The market won’t by itself get us beyond carbon. That much is clear. The market is a powerful force, but must be harnessed to the task with clear & consistent market signals. Like a price on carbon, and the acceleration of capital into clean energy markets.
The science is clear, but the solutions difficult. Politics, sociology, psychology, economics, ecology and technology all interact. It’s complicated. Effective action requires a multidisciplinary approach, something not easy to find in today’s highly-specialized economy and partisan politics. But climate change itself is not a partisan issue – it is a practical problem that must be solved.
We need more polymaths, less defensive rhetoric, and a clear view to pragmatic solutions.
The first in a series of articles written for the Canadian Business Journal. Link for laptops/desktops here (full layout). Link for mobile devices here (no photo layout). Original text below. Solve a big problem and get a big reward. That’s how our … Continue reading →
In this interview with Daryn Caister I get more blunt about a number of issues: – what does ‘sustainability’ really mean? – why do I think so differently from the likes of Bjorn Lomborg? – why might economists not care … Continue reading →
Speaking at a cleantech-y event recently, I bemoaned the lack of urgency in capital movement to the sector. Carbon builds, capital barely moves. Climate growls, capital purrs. Our national and global efforts to mitigate climate risk looks an awful lot … Continue reading →
My Walrus TV Talk: Seven Ideas that will Change Everything. I’m posting this while in Aruba at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Conference (CREF2013) – where Hydrostor just had a signing ceremony with the Minister of Finance for their first commercial … Continue reading →
Lawrence Solomon notes in his recent op-ed Model Mockery that the Integrated Assessment Models (IAM) used to perform cost-benefit analyses of climate policy options are badly flawed. I couldn’t agree more: the IAM models are garbage. I dedicate a full … Continue reading →
Green Energy Futures takes a look at MaRS, the Cleantech Practice and the Fund itself …
Wente writes in glowing terms about John Dwyer, CEO of Flax Energy. Well deserved kudos for Mr. Dwyer – a bright, ambitious fellow who is taking a (small) bite out of fossil fuels. Flax Energy converts – yep, flax – … Continue reading →
This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Toronto Star. NOTE: It may appear naive to try and compromise with an industry as powerful as the fossil fuel sector (accustomed to getting their way, no caveats) – never mind … Continue reading →
The following appeared in the Globe and Mail, Mon Feb 11/13 Cleantech @ MaRS Globe Feb. 11.13a Given we’re selling oil from Alberta at 30% below market (and get negative federal revenue from it anyway – see the BlueGreen article … Continue reading →
Here’s an excerpt from my upcoming book Hot Water that tries to answer the big one. (Note: unedited, not final, no footnotes – all data references to World Energy Outlook 2012, Energy Information Agency) How much will it cost to turn … Continue reading →