Governments Giving Fossil Fuel Companies $10 Million a Minute: IMF – Nadia Prupis

The fossil fuel industry receives $5.3 trillion a year in government subsidies, despite its disastrous toll on the environment, human health, and other global inequality issues, a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published Monday has found. That means that governments worldwide are spending $10 million every minute to fund energy companies—more than the estimated public health spending …

The Era of Pretense – John Michael Greer

I’ve mentioned in previous posts here on The Archdruid Report the educational value of the comments I receive from readers in the wake of each week’s essay. My post two weeks ago on the death of the internet was unusually productive along those lines.  One of the comments I got in response to that post gave me the theme for last week’s essay, …

In 1970, Environmentalism Was Poised to ‘Bring Us All Together.’ What Happened? – Zoë Carpenter

Since its founding in 1865, The Nation has been a home for writers instigating, reporting on and arguing about struggles for social and economic justice. We have held fast to our “Nation Ideals”— from racial justice to feminism, from a fair economy to civil liberties, from environmental sustainability to peace and disarmament—throughout our 150-year history. During our anniversary year, TheNation.com will highlight one Nation Ideal …

Putting The Real Story Of Energy And The Economy Together – Gail Tverberg

What is the real story of energy and the economy? We hear two predominant energy stories. One is the story economists tell: The economy can grow forever; energy shortages will have no impact on the economy. We can simply substitute other forms of energy, or do without. Another version of the energy and the economy story is the view of …

Lead, Don’t Follow on Climate Justice

RECENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN a growing discussion of climate change as a moral issue, both in academia and in religious communities. This past fall I spoke at three religion and climate change conferences in as many months, including a conference at Harvard Divinity School, “Spiritual and Sustainable: Religion Responds to Climate Change,” and in June 2015 I will join many global …

Shell’s Climate Change Strategy: Narcissistic, Paranoid, And Psychopathic

In an open letter to Shell’s Ben Van Beurden, the UK’s former top climate envoy says now is the time for him to show leadership Dear Mr. van Beurden – one month ago, at the IP Week dinner in London, you gave a speech calling on your peers, as you put it in your title, to be “Less Aloof, More …

Death of US Coal Exemplifies Need for Paradigm Shift for Global Energy System

A new report released Tuesday by the London-based Carbon Tracker Initiative warns that the crash of U.S. coal markets is but a harbinger of things to come for all fossil fuel investments. The report, The U.S. Coal Crash – Evidence for Structural Change (pdf), found that the slump in coal prices has forced more than two dozen U.S. coal companies into bankruptcy …

Oil Can’t Match Solar On Cost, Even At $10/Barrel

One of the biggest banks in the Middle East and the oil-rich Gulf countries says that fossil fuels can no longer compete with solar technologies on price, and says the vast bulk of the $US48 trillion needed to meet global power demand over the next two decades will come from renewables. The report from the National Bank of Abu Dhabi …

Bank of England Issues Warning Over Looming ‘Carbon Bubble’ Threat

The Bank of England, one of the oldest banks in the world, has joined the growing ranks of those warning of the financial risk posed by a “carbon bubble,” which will occur if urgently needed climate change regulations render coal, oil, and gas assets worthless. “One live risk right now is of insurers investing in assets that could be left …