Economics

  Technologies that draw down carbon represent a massive economic opportunity. The global carbon capture and sequestration market is projected to reach USD 8.05 billion by 2021, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 13.6 percent from 2016 to 2021.  According to FMI, the carbon capture and sequestration market will be valued at US$ 4.2 billion in 2024. The carbon capture and sequestration is predicted to rise at a staggering CAGR of 20.1% from 2024 to 2034. The global market is anticipated to reach US$ 26.1 billion by 2034. According to some estimates carbon capture and utilization (CCU)** alone will...

Cost is a commonly cited reason for resistance to climate action, however when we factor co-benefits and the real costs of inaction the logic for action is overwhelming  Research shows that when we include reduced death and disease as well as increased technological innovation and other co-benefits, the costs of climate action offer a  net economic benefit. When we add up the costs of action and compare them to the costs of inaction the value equation becomes clear.  The benefits of climate action far outweigh the costs.  This includes $160 trillion dollars worth of savings associated with climate action and...

Renewable energy is on the rise and the sun is setting on fossil fuels. The economic dominance of the old energy industry is coming to an end and a new economic powerhouse is gaining ground. Demand for coal has collapsed and oil and gas are sure to follow. Led by renewable energy the green economy now provides many more jobs than the fossil fuel industry.  IRENA reports that there were 11 million people employed in renewable energy last year. The report also says transitioning away from fossil fuels towards renewables makes good economic sense. This includes $160 trillion in savings...

Clean energy offers many benefits not the least of which are jobs.  The number of good paying green jobs keeps growing and renewable energy jobs are the leading the way. Renewable energy technologies employ millions of people around the world. Over the last few years the renewable energy sector has grown by an average of almost a million jobs each year. According to a 2019 International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report there were 11 million jobs in renewables last year. In 2018 IRENA reported that there were almost 10 million renewable energy jobs in 2017. That is up from 8.3...

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports that there are $160 trillion of savings associated with renewables and other climate actions. Led by renewable energy the green economy is growing by leaps and bounds yet it is still an undervalued opportunity. Clean energy is benefiting from the mutually reinforcing factors of increasing demand and declining costs. Tremendous declines in the price of solar and battery storage make a compelling business case for renewables. Despite resistance from the federal government, the US is seeing a renewable energy boom as states and utilities are setting ambitious clean energy goals. According to an...

The green jobs boom comprises both the public and the private sectors. Current and future employment opportunities include urban growers, water quality technicians, clean car engineers, recyclers, natural scientists, and green builders. Green jobs are in high demand and that demand will only increase. The number of green economy jobs has been growing for years. In 2013, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS) said that 2.3 percent of private sector jobs or about 2,515,200 positions were related to the production of green goods and services. This includes everything from clean power production to green buildings and electric cars. Senior personal...

Alberta's new premiere Jason Kenney claims that by prioritizing the fossil fuel industry he can increase jobs and grow the economy. This was the central plank in Kenney's United Conservative Party (UCP) election platform. It is also an oft repeated refrain from conservative politicians.  However, this view fails to acknowledge that market forces are powering the demise of traditional energy. There is mounting evidence demonstrating that macroeconomic trends are driving the transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. Despite the politically motivated rhetoric of conservative politician, the evidence shows that the fossil fuel industry is dying. Alberta is not...

In terms of climate change impacts women have the most to lose and in terms of engaging climate action they have the most to gain. Women are the sex most likely to suffer from the effects of climate change and they have been shown to be better environmental stewards than their male counterparts. Women are on the front lines of climate change and they are have made major contributions to both environmentalism and sustainability.  However, there is a vast potential that has yet to be fully unleashed. B U S I N E S S   &  E C O N...

The business community is driving sustainability forward in response to market incentives. The question is how far can the private sector go in the absence of responsible leadership from government? Businesses are leading first and foremost because they are looking to reduce costs and capitalize on opportunities. Other factors are also at play. Publically traded companies are beholden to shareholders and as such, they have a fiduciary responsibility to address threats. Investors are calling for nonfinancial information and shareholder resolutions are demanding more disclosure and actions to mitigate climate change as well as adaptation strategies to protect against potential risks....

Much of what we call growth is an illusion that is harmful to both humanity and the biosphere. Some have even ventured to put forward the absurd suggestion that economic growth as we currently define it can be good for both equality and biodiversity. This idea is expressed in what is known as a Kuznets Curve. In economics, a Kuznets Curve graphs the notion that as an economy develops, market forces first increase and then decrease economic inequality. The Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesizes that in the early stages of growth, biodiversity tends to suffer and in the later stages it...