G8 co2 goals – a lot of hot air?

So the G8 is talking about the cost of food and oil. And they’ve proclaimed that they will cut carbon emissions in half. This is a good start and if nothing else the propaganda will encourage people, businesses and politics to accelerate conversion to low energy-high value technology.  Its good to see the US beginning …
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Changing Games in the Global Casino

Hazel Henderson has pioneered natural capitalism for several decades and writes tirelessly on the dysfunctioning of iniquitous economic systems. In mid-June she published a summary and analysis of current events which is reproduced below and on EthicalMarkets.com here. Changing Games in the Global Casino © Hazel Henderson, 2008 Ever since the 1980s when Britain’s Margaret …
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Another giant is waking up to the urgency of biosphere preservation – IEA

The International Energy Agency is finally beginning to realise that consumption patterns and technology must change if we are to avoid a natural catastrophe.  The IEA announced that $ 45,000,000,000,000 (trillion) must be spent to change the pattern of consumption of fossil fuels.  It is a long overdue public recognition only catalysed by the current …
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Oil price rising at over 100% pa

We noted in April’s BT notes that energy prices are likely to be the daunting news of May, and now look at the report from Goldman Sachs. They think oil prices will hit $200 a barrel within 6 months. Here are the links showing that oil is approaching an all time high in real terms …
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We’re running out of planet …

Even the capitalists are beginning to ask if earth’s resources are now being exhausted: BusinessWeek’s article The Age of Scarcity asks if this is our Malthusian moment. They offer evidence to support that point of view but conclude that policy changes will allow new technologies to make resources go further. Unfortunately this is wishful thinking. …
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Costly prejudice against eco-homes

A UK study shows that consumers perceive costs of eco-homes but are unaware of the benefits.  The survey suggests that people believe the quality of domestic services in eco-homes to be lower but more costly.  This is in contrast to those that are buying or building eco-homes who do so because energy savings repay build …
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How to win economically

Amory Lovins (a long time alternative technology guru) giving a presentation on “winning the oil endgame”. He shows a number of current technologies that can save money, reduce oil use and create jobs. It’s marketed to a US audience, but that doesn’t mean everyone else can’t get a head start. See the online video here.

Addicted

I’m addicted, you’re addicted, we’re all addicted. But not addicted to love, sadly. We might like to think that we’re immune, but facing the truth, we must own up that our addictions are open secrets. Let’s touch a few bases to see where addiction might be in our lives. From personal to popular, from body …
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Oil, Asia, Asset Managers

McKinsey released this useful research on the world of money, pertinent to investors, asset managers and strategic planners. The New Power Brokers: How Oil, Asia, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity Are Shaping Global Capital Markets McKinsey reviews petrodollar investors, Asian central banks, hedge funds, and private equity and their increasingly important role in world financial …
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EU sustainability progress modest; transport remains a problem

A new progress report concludes that the EU has made only “modest” progress towards sustainability since revising its sustainable development strategy  last year.  The European commission says there have been significant policy developments in some of the seven areas identified as key action priorities, including climate and energy, but progress on policy has not yet …
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