Two recently published papers (McGlade & Ekins (2015) and McGlade et al. (2014)) examine possible futures for fossil fuels, with a particular focus on the ‘bridging’ role that natural gas may be able to play during a transition to a global low-carbon energy system. Drawing on the findings of these papers, we have commented that the UK may be able to develop some of its potential shale gas resources within the context of a global effort to keep average global warming below 2 ^oC with a reasonable likelihood. This note aims to discuss the conditions that we consider are necessary for this to be the case. (more…)

Global exhaustion of fisheries, droughts threatening 9.5 million lives in East Africa in 2011, 44 million people driven into poverty by rising food prices in only half a year during 2010, ever soaring oil prices, depletion of natural resources, climate change, economic crisis…

It seems that the many environmental issues that have been increasing worldwide since the 1980s are more than just the paranoia of a couple of hippies worried about the colour of the fruit fly’s eyes. It is high time to face the fact that our current economic growth model will not be feasible within the next 90 years; perhaps we don’t even have that much time. Actually, many children today will live to see it. (more…)