From The Times October 29, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6894604.ece
"Gordon Brown has suggested that the EU should pay €10 billion a year from 2020 to help poorer countries to go green and has said that Britain would pay €1 billion."
RT Comment
More hot air: fossil fuel consumption is going to keep rising regardless - driven by increasing global population and living standards.
Atmospheric CO2 levels will increase; if this is indeed the driver of climate change(= temperature increase)it is inevitable. Forget mitigation, concentrate on adaptation.
So, "Gordon Brown has said ... that Britain would pay €1 billion a year from 2020 .. to help poorer countries to go green.
Of course. We Brits are guilty of starting the industrial revolution and emitting lots of CO2. Just like we are guilty of inventing the slave trade etc. etc.
To which leaders in the "poorer countries" should we make out the cheques?
It would be as well to take advice from the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
(The £3m annual prize for good governance in Africa will not be awarded this year.)
Thursday 29 October 2009
Sunday 25 October 2009
Royal Mail & Tory Policy
Dave has written:
http://blog.conservatives.com/index.php/2009/10/24/its-a-good-job-i-dont-write-a-weekly-letter
His principal issue is the Royal Mail strike although comments have largely shifted to the BBC/BNP spectacular - enough!
Now, the US postal services must be facing similar challenges with technology change yet operate at a profit.
Google shows that privitis/zation of the US Mail has been discussed but does not seem to be a high priority.
There is an EU dimension to our problems.
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/index_en.htm
"The objective of the EU postal policy is to accomplish the Single Market for postal services and ensure a high quality universal postal service as part of the Lisbon Agenda."
"Postal Directive (Directive 97/67/EC as amended by Directive 2002/39/EC) and as amended by Directive 2008/06/EC)."
So we can see yet another benefit of continued EU membership!
http://blog.conservatives.com/index.php/2009/10/24/its-a-good-job-i-dont-write-a-weekly-letter
His principal issue is the Royal Mail strike although comments have largely shifted to the BBC/BNP spectacular - enough!
Now, the US postal services must be facing similar challenges with technology change yet operate at a profit.
Google shows that privitis/zation of the US Mail has been discussed but does not seem to be a high priority.
There is an EU dimension to our problems.
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/index_en.htm
"The objective of the EU postal policy is to accomplish the Single Market for postal services and ensure a high quality universal postal service as part of the Lisbon Agenda."
"Postal Directive (Directive 97/67/EC as amended by Directive 2002/39/EC) and as amended by Directive 2008/06/EC)."
So we can see yet another benefit of continued EU membership!
Thursday 1 October 2009
Another Quango: Infrastructure Planning Commission
From The Times October 1, 2009
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/utilities/article6856130.ece
Infrastructure change ‘will fast-track planning’
"More than 50 of Britain’s biggest energy projects, including wind farms, power stations, gas storage sites and high-voltage transmission lines, could be fast-tracked through the planning system under powers handed to the Government today.
In the biggest shake-up to Britain’s planning regime in 60 years, the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), formally came into existence this month. Its goal will be to slash the time needed to secure planning consent for projects considered to be of national importance from as long as seven years to less than a year."
100 staff: say total employment costs £100K p.a. per head = £10m p.a. - spend in 2010.
50 projects by 2011 means approximately 50 in 2010.
Therefore £200K per project.
Well, I suppose it can provide jobs in Bristol for people liable to be laid off in local manufacturing industry (think SFO) where "value added" is easier to calculate.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/utilities/article6856130.ece
Infrastructure change ‘will fast-track planning’
"More than 50 of Britain’s biggest energy projects, including wind farms, power stations, gas storage sites and high-voltage transmission lines, could be fast-tracked through the planning system under powers handed to the Government today.
In the biggest shake-up to Britain’s planning regime in 60 years, the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), formally came into existence this month. Its goal will be to slash the time needed to secure planning consent for projects considered to be of national importance from as long as seven years to less than a year."
100 staff: say total employment costs £100K p.a. per head = £10m p.a. - spend in 2010.
50 projects by 2011 means approximately 50 in 2010.
Therefore £200K per project.
Well, I suppose it can provide jobs in Bristol for people liable to be laid off in local manufacturing industry (think SFO) where "value added" is easier to calculate.
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