Climate change

London (CNN Business) When protests swept Kazakhstan earlier this month, they were fueled by frustration with the ruling elite and entrenched inequality. But the unrest was sparked by a specific catalyst: an end to a government subsidy. The cost of liquefied petroleum gas — which most people in the western part of the country use to power their cars — doubled overnight after the government lifted price caps . The ensuing turmoil, which saw thousands of protesters take to the streets, resulted in a Russian-led military intervention , the resignation of the government and the deaths of more than 200 people. The episode is a reminder of the challenges facing governments that want to tackle longstanding fuel subsidies, either to reform markets and save money, as was the case in Kazakhstan, or to encourage people to switch to cleaner energy. There's a consensus that eliminating these subsidies soon is crucial to reaching net-zero emissions targets and averting the worst … [Read more...] about Ditching fossil fuel subsidies can trigger unrest. Keeping them will kill the climate

London (CNN) The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has once again reached record highs, according to a UN report published Monday, putting the planet on course for warming that far exceeds critical limits to stave off catastrophic climate change. The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2020 was 149% higher than levels before industrialization, hitting another annual record, according to the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Greenhouse Gas Bulletin. A COP flop? Covid looms over crucial climate talks as some key leaders snub the event Although the Covid-19 pandemic caused a temporary decline in new emissions , it had no discernible impact on the amounts or impact of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere, the report found. Instead, the gradual trend of increasing greenhouses gases that had been registered over the past decade has continued. The findings add to a sense of urgency ahead of the COP26 … [Read more...] about CO2 levels in the atmosphere reach a 3 million-year high, putting the world ‘way off track’ on climate goals

- A + A (Jan 20): German Economy Minister Robert Habeck kicked off a charm offensive targeting major industrial companies and regional leaders this week as the government tries to accelerate its plan to cut emissions and meet elusive climate change goals. Habeck will visit a BMW AG factory in Munich on Thursday (Jan 20) after touring an Airbus SE facility near Hamburg earlier this week. The stops underscore that slashing emissions from transport will be one of the biggest challenges facing Germany’s new coalition government. The tour comes a week after Habeck said the country needs to triple the speed of its emissions reductions to transform Europe’s biggest economy into a climate neutral state by 2045. Meanwhile, companies like Airbus and BMW are looking to Habeck to help spur more government spending to pick up the pace in the transformation. “It’s a task with gigantic dimensions," Habeck said on Tuesday. “Not a day should be wasted.” The European Union … [Read more...] about Germany courts BMW, Airbus in bid to speed up green transition

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on January 10, 2022 - January 16, 2022. The government has discussed flood mitigation plans and will have to come up with a long-term solution (Photo by Mohamad Shahril/The Edge) - A + A Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz looks none the worse for wear after two years in the political hot seat of overseeing the country’s finances. The former investment banker knows tough measures need to be made fast but admits that changes to the status quo will not be easy to push through. Below are excerpts from his interview with The Edge’s Cindy Yeap and Esther Lee. The Edge: It’s been only two months since the tabling of Budget 2022 but so many things have happened that it looks like you need to redo the budget or table a supplementary budget. Zafrul : Every year, there is a supplementary budget but, yes, only just now I told the cabinet that we have to relook and reprioritise to make … [Read more...] about Cover Story: Ensuring fiscal sustainability

In this episode, Vince and Jason sit down with Georgia candidate for Governor Vernon Jones to discuss his campaign, Biden’s divisive Georgia speech, election issues, crime, vaccine mandates, and climate change. (RELATED: Vernon Jones Will Challenge Georgia Gov. Kemp In 2022 Republican Primary) “Vince & Jason Save The Nation” is a political debate show that grapples with America’s most pressing questions. The show features intelligent, brutally honest conversations between Vince Coglianese and Jason Nichols, two nationally renowned political commentators who come from opposite sides of the political divide but share a profound love of country. Enlisting the support of their fascinating and talented guests, Vince and Jason tackle the existential issues confronting America and set out on their quest to Save the Nation. Subscribe to Save The Nation on Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/mletxb Subscribe to Save The Nation on Spotify: https://rb.gy/jd7gdx … [Read more...] about Black Conservative Running For GA Gov Flipped From Dem To Republican | Guest Vernon Jones | Vince & Jason Save The Nation

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on January 10, 2022 - January 16, 2022. (Photo by Suhaimi Yusuf/The Edge) - A + A AS a technocrat, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz knows fiscal reforms are painfully overdue. He felt the financial strain firsthand as the government’s cash needs skyrocketed in the past two years due to the necessary spending to save lives and livelihoods hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The ex-investment banker also knows Malaysia — whose direct debt burden will cross the RM1 trillion threshold this year — needs debt to be more productive in order to expand the economic pie and sustain growth towards the desired high-income status. As it is, interest payments on direct government debt alone take away more than RM18 out of every RM100 the government earns. This and the fact that RM49 out of every RM100 earned goes to paying civil servants’ salaries and public pension obligations are clear signs that the … [Read more...] about Cover Story: Making the right but unpopular moves