Pro tem PM?

An interesting commentary about the next Liberal leader arrived in my inbox from David Graham, a former member of Parliament, political staffer and journalist. Mr. Graham says only two Liberal contenders matter: Carney and Freeland…

Our World in Data

Training in accountancy encourages my reliance on data to improve understanding of various issues. One valuable source of information is Our World in Data. It was founded by Max Roser, Professor of Practice in Global Data Analytics at the University of Oxford. Dr. Roser’s research has focused on large global problems, including poverty, disease, hunger, climate change, existential risks, and war.

Carbon dioxide emissions hit a record in 2024 and show no signs of dropping

Andrew Coyne says carbon tax critics who ignore rebates are dishonest. They are eager to damage the Earth and the Canadian economy if a political advantage can be gained. Duplicity may be a useful tool for politicians but it damages our democratic institutions. Beyond that, maligning the carbon tax impairs Canadian efforts to deal with climate change. That has real consequences.

Privatizing $24 billion public dollars

IEA says energy efficiency provides some of the quickest and most cost-effective CO2 mitigation options while lowering energy bills and strengthening energy security. Because the immediate benefits of efficiency go to individual consumers, vested interests that influence public policy discourage that approach. These groups know there are far more financial rewards gained from increasing energy supply than by conserving energy.

Forest protection, a vital climate action

The Province can unleash a squad of public relations staff and announce BC is on track to meet its climate targets. Like other provinces, BC has no independent method for accountability. Claims made about greenhouse gas reductions, clean energy, and forest protection are not fully supported by trustworthy science.

Geothermal energy now!

The International Energy Agency involves 32 member nations and 17 other associates. Together, these countries are responsible for about three-quarters of global energy consumption and almost 90 percent of clean energy investments. IEA recently published The Future of Geothermal Energy. The report notes that modern technologies enable the world to produce clean, attractively-priced geothermal energy.

Billionaires pay millions to hide trillions

In 1963, former JFK administration officials Marcus Raskin and Richard Barnet formed the Institute for Policy Studies. The American organization became involved in civil rights, feminism, economic reforms, peace movements, and military draft resistance. Uncomfortable with such radical ideas, the Nixon administration added Raskin and Barnet to their lengthy enemies list. Now in its seventh decade, IPS remains focused on social justice.

In Praise of Idleness

“…there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached…”