Sustainability
Japan’s complicated relationship with coal power
At first glance, it appears a sea change is underway in how Japanese banks and financial firms treat fossil fuels. According to a comprehensive study released by 350.org in…
Explaining green and blue growth
A new report co-authored by Lord Nicholas Stern made headlines earlier this month with the projection that efforts to transition to a low carbon economy within the next…
Electric vehicles and industrial policy
A dramatic shift is underway in the global automotive market. Electric vehicles (EVs), once viewed as toys, are gaining momentum.
There are now more than 4 million electric…
Obama's legacy: Bold leadership on climate
Battling climate change was a signature issue of President Barack Obama’s tenure, particularly during the his second term. In contrast, President-elect Donald Trump has called…
Green power has a long way to go
One factor driving energy policies across the world is repeated claims by activists that green energy is gaining substantial market share over its despised fossil fuel competitors…
Paris agreement: signaling change for decades to come
Years from now, the Paris climate conference may be seen as the point where ambitious long term global climate policy was finally enshrined in an international agreement, and…
The Paris agreement: a global turning point requires domestic realignment
It's done: for the first time, the world has a truly universal agreement on climate change. It's not perfect, but the agreement will boost the momentum to modernise and clean up…
What's happening on the lower reaches of the Mekong River?
I have posted previously on The Interpreter about the Don Sahong dam, the very controversial project that the Lao government seems determined to build on the Mekong in southern…
Wanted: An authoritative and encompassing information source on climate change
Last week, Lowy Institute non-resident fellow and international security professor Alan Dupont wrote an article in The Australian calling for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to…
The finishing straight in Paris: Why the ratchet mechanism is (almost) everything
People often ask me what I think a successful Paris climate agreement would entail. I’ve said there is a handful of key elements, each tough but possible to get global agreement…