Jean Tirole, Toulouse School of Economics – École d'Économie de Toulouse y Christian Gollier, Toulouse School of Economics – École d'Économie de Toulouse
We must tackle the climate challenge by using economic tools to develop a consistent and equitable system for pricing carbon.
By 2030 large-scale solar cost about the same as fossils fuels.
Solar image from www.shutterstock.com
By 2030 renewable energy sources such as solar and wind will cost a similar amount to fossils fuels such as coal and gas, thanks to falling technology costs
Ahead of the Paris climate summit businesses have made pledges, including to purchase power from renewable generation.
Wind turbine image from www.shutterstock.com
Environmental economists have long argued a carbon price is the best way to factor in the social cost of climate change. Did Obama effectively use a carbon price to nix the Keystone XL pipeline?
The dawn of a reborn emissions trading scheme led by South Australia is not as unfeasible as Premier Jay Weatherill suggests.
Adam Trevorrow/Wikimedia Commons
Australia used to have state-based emissions trading schemes, before they were ditched in favour of the now-abandoned national one. State premiers might say there’s no way to resurrect them, but there is.
Noami Klein speaking in Sydney.
Christopher Wright
Christopher Wright speaks with Canadian journalist, author and activist Naomi Klein about capitalism's impact on the environment and how it has influenced our responses to climate change.
Climate costs can seem scary, but it’s all in how you look at them.
Bills image from www.shutterstock.com
Is ambitious action on climate change a recipe for a significant hit to the economy and our living standards?
Ben Oquist, former chief of staff to Greens leaders Bob Brown and Christine Milne, says Tony Abbott risks being on the ‘wrong side of history’ at the 2015 Paris climate summit.
Penny Bradfield/AAP
Ben Oquist on the direction of the Greens and the Senate crossbench
Ben Oquist, Executive Director of the Australia Institute, talks to Michelle Grattan about the current direction of the Greens, the Senate crossbench, climate change, and much more.
Christine Milne with her successor Richard Di Natale after stepping down as the Greens’ federal leader.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Christine Milne has been seen as an ideological politician. But her record of working with minority governments of both stripes showed she could deliver on her agenda from outside the mainstream.
To find out if the carbon price worked, you have to look at the electricity sector.
Paul Hocksenar/Flickr
Emissions fell by six times the rate in the five years before the carbon tax than they did under the carbon tax. – Environment minister Greg Hunt, The Guardian, January 17, 2015. Australia’s total greenhouse…
A carbon tax could help lighten the flow out of these stacks.
Shutterstock
For most of the world’s large economies, the sharp decline in oil and energy prices is great news. Cheaper energy will help boost economic growth and is especially welcome for lower- and middle-income…
You didn’t need a onesie to get hot under the collar about sharks in 2014.
AAP Image/Theron Kirkman
Want a single word to sum up environmental affairs in 2014? Let’s go with “heated”. The year began with the realisation that 2013 was Australia’s hottest ever (and yes, it’s because of us), and ended with…
If Australia’s to have nuclear power, there’ll have to be policies to support it.
flokru/Flickr
No sooner had foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop announced that Australia should take a fresh look at nuclear power than Prime Minister Tony Abbott responded that nuclear power would only be supported…
Greg Hunt (left) says he doesn’t want an emissions trading scheme; Clive Palmer says he does. But Hunt’s Direct Action plan might ultimately take us there anyway.
AAP Image/Alan Porritt
There’s little point in getting too excited just yet about the details of Direct Action and its merits (or otherwise) as compared with emissions trading. Why? Because all of the current debate about Australia’s…
Having two children could leave more carbon emissions than you can save by changing lightbulbs.
p.Gordon/Flickr
You’ve changed your lightbulbs, you recycle, you’ve retrofitted your house, cycle when you can, and drive an electric car when you can’t. You’re doing your bit to reduce your carbon emissions and prevent…
Chinese President Xi Jinping and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will both skip the UN climate talks, but that doesn’t mean the world’s biggest emitters aren’t acting.
EPA/AAP
There are a few notable absentees among the more than 120 world leaders gathered in New York for today’s United Nations Climate Summit. Perhaps most notable of all is the head of the world’s highest-emitting…
Economic reforms such as a national carbon price could usher in dramatic changes on China’s energy landscape.
Vmenkov/Wikimedia Commons
In the lead-up to the UN leaders’ summit on climate change, China is shifting up a gear in its drive towards national emissions trading. Yet for carbon pricing to be effective, market reform in China’s…
The Renewable Energy Target represents another shift towards fossil fuel power.
Brian Yap (葉)/Flickr
The release of the Renewable Energy Target review last week is yet another indication of the disproportionate influence of the fossil fuel industry and climate sceptics on governments in Australia. Many…
The prime minister’s business adviser Maurice Newman continues to distract business leaders on the issue of climate change.
Julian Smith/AAP
There is an abundance of profitable business opportunity to be found in addressing sustainability issues. These stand out against the difficulties we face implementing effective change. Globally, the World…