None of the various technofixes on offer alter the fact that humanity has to learn to stop living on the last drops of cheap energy, and to start living within its means
… up to natural limits, or face a 1970s-style energy crisis Paul Mobbs | 19th January 2010 Comment Energy Climate Change Oil Gas 3globes.jpg None … to stop living on the last drops of cheap energy, and to start living within its means …
Th latest IPCC climate change report says that averting catastrophe is eminently affordable, reports Damian Carrington. A global roll-out of clean energy would shave only a tiny fraction off economic growth, and bring huge benefits in clean air and energy security.
… Damian Carrington. A global roll-out of clean energy would shave only a tiny fraction off … and bring huge benefits in clean air and energy security. Catastrophic climate change … transformation required to a world of clean energy and the ditching of dirty fossil fuels …
The president of the World Bank has promised to back out of financing coal developments, and instead target its finance at 'every dimension of renewable energy' under a new climate-friendly strategy.
… World Bank to focus on 'all forms of renewable energy' John Vidal the Guardian | 25th November 2014 News Finance Renewables Energy Development … its finance at 'every dimension of renewable energy' under a new climate-friendly strategy. …
A wholesale corruption of science underlies the UK Government's insistence that gas from fracking offers a 'low carbon', low cost route to energy abundance, writes Paul Mobbs. On the contrary: it's expensive, over-hyped - and just as bad for climate change as coal.
… exposed Paul Mobbs | 30th May 2014 News Energy Fossil Fuels Fracking UK Climate Change … offers a 'low carbon', low cost route to energy abundance, writes Paul Mobbs. On the … small'? In December 2012 the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) commissioned …
The 'death of peak oil' has been much exaggerated, writes Paul Mobbs. Take out high-cost 'unconventional' oil and production peaked ten years ago, and even North America's fracking and tar sands boom has failed to open up new resources both big enough to make good the shortfall, and cheap enough to reward investors. We really do need to be thinking 'beyond petroleum'.
… of peak oil Paul Mobbs | 5th May 2015 News Energy Oil Economics syncrude-cut.jpg The … in the USA - though few heard them. The US Energy Information Agency (USEIA) had issued … have to go all out to realise the 'US shale energy revolution' . It has been sold to the …
Hinkley C's subsidy package may have won European Commission approval - but now it faces a National Audit Office 'value for money' investigation, following a demand from a powerful Parliamentary committee.
… The Guardian | 17th October 2014 News Nuclear Energy UK Politics Economics Finance … "Our work will cover the Department of Energy and Climate Change's commercial … mechanism for Hinkley and other low-carbon energy projects. Last week the European …
Fracking is just another step on the fossil fuel treadmill, according to 'Snake Oil' by Richard Heinberg. High costs, diminishing returns and growing pollution will ultimately nail its future. Paul Mobbs urges readers - give a copy to your MP before it's too late!
… Heinberg began to look at the issue of energy and the environment in the early 2000s, … known as 'peak oil' and 'peak gas' - the energy industry has looked to other 'unconventional' energy sources to keep their business models …
Political support for fracking is not just about energy, writes Paul Mobbs. It reflects the greater ecological and resource crisis at the root of our current economic woes - and only postpones the essential shift to a new kind of economy.
… support for fracking is not just about energy, writes Paul Mobbs. It reflects the … to tour those areas next in line for extreme energy developments - South Wales , The … biased towards the business interests of the energy service and investment industries …
The Environmental Audit Committee today calls for shale fracking in the UK to be 'put on hold', writes Paul Mobbs. But the EAC is missing an even more dangerous technology that the Infrastructure Bill would support - underground coal gasification.
… Mobbs | 26th January 2015 Comment Fracking Energy Oil Gas UK Politics ugc-cut.jpg The … generation. Shortly thereafter the North West Energy Task Force , a local ' astroturf ' … ongoing debate about a ban , fuelled by Dart Energy's proposed coalbed methane (CBM) …
Members accepted that there is a limited role for atomic power at their Glasgow conference yesterday......
… Mason The Guardian | 16th September 2013 News Energy Politics Nuclear ed.jpg Members … speech by Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, and several hours of tense … to reject such a large low-carbon source of energy, which would help wean Britain off …
After over a century of coal ash and colliery waste dumping, the Tyne and Wear coastline is no stranger to industrial pollution. But soon a horrific new technology - underground coal gasification (UCG) - will endanger human health and the environment, backed by unflinching Government support and generous lashings of taxpayers' money.
… Sea Paul Mobbs | 3rd April 2015 News Oceans Energy Gas Fracking Fossil Fuels UK Finance … or it could be supplied to large industrial energy users. Don't confuse this process with … for the pollution they have created. Linc Energy have also allegedly exposed workers to …
The UK's insistence on opening up the UK to fracking is symptomatic of a deeper malaise, writes Paul Mobbs. Of course we need a change of government, but more than that, we need a deeper, enduring change of the nation's governance if we are ever to effect the transition to sustainable policies on energy and environment. It's time for the UK to become truly democratic.
… Mobbs | 21st December 2015 News UK Politics Energy Fracking Regulation Farming Natural … the transition to sustainable policies on energy and environment. It's time for the UK … circuitous consultations, the Department of Energy and Climate Change's 14th Landward …
A company bidding to undertake 'underground coal gasification (UGC) - a notoriously hazardous and polluting process - in the UK has threatened a Scottish clean energy campaigner: shut up or get sued. Paul Mobbs reports ...
… - in the UK has threatened a Scottish clean energy campaigner: shut up or get sued. Paul … Mobbs reports ... Lawyers for Five Quarter Energy Holdings have sent a 'cease and desist' … In the early 2000s three companies - Cougar Energy at Kingaroy, Linc Energy at Chincilla …
The UK government claim that fracking is a 'clean' energy source rests on the conclusions of a single scientific paper, writes Paul Mobbs. And now that paper has been conclusively invalidated: it uses misleading figures that understate the methane emissions from fracking, and subsequent findings have left it totally discredited. Yet the paper is still being quoted to justify fracking, and the fool the public on its climate change impacts.
… government claim that fracking is a 'clean' energy source rests on the conclusions of a … a realistic result. Fracking and Whitehall's energy policy The Government in Whitehall … means to meet climate change obligations. As Energy Secretary Ed Davey claimed in 2013 , …
Medact, the organization of health professionals for a safer, fairer and better world, has called for a five year moratorium on fracking due to its serious hazards to public health, writes Paul Mobbs. Their new report is a powerful challenge to government policy that cannot be ignored.
… | 31st March 2015 Comment Health Fracking Energy Politics murphy-oil-la-cut.jpg Medact, … might aid the transition towards a low carbon energy system. The conclusion of the report, … 2014 report for the Nova Scotia Department of Energy by the Independent Panel on Hydraulic …
The Government is struggling to spin its policy to fast track fracking, writes Paul Mobbs. So as it cuts the public out of the regulatory process, exempts exploratory wells from controls, and forces the Environment Agency to issue permits with 1-2 weeks, its spin machine has resorted to outright lies and misinformation to conceal the scale of the attack on our environmental rights.
… Paul Mobbs | 15th June 2015 News Fracling Energy Fossil Fuels UK Politics Law Regulation … our environmental rights. The Department of Energy and Climate Change - DECC - and the … play a key role in securing Britain's future energy supplies." We may have 'resources, but …
The cash-strapped French energy giant EDF may sell off profitable stakes in its in its eight existing UK nuclear reactors to raise money for the Hinkley Point C project. But with no example of the EPR design planned for Hinkley even near completion, it may all prove a risk too far.
… Tickell | 8th January 2016 News Nuclear Energy Finance UK China France Finland Media … The cash-strapped French energy giant EDF may sell off profitable … of a half stake in the Constellation Energy nuclear group in the US, plus a a …
A new financial crisis is threatening to dwarf the 'subprime' mortgage debacle, writes Paul Mobbs. Cheap money from central banks has fuelled some $1.3 trillion of risky investments in high-cost 'unconventional' oil and gas. Now, with oil sinking below $60, all that paper is turning to junk - and that's putting the entire economic system at risk.
… was seen as the new 'revolution' in America's energy system, and a new, politically approved path to energy independence . When that funding stream … as one carried out by the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies in early 2014, reckoned that …
Three years after the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe hit our TV screens, Paul Mobbs examines the still unfolding global disaster - and the motives of politicians whose love of nuclear power is stronger, than it is wise.
… News Japan USA UK Nuclear Power Radiation Energy fukushima-water-sampling.png Three … discussion never really focused on the real energy issues - which I also set out in The … never mind that it will cost UK taxpayers and energy users untold billions in subsidies, and …
The greatest myth of the consumer society is that modern lifestyles are 'normal' - and this can continue forever because we're clever little apes who can solve any problem, writes Paul Mobbs. That hubris, in the face of insurmountable ecological limits, will be our collective downfall.
… change in material consumption - and thus the energy required to enable that activity to … are a problem, let's switch to renewable energy. This is reason why the green … deception. Not least because while the energy produced might be physically …
The development of coal mines in East Kalimantan is having a huge impact on local and indigenous populations, destroying the forest and displacing communities. London banks and City financiers take the profit.
… Vidal The Guardian | 30th October 2013 News Energy Fossil Fuel Climate Change Green … of money raised in London. Elsewhere, Adaro Energy , Indonesia's second-largest producer … mining watchdog Down to Earth, said: "The energy we consume in Britain is dirty, but the …
Low oil prices are putting a stop to some of the world's most environmentally damaging 'extreme energy' projects, writes Paul Mobbs, and may close down the entire fracking and tar sands industries. So why are so many 'Greens' issuing dire warnings, instead of celebrating the good news?
… crisis Paul Mobbs | 8th January 2015 Comment Energy Oil Fracking Tar Sands Consumerism … most environmentally damaging 'extreme energy' projects, writes Paul Mobbs, and may … the IEA consider essential to maintain global energy production - which requires a near $100 …
Project to build world's third-largest hydroelectric plant is suspended after failing to meet environmental requirements
… Brazil Dam Water Hydropower Natural World Energy montebelodam.jpg Project to build … Last week the president of Brazilian firm Energy Research Company (EPE), responsible for … Tolmasquim added, was the clean and cheap energy that would be made available to the …
Peru is to expand its Camisea gas project although it threatens uncontacted Amazon tribes with extinction, reports David Hill. The decision also ignores UN pleas to stop the operations.
… the Camisea gas project - Peru's biggest ever energy development - following a report by the … in December The VMI, Pluspetrol and the energy ministry are continuing to push ahead … oil and gas production in 2012. The Peruvian energy ministry and Pluspetrol could not be …