climate change

Wikileaks reveals Arctic could be the new cold war

Posted by jamess — 12 May 2011 at 3:35pm - Comments

The Arctic resource scramble is sparking military tension

UPDATE: Watch BBC Newsnight's feature on the Wikileaks Arctic files

Submarine explorers planting Russian flags under the North Pole. Military tension between Nato and Russia. US diplomats manoeuvring in the wings. Aircraft carriers lurking and strike fighters changing hands.

Sound like something from a James Bond plot? Unfortunately it’s not.

New Wikileaks releases today have shown the Arctic oil rush is not just a threat to the environment and our climate, but also to peace.

Article tagged as: arctic, climate change, go beyond oil, oil, oil drilling, peace, war, wikileaks

Destroying the Arctic for a three-year fix

Posted by jamess — 12 May 2011 at 1:52pm - Comments

Oil companies are taking their drills to the Arctic

How much oil lies under that Arctic ice? 90 billion barrels, according to the US Geological Survey.

But, how much really is that? If you ask an oil company, that’s a huge amount. With a barrel of oil over the hundred dollar mark, that's nine trillion dollars worth at today’s prices – if you could get at it all.

However, there’s a much more important number than the mind-boggling figures that the oil companies deal in.

Article tagged as: arctic, BP, cairn, cairn energy, climate, climate change, go beyond oil, oil, oil drilling, shell

Bonkers bonus for EDF

Last edited 11 May 2011 at 4:08pm

11 May, 2011

UK energy customers, who pay billions each year for domestic fuel, are unknowingly about to stump up an extra £50 million a year bonus for French energy giant EDF.

In a written reply to a MP Martin Howard, Justine Greening from the government Treasury team let out the coalition’s dirty little secret:

Article tagged as: budget, carbon floor price, climate change, EDF, energy

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Greenpeace reaction to Vestas offshore wind turbine factory plan in UK

Last edited 11 May 2011 at 4:04pm

11 May, 2011

Greenpeace today welcomed the announcement by Vestas that they will build a factory for offshore wind turbines in Kent employing up to 2,000 people.

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK said:

“This is excellent news and shows that there are real jobs and huge opportunities for the UK in renewable energy. The government now needs to create the right regulatory framework to build a sustainable green economy.

Article tagged as: clean energy, climate change, energy, green investment bank, renewable energy, vestas, wind power

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HSBC backs nuclear power in Indian earthquake zone

Posted by jamie — 11 May 2011 at 12:34pm - Comments

Site of the proposed nuclear power station in Jaitapur, India

Two months ago, an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. This not only resulted in a huge natural disaster and humanitarian crisis, but also triggered an unprecedented man-made tragedy. And yet plans are afoot to build a nuclear power plant in another earthquake zone, this time in India.

Article tagged as: BNP Paribas, climate change, HSBC, india, jaitapur, nuclear power

Greenpeace responds to Arctic oil drilling announcement

Last edited 10 May 2011 at 2:11pm

10 May, 2011

Reacting to the news that the Greenland government has officially granted permits to the Scottish company, Cairn Energy, to begin new oil drilling in the fragile Arctic environment, Ben Ayliffe, a senior campaigner for Greenpeace, said:

Article tagged as: arctic, cairn energy, climate change, deep water drilling, greenland, oil

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Taking Control Of Energy In The 21st Century

Last edited 5 May 2011 at 5:21pm

Publication date:

4 May, 2011

In a speech given at Chatham House on 4 May 2011, Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven set out the economic and environmental case for a revolution in the UK's approach to building a resilient, efficient and clean energy system.

You download a transcript of the speech, or listen to it below.

Download the report: