green Jobs
State Green Jobs Initiatives Need Federal Legislation
Republican Cuts Target Green Jobs
Electric Vehicles Create Jobs
The Economic and Employment Benefits of Forests
Excerpts of President Obama's American Jobs Act Speech
Obama's Jobs Plan Emphasizes Education and Greener Schools
Video: President Obama's American Jobs Act
Video of White House Policy Briefing on Green
Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 Report:
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond

Sustainable Transportation Ideas of the Future (Video)

August 11, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )