Author Archives: Sam Alston - Page 2
Hydrogen: Shortcut to decarbonisation or crutch for the fossil fuel industry?
Hydrogen has long been touted as the fuel of the future - the great hope of the energy sector rising on repeated waves of hype. Yet as recently as 2017,…
Could Brexit lead to a positive shift in carbon pricing?
The UK may be about to get a formal carbon tax, as a result of Brexit. After Brexit, the UK will leave the EU Emissions trading scheme (EUETS), The scheme…
Is BP really on route to being a net zero firm?
Fossil fuel giant BP last week made three announcements that resulted in downgrading £ off the value of its oil and gas assets - around 20% of its market capitalisation.…
Is the right wing press changing its tune on climate change?
The Economist newspaper has cultivated a self-image of being the paper of rational capitalist elites for nearly two centuries. In many ways diametrically opposed to the Green movement that challenges…
The Bank of England has taken a step towards accountability. But it needs to go further.
This Tuesday the Bank of England conceded to pressure to make public the names of the firms it was supporting. But it also imposed conditions on partaking in the facility.…
Has the future of European energy arrived?
Image credit: Creative Commons, Tom Corser European electrical grids are breaking records. Covid-19 accelerated a rewriting of European power provision greater even than privatisation, and grids are not yet prepared.…
5 explanations of the negative price of oil – and what climate activists can do now
On Monday April 20, reports began to emerge that the price of oil is now negative. Here are five explanations of what this means, and what climate activists can do…
What is the future of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme?
Last weekend saw the latest data release from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS). This has been a cornerstone of the EU climate policy since it’s introduction in 2003. Greenhouse…
The best and worst responses to the coronavirus crisis
In just a few short, weeks we have seen drastic and intense changes in how our society operates. While tens of thousands have been hospitalised, the very elements of our…
We can’t let the coronavirus induced economic crisis drive a mass investment in carbon intensive industries
By every conventional measure the UK economy is in crisis. And it's set to only get worse. Like in every recent economic crisis, central banks are stepping in and deploying…