A reader notes: The share price of oil companies has been more affected by the low price of oil due to oversupply than any “ethical” investor movement.
Yes, that’s been true thus far. But does the future always look like the past? This is a movement that’s growing to huge proportions, and it’s hard to imagine how greater supply of and less demand for oil stocks isn’t going to drive up their cost of capital.
How many times have you wondered about the scientific evidence behind the many competing claims that are made concerning climate change and other environmental issues? Now there is a team of fact-checkers whose job is to debunk claims and present the unvarnished truth.
How they go about their work is particularly interesting. I hope you’ll check it out.
It’s about time for me to re-offer a free service that I’ve been delivering happily for the last seven years: business plan evaluation.
Suppose you have an idea for a cleantech business—anything in renewable energy, electric transportation, smart-grid, energy storage, sustainable agriculture, or some other related field. Then suppose you want my opinion of the merits of your concept. (more…)
It’s the birthday of Rachel Carson, the person perhaps most responsible for creating the modern environmental movement, with the publication of her book “Silent Spring” in 1962. It’s a great reminder of how a single person can change the world for the better (or worse). Maybe it’s a good opportunity for all of us to ask ourselves what more we can contribute to forging a just and sustainable civilization.
A reader explains how the criminal case against ExxonMobil (for covering up the truth about fossil fuels and climate change) has no merit, partially on the basis that Exxon shareholders are happy right now.
Yes they are, but it’s not clear how long that is going to stay in place. Yesterday, the largest public university in the U.S. (U. of Massachusetts) divested itself of all fossil fuel holdings, following a string of dozens of large institutional investors–and divestiture is only one of many different forces that will soon come to exert enormous pressure on Exxon and its fellows.
Writing on government subsidies for cleantech, a reader notes: taxpayers get stuck with inefficient, inadequate and inappropriate technologies, which government agencies support for political and ideological reasons. This suppresses and discourages R&D for potentially superior technologies.
Let’s begin by admitting that there is some truth here. In fact, let’s look at two important sides of this issue: (more…)
Here’s some apocalyptic stuff for your Friday morning: an article from today’s New York Times entitled: Donald Trump’s Energy Plan: More Fossil Fuels and Fewer Rules, explaining his plans to add jobs in coal mines and cancel the Paris climate accord. (more…)
Today’s news provides a wonderful example of the absurdities and hypocrisies of life in the U.S., as our president visited Hiroshima, the site of the first of two atomic bomb detonations in World War II Japan, and offered a very clear message to the audience that had gathered for his speech: nuclear weapons are inhumane, and must never be deployed again. (more…)
I’m told that I’m a decent public speaker, though I certainly know what stage fright feels like. It’s for that reason that I applaud people who have the courage to stand up in front of large audiences, especially hostile ones, to make points that no one in the auditorium wants to hear.
Yesterday, Anna Kalinsky, fresh from her college graduation, did just that. She’s the granddaughter of James F. Black, a scientist for Exxon for over 40 years, and she bravely addressed an enormous assembly of ExxonMobil shareholders at its annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. Her message: It’s time for ExxonMobil to stop stonewalling attempts and adopt a resolution calling for climate action. (more…)
Commenting on my post The Migration to Renewable Energy Isn’t All Smooth Sailing and its discussion of government subsidies, MarcoPolo writes: The danger is when governments stray from the path of economic management and pursue ideological .. agendas.
What’s wrong with a government promoting an ideology, as long as it’s one of peace, fairness and sustainability? Government should support the development of cleantech precisely because it’s part of an ideology that says something on which any sane and decent person would agree, i.e., it’s important that we become good stewards of the environment.
