Energy Policy

TemasEtUnam In Part I , I provided an overview of what the Program for Accelerated Growth (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento - PAC) proposed by President Lula is and why it matters to the issues I discuss in The Temas Blog.  I also discussed its most direct impact on environment policy, the proposed changes in environmental licensing.  In Part II I examined the provisions regarding the so-called Regulatory Agencies.  Here in Part III we'll look at the energy (and petrochemical) components, and in Part IV the portions regarding water, sanitation and waste. Energy, The True Star of the PAC There is a heavy emphasis ... Read Full Story

In this article, the terms used clean energy to follow a broad definition of the issue of new energy. Other possibilities, such as renewable energy and alternative energy sources is fixed and usually does not include some key areas such as energy efficiency and cleaner use of fossil fuels, among other things, that here, in this article. Read Full Story

These were visionary words for their time and in the years since they were uttered they have proven themselves true time and again, so much so that they are now conventional wisdom. Why is it then that so many ignore their fundamental truth? Why do people ignore the omnipresent warnings, the constant reminders, and the pleas from their leaders to change their ways? Why has America pawned its problems off to the next generation? Comparisons between Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter have been increasing in recent months. Has anybody really stopped to ask why? It’s not just the single-term predictions for Obama; it may ... Read Full Story

By Michael Johns For all its greatness, long-range thinking is not one of the many attributes one would assign to our nation. Our public companies often run on quarter to quarter corporate plans; our government's focus, frankly, is on the next election. In the United States House of Representatives, that's every two years. That means the campaign never stops, which also means the long-range thinking never starts. Examples are plentiful: America's health care policy? Not a policy you'd describe as a long-term one, given its minimal focus on disease prevention, no immediate remedy to the mounting burden placed on state governments by long-term care ... Read Full Story

The old Newt is trying to become relevant again by feeding off of the oil lead energy crisis. He had launched a campaign and petition entitled "Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less." It's goal, other than to make people think Newt still exists, is to push congress to open drilling for oil anywhere and everywhere we have it in the U.S. The final hook for the American Ignorant is paying less at the pump. Every study done shows that if we drilled in every national treasure and through every caribou's ' head, the price of oil would go down less than a percent and ... Read Full Story

Brazil’s Ministry of Energy and Mines (MME) has put out for public comment the draft plans for energy through 2017. You can download its components here. Comments can be sent to the Ministry at pde2017@mme.gov.br until 28 February. I’ve quickly looked the documents over, and my initial reaction is that there has not been a [...] Read Full Story

This is our group blog, which is unique because any Zimbio member can post an entry to it. Some members blog about recent news and trends related to the portal topic, others recount relevant personal stories. You can also comment on and rate existing blog entries, to voice your opinion and to help the community identify which members and entries on the portal are must-reads. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this portal? Well, then put on your journalist’s cap and add your own blog entry! Read Full Story