healthier, happier and richer

Welcome to Climate Answers

Climate change is the most serious issue ever to have faced humanity. Rightly, it is now high on the public, political, media and business agendas. However, too much of the discussion is still about what we should not be doing or what we should be against. There is not enough discussion or information on solutions – what we can and should do to minimise dangerous climate change, and what should be done to make us not only safer and more secure, but also richer and happier.

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31 July 2010: European Commission sensible on coal subsidies, but not on nuclear fusion

The European Commission has done well in securing some – though not nearly enough – money to support renewables and CCS from the European economic recovery plan and from auctioning permits under the EU’s emissions trading scheme. By comparison, EU countries paid out €3 billion in national coal subsidies in 2008 alone. All OECD countries together give $400 billion every year in subsidies to fossil fuels, compared with $45 billion to nuclear and $27 billion to renewables, according to the International Energy Agency.

The EU must support clean energy, not dirty coal

The European Commission has proposed that subsidies to hard coal should be phased out by 2014. This is good, but must be agreed by EU national governments, some of whom will almost certainly try to extend the deadline.

Why can’t we all be more like the Danes?

40% of heat in Denmark is delivered through district heating networks and 82% of this heat comes from Combined Heat and Power plants. How has Denmark done so well?

Repowering Communities case study: Going to California

Lessons from California on what to do – and what not to do.

29 July 2010: UK localism

The UK government says that it will allow local government to sell renewable electricity. This is an excellent way to get local government to be more in favour of renewables.

Repowering Communities case study: Vermont

Tiny Vermont is the second smallest state in the US by population and the fifth smallest by area. Its economic reconstruction efforts are understated. So too are its efforts to provide its homes and businesses with sustainable heat and power.

Question: Why is it hottest in the late summer?

Question: Why is it hottest in the late summer when the days are getting shorter, rather than around the summer solstice when the days are the longest?

Edward Stalnaker

Question: Why should I accept nuclear power with no strategy for its wasted disposal?

How are you going to persuade people like me to accept new nuclear power plants when no-one seems to have a strategy for dealing with the radioactive waste from the old installations?

Caroline Westgate

Switzerland – climate and energy statistics

This document sets out some of the important climate change statistics concerning energy use in Switzerland.

New Zealand – climate and energy statistics

This document sets out some of the important climate change statistics concerning energy use in New Zealand.