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In a previous post (part 1), I described some media reactions to my recent Energy paper (on how carbon pricing changes the relative competitiveness of low-carbon baseload generating technologies). The section of the media I covered in that post is often considered to be ‘progressive’ and environmentally focussed — and yet, their reactions to our […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 23 Comments »
This is a press release to accompany a new peer-reviewed paper by Martin Nicholson, Tom Biegler and me (Barry Brook), published online this week in the journal Energy. In subsequents BNC post, I will look at how the media has reacted so far to the story (the good, the bad and the ugly), and also […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Hot news in climate science, Nuclear Energy, Renewable planet | Tagged: | 94 Comments »
Back in 2001, Dr George Stanford conducted an interview with the National Policy Analysis Center on the IFR. Nearly ten years later, in September 2010, George has updated this material, which is pitched squarely a layman audience. I post the updated version below (7-page printable PDF version here), since it fits like a glove with […]
Filed under: IFR Facts and Discussion, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 149 Comments »
Open Thread 5 has spooled off the BNC front page, so it’s time for new one. The Open Thread is a general discussion forum, where you can talk about whatever you like — there is nothing ‘off topic’ here — within reason. So get up on your soap box! The standard commenting rules of courtesy apply, […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Open Thread | Tagged: | 655 Comments »
Guest Post by Geoff Russell. Geoff is a mathematician and computer programmer and is a member of Animal Liberation SA. His recently published book is CSIRO Perfidy. Have I got a deal for you! I’ll be marketting my new patent-pending sandals in China and if just 1% of the population buy them, then I’ll sell 13 million […]
Filed under: Ecological impacts, Emissions reduction | Tagged: | 12 Comments »
This is an update to alert readers that I’ve updated and expanded the ‘Top 10′ list of posts on BNC. Below are the listings, broken down by category. But before that, here are some general site statistics that regular readers might find interesting: ‘Birthday‘: 7 August 2008 (with Welcome to a Brave New Climate) Total […]
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: | 41 Comments »
The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) has now broadcast my debate with Ian Lowe over nuclear power, on Radio National’s Counterpoint program. The discussion lasts 50 minutes, and includes various questions and answers from the Why vs Why: Nuclear Power book, moderated by Paul Comrie-Thompson. We cover issues of waste management, weapons proliferation, adequacy of renewable energy alternatives, […]
Filed under: Climate change Q&A, Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 67 Comments »
Tony Kevin, author of Crunch Time (refer to this BNC guest post), recently published a review of two climate-change-related books in The Age newspaper (Melbourne’s daily broadsheet). Unfortunately, the review only made the print edition — there is no permanent online record. As such, Tony asked me if I would reproduce them here on BNC, […]
Filed under: Climate change Q&A | Tagged: | 25 Comments »
Although the BraveNewClimate science blog has an unashamedly Australian flavour and focus, the climate and energy issues covered herein are very much international problems. As such, I’m strongly convinced that the solutions I canvass will be required for most nations this century. In this spirit, I’d like to present a detailed guest post which provides a […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy, Renewable planet | Tagged: | 58 Comments »
As reported earlier on BNC, Dr James Hansen is currently in Australia (I had the pleasure of taking him out to dinner yesterday evening). Tonight he’ll be speaking on climate change and energy solutions at a public event at the Adelaide Convention Centre. There is still time to reserve a ticket and come along — […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy, Renewable planet | Tagged: | 89 Comments »
The following essay was published today on ABC The Drum’s Unleashed website. It’s a repackaging and honing of some of the key lines of argument that have been developed on BNC by me, my guest posters, and the blog’s many regular commenters. I hope you find it a useful pointer to the way forward — […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy, Renewable planet | Tagged: | 68 Comments »
Guest Post by Peter Lang. Peter is a retired geologist and engineer with 40 years experience on a wide range of energy projects throughout the world, including managing energy R&D and providing policy advice for government and opposition. His experience includes: coal, oil, gas, hydro, geothermal, nuclear power plants, nuclear waste disposal, and a wide […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 196 Comments »
Below is a guest post by Alex Goodwin, which canvasses the idea of a large-scale deployment of Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTR) to clean up Australia’s power generation sector. On the Energy from Thorium forums, he’s known as fnord. Alex refers to himself as “the finance grad they keep in a deep dark hole”, reflecting […]
Filed under: Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 65 Comments »
Here in Australia, there’s currently a political storm over a proposed cap-and-trade system for putting a price on carbon pollution. In brief, the federal Labor (left wing) government has passed the legislation for an emissions trading scheme in the house of representatives (where they have a clear parliamentary majority), but have had it blocked in […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Future shock, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 68 Comments »
The following guest post by Steve Kirsch presents a persuasive case that cap-and-trade systems (also called an emissions trading system[ETS]) are NOT the right way to put a price on carbon. This is relevant to the US Waxman-Markey bill, and Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme [CPRS]. Instead, a ‘fee and dividend’ approach is advocated. Read […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction | Tagged: | 44 Comments »
Guest Post by Tony Kevin. Tony holds degrees in civil engineering, and in economics and political science. He retired from the Australian Foreign Service in 1998, after a 30-year career during which he served in the Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister’s departments, and was Australia’s ambassador to Poland and Cambodia. He is currently an honorary […]
Filed under: Climate change Q&A, Emissions reduction | Tagged: | 23 Comments »
“It’s estimated that if we fully pursue our potential for wind energy on land and offshore, wind can generate as much as 20 percent of our electricity by 2030 and create a quarter-million jobs in the process — 250,000 jobs in the process, jobs that pay well and provide good benefits. It’s a win-win: It’s […]
Filed under: Renewable planet | Tagged: | 116 Comments »
Here is an article written by me that was published in The Australian newspaper on 9 June 2009: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25607083-7583,00.html If climate change is the “inconvenient truth” facing our fossil fuel dependent society, then advanced nuclear power is the inconvenient solution starting right back at the environmental movement. Since the 1970s, when the Sierra Club and […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Nuclear Energy | Tagged: | 111 Comments »
Guest Post by Tim Kelly. Tim works as a Principal Climate Change Advisor in the Water Industry and is a regular contributor to Brave New Climate. The Australian Government is belatedly acknowledging the harm that its proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme will have on the effectiveness of voluntary actions taken to reduce emissions. The media […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction | Tagged: | 13 Comments »
So, the Australian 2009-2010 Federal Budget is delivered. ‘Clean energy’ stands as one of the infrastructure centrepieces – an investment that is hoped to both pull the economy out of recession and get us on the pathway to a low carbon economy. A princely sum of $4.5 billion directed to renewable energy, infrastructure for climate […]
Filed under: Emissions reduction, Renewable planet | Tagged: | 20 Comments »
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