Financing clean energy transitions in emerging and developing economies

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Calls for the immediate scaling back and even discontinuation of fossil fuel use have grown strident again recently, on the heels of this month’s release of the final installment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report. It spawned urgent rhetoric like that from United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres , who said, “…it is possible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees [Celsius] with rapid and deep emissions reductions across all sectors of the global economy.” His comments were accompanied by yet another round of demands for an immediate halt to funding of any further hydrocarbon investments . That comes in the wake of last year’s anti-fossil fuel mania, when the news was dominated for weeks by the actions of activists from groups like Just Stop Oil . They made headlines by trying to destroy precious works of art and gluing themselves to roadways, all in the name of fighting climate change through their demand … [Read more...] about Want Clean Energy? We’ll Need More Fossil Fuels

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) launched a personal attack against President Joe Biden on Thursday, as negotiations between the White House and GOP lawmakers surrounding two high-stakes fiscal issues—the debt ceiling and the federal budget—are deadlocked. Key Facts McCarthy offered Thursday to meet with Biden “tonight” to discuss increasing the U.S.’ federal borrowing limit, offering to bring “soft foods” to a White House lunch if Biden would agree to a sit-down, in what appears to be a ham-fisted attempt to ridicule the president about his age. (At 80, Biden is the oldest president in history.) The offer is a non-starter, however, as the White House has repeatedly called on Congress to pass a debt ceiling increase with no strings attached and said it will not negotiate with Republicans on increasing the borrowing limit, which the federal government is expected to reach some time in late summer. … [Read more...] about McCarthy Mocks Biden Amid Debt Ceiling Standoff—Offering To Bring ‘Soft Foods’ To Negotiating Table

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Self-employed women, broadly speaking, felt the full brunt of the Covid downturn at greater numbers than nearly any other group. The rate of self-employed mothers working at least 30 hours a week, for instance, dropped by more than 40% in one month from March to April 2020, according to Federal Reserve data. The rates of self-employed fathers working at least 30 hours a week dropped by 18% in comparison. That number has reversed, according to new data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas . In the years that followed the initial Covid surge, the number of women and mothers that have chosen the self-employment route has steadily increased, rising faster than rates of men and fathers. Women now represent nearly 40% of all self-employed individuals, up from 34% in 2016. By August 2022, the number of self-employed women with children surpassed pre-Covid numbers as it sat 8% higher than rates seen in January 2020. These … [Read more...] about Self-Employment Rises Among Women, Surpassing Pre-Covid Highs