Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Hughes, whose reliable research is cited by the likes of Bloomberg, Nature, The Economist and The Tyee, has been analyzing energy trends for industry and government for more than 30 years. Unlike many environmentalists, Hughes does not believe that a transition to renewables or even reductions in greenhouse gases will be seamless, easy or cheap.
Industry extracts the lowest-cost, highest-quality, least emissions-intensive fossil fuel resources first. Knowing that fossil fuels will likely be needed for a long time to come, and that producing them is very emissions-intensive, Canada’s current de facto strategy of selling them off at rock bottom prices with declining revenues to government makes little sense.
The world ecological crisis is now apparent in abrupt climate shifts that are impossible to miss even in capitalist heartlands.
The new face of Canada showed at Paris COP21 held out hope for many Canadians climate activists for a change of course on the climate. This week’s announcements on national climate pricing falls far short of what is required for fighting climate change.
This is a long read. Because the current ‘debate’ leaves out so much.
Oil politics makes for greasy bedfellows, and that accounts for some odd and ominous slipping and sliding on the part of Albertan oil developers and their guy in Ottawa, prime minister Stephen Harper.
