Febbraio 2014 - Futuro Sostenibile

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For Our Youth, Good Jobs Are Green Jobs

As the Arctic melts, oceans acidify, storms intensify and crops wither in drought-stricken areas of the globe, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the dire consequences of climate change. Faced with the onslaught of polluter cash that line the pockets of politicians and smear the findings of climate scientists, who can we turn to push us in the right direction? How will we move toward a clean energy economy — and away from the dirty mix of fossil fuels driving us off the climate cliff? The youth of the world may be our salvation, or at least a big part of the solution.

Economists’ back development of UK shale gas industry

Westminster will on Wednesday be urged to back fracking and “get behind natural gas from shale” in a letter to the Financial Times signed by 25 economists. The exploitation of shale gas is still in its early stages in the UK but it has already prompted a heated national debate, with strong local resistance in some areas where exploration has already taken place.

Opponents of fracking believe the process – which involves injecting a mix of water, sand and chemicals underground at high pressure to create fractures in the rock and release the oil and gas trapped inside – can pollute groundwater and trigger earthquakes.

There are also concerns shale gas production can increase greenhouse gas emissions and put local infrastructure under strain, particularly in rural areas.

But David Cameron has thrown his weight behind shale gas, arguing that it has the potential to lift the British economy and make the nation less reliant on unpredictable foreign sources of oil and gas.

The economists, who include Roger Bootle of Capital Economics, Patrick Minford of Cardiff Business School and David Bell of the University of Stirling, argue that shale gas from Lancashire could present significant opportunities for the country.

In their letter, which was organised by the North West Energy Task Force, a pro-fracking group, said shale gas exploitation could create thousands of jobs, ease the pressure on manufacturers, generate export-led growth and boost tax revenues.

Bob Rothschild, professor of economics at Lancaster University, said there were many “compelling arguments” in favour of shale gas. “There are many arguments from an economic point of view for developing this technology,” he said. “The British economy and the northwest in particular could benefit hugely.”

Prof Rothschild said there was the potential for lower energy prices if Britain followed the example of the US, where a boom in shale gas has transformed the energy market.

Glauco De Vita, a professor of economics at Oxford Brookes business school, said he wanted to see more research into the risks associated with fracking technology.

With that caveat, however, he wanted to see Britain exploit the opportunities to produce more gas domestically.

“The responsible development of natural gas from Lancashire’s shale presents a significant opportunity also to boost tax revenues for much-needed investment in north west regions’ public services,” he said.

It comes just weeks after Mr Cameron said his government was “going all out for shale”, announcing that councils would be able to keep any business rates generated by fracking.

The prime minister has also promised that drilling companies will pay a lump sum of £100,000 when a test well is fracked, plus 1 per cent of revenues from any site.

Fonte: ft.com

Air Pollution Limits For Oil And Gas Industry Approved In Colorado

Colorado health and environment officials on Sunday approved new rules to limit air pollution from oil and gas drilling in the state, including what regulators said is the nation’s first-ever plan to detect and reduce methane emissions. The new measures were adopted to reduce the release of methane during production and transport of natural gas, in a deal first proposed last fall with energy producers Anadarko Petroleum, Noble Energy, Encana Corp and the Environmental Defense Fund.

The regulations would require operators to perform frequent checks for leaks using infrared cameras and other technologies.

“This is a huge breakthrough for cleaner air and a safer climate. Getting to this point took serious resolve and a willingness to find common ground,” said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Governor John Hickenlooper said in a statement that the regulations are a result of “collaboration and compromise” among various stakeholders, including citizen groups, government, and the energy industry.

“The new rules approved by (the commission), after taking input from varied and often conflicting interests, will ensure Colorado has the cleanest and safest oil and gas industry in the country and help preserve jobs,” the governor said.

The Colorado Oil & Gas Association, an industry trade group, said producers are committed to public health and safety.

“The new rules accomplish much, which we support,” said association spokesman Doug Flanders. “Unfortunately, we were not successful in ensuring that the rule accommodates the differences in basins and operators.”

Will Allison, director of the commission’s air pollution control division, said “several industry leaders” voluntarily implemented the rules when they were proposed late last year.

“Now, these protective, common-sense measures will be required of all operators across the state,” he said. (Reporting by Keith Coffman; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Eric Walsh)

Fonte: Reuters

Centrica chief Sam Laidlaw says household fuel bills to drop

Centrica has said household fuel bills for the past months could be as much as 10 per cent lower than normal because of mild winter weather – a development that may help to alleviate public anger over rising prices from the Big Six energy suppliers. Sam Laidlaw, chief executive, said his expectation was that average winter bills for the group’s British Gas customers would be down 8-10 per cent year on year, thanks to a combination of the weather, greater energy efficiency and a reduction in planned environmental levies. However, he added that it was “too early” to say whether bills for the whole year would be lower.

Shale Gas Halted in U.K. by Six-Month Permit Wait: Energy

In Texas it takes seven days to get permission to use hydraulic fracturing to drill for oil and gas. In the U.K. the wait is six months. That difference helps explain why David Cameron’s dream of a fracking boom in the U.K., where there may be enough shale gas to meet the country’s demand for decades, has been slow to take shape. Britain under Cameron’s Conservative-led government is more pro-shale than anywhere in the European Union bar Poland.