@acsimpson:
Worth reading this piece on that IMF report.
Summary: fuel companies aren't getting 10m a minute in subsidies.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
" The university is putting “money before climate science” "
(55 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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This puts me in mind of @gembo's reminder of power structures. Politics is the froth on top of the framework of brute power, represented by the Saudi royal family, the oil companies, the big banks and so on.
There's no doubt where my alma mater places itself in this arrangement. I have been one of the many Edinburgh University staff and students to have worked on renewable energy, and I think even they would now openly admit to being politically partisan in quite a conservative way.
Anybody who thinks fossil fuels aren't subsidised needs to explain why why altering the composition of our shared atmosphere is free.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Stickman,
I assume that article is written by someone with an interest in the fossil fuel industry. He seems to think that a subsidy will always be in the form of a cash handout which clearly isn't what the report is saying. I would also disagree that there is a difference between subsidising consumers and the companies which supply them.
He does make the point that in the UK and a lot of western Europe there is less of a subsidy than in many other countries. Indeed in some countries fossil fuels are part paid for by the government.
His best point, assuming it's true, is that lower VAT on heating bills isn't a form of subsidy.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Slightly related -
"
This diverse cross-sector sub-group aims to disseminate the latest research on behaviour change to 2020 Group members to inform their work and programmes. Work completed to date has included supporting the Scottish Government led programme into workplace behaviours and hosting a major event on exploring whether speed limits affect low carbon behaviours on the roads.
"
http://www.2020climategroup.org.uk/about-us/sub-groups/behaviour-change-research/
Posted 8 years ago # -
acsimpson:
"I assume that article is written by someone with an interest in the fossil fuel industry. "
Not a financial interest, no. He is involved in the rare earth industry.
He writes mainly on economics, so I don't think (from reading his previous work) that he would assume that subsidies always come in cash.
And he does make the point that subsidies to consumers are effectively subsidies to suppliers, albeit difficult to disentangle their true effects on producers due to second order effects.
I took his main thrust to be that the IMF paper is interesting, but is being misunderstood by those reporting on it.
Posted 8 years ago # -
why altering the composition of our shared atmosphere is free.
Not sure you can blame the energy companies for that, if there was no market for warm homes or easy distance travel there would be no companies piping gas to cities or producing petrol for cars or diesel for trains.
Posted 8 years ago # -
A timely article today... Revealed: BP's close ties with the UK government
Posted 8 years ago # -
Pretty depressing reading really, but no surprises.
"
Browne – who enjoyed close ties to both New Labour’s business-friendly elite and later David Cameron’s coalition – attempted to position BP as environmentally-minded, flirting with renewables and launching the “Beyond Petroleum” PR campaign.
Today, assessments of Browne’s record at BP are less gushing. Browne later admitted BP should have done more to prevent two major disasters that occurred on his watch and a long-term culture of ruthless cost cutting and risk taking, which began under Browne, has also been blamed for leading to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
@steveo
I wasn't blaming oil companies, or indeed anyone else. I was pointing out that use of the atmosphere as a waste dump is free. A capitalist analysis of the energy market might want to allocate a value to the thing we breathe and which hosts our weather. Imagine what would happen if a company came up with a proposal to alter the atmosphere for profit. Would we allow them to do this for free? (Assuming they asked and we had a choice in the matter.)
Posted 8 years ago # -
A capitalist analysis of the energy market might want to allocate a value to the thing we breathe and which hosts our weather.
Perhaps, but I can't help feel that the people who would end up worse off by the taxation this train leads to would be those who can least afford to pay.
Posted 8 years ago # -
On a tangentially related note:
Folding server built into a radiator, genius! Mine was very useful at warming the airing cupboard and helping dry clothes and keep the chill out.
Posted 8 years ago # -
There's an open letter from staff available for signing. PM me if you want details (or just email me if you already have my work address)
letter here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12b-R3Sw8IzfVyZUVexsphjzDUPO0xAy985SBbXZWNXA
Posted 8 years ago # -
Are they still there in the rain?
Posted 8 years ago # -
link here for staff who want to sign the letter linked to above:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1XFoKxBfn4pzJ3aBgT37XKnOz-X2U6os709RsH2kFyZY/viewform?c=0&w=1
Posted 8 years ago # -
Thanks SRD
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Gordon Maloney (@gordonmaloney)
22/05/2015 08:00
7 MSPs have signed the motion backing #EdinburghUniFossilFree. Will @MarcoBiagiMSP @Neil_FindlayMSP @SarahBoyackMSP?"
"
Marco Biagi (@MarcoBiagiMSP)
22/05/2015 08:56
@gordonmaloney As a gov Minister can't sign backbench motions. Have written to uni in capacity as constituency MSP and will forward letter."
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
A SECURITY guard has been charged after a protester was allegedly thrown to the ground and choked outside a student-occupied building belonging to Edinburgh University.
It is understood a demonstrator, who was among those gathered outside Charles Stewart House in Chambers Street during yesterday’s incident, is also facing charges.
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
The SNP will chair two House of Commons select committees at Westminster, it has been announced.
Nationalist MPs will take control of the UK Parliament's energy and climate change select committee and Scottish affairs select committee.
"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-32843295
Posted 8 years ago # -
Cleaners going round with brushes and buckets of water to clean up the last of the chalk "Divest" graffiti.
Seems like a waste of time, it'll be raining on Wednesday.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Also saw news yesterday that the University has now announced it will divest from 3 fuel companies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-32891001
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Running On Climate (@climatedoc)
28/05/2015 06:43
FT on Norway's decision to #divest $916bn oil fund from coal (utilities as well as miners). #climate #carbonbubble"
Posted 8 years ago # -
On a different issue -
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
In May last year, a group of students stirred things up at the University of Edinburgh by occupying its finance building for over a week. The protest grew around a simple demand. Students argued that it was unethical for a public institution to invest in the fossil fuel industry because the sector is one of the main drivers of climate change, and called on the university to divest from companies involved in oil, gas or coal extraction.
"
Posted 8 years ago #
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