Suchergebnisse

A review essay on a book by Paul Krugman, End This Depression Now (Norton, 2012).

About 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, drivers on Interstate 15 reach a section of the Mojave desert called the Ivanpah Valley. For most travelers, the valley is a nondescript landscape of creosote bushes, cactus, and sand; but devotees of the desert sometimes leave the main road to see much more. The uninterrupted views of the surrounding mountains are especially crystalline on early spring mornings when unusual plant species like the Mojave Milkweed and the Desert Pincushion are in bloom. Several birds that nest in the valley, including the burrowing owl and the loggerhead shrike, have protected status under federal law, as does a reptile called gopherus agassizii, or desert tortoise. BrightSource Energy, a firm that plans to develop a 390-megawatt solar complex in the valley, has been counting the tortoises it would have to relocate in order to proceed with the project, and BrightSource's census takers are finding far more than they, or anyone else, expected. Since the history of successfully relocating this tortoise is not encouraging, and since the small reptile has an ever-growing cohort of protectors, BrightSource is no longer as sure as it once was that this project, at the scale proposed, will be feasible. Currently, the Bureau of Land Management has about twenty solar, wind, and geothermal projects under various stages of development review in the desert Southwest -- Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and California -- and two more wind projects in Oregon. All of these face varying degrees of opposition from environmental groups. Some are also being contested by Native American tribes, whose objections are both environmental and cultural, in that some of the lands are considered sacred burial grounds. Adapted from the source document.

Argues that energy independence has fostered an alliance between those looking to ameliorate climate change ("climate greens") & those wishing to achieve energy security ("oil independents"). However, the collaboration's bases is flawed, & three problems are cited: (1) Mitigating climate change also requires cutting coal consumption along with oil & gas. (2) Climate greens & oil independents clash over oil alternatives, eg, nuclear energy. (3) Oil independents' time horizon is much shorter than that of climate greens. In light of the latter concern, presented are four geopolitical scenarios wherein in the US economy & security are threatened if oil imports continue to increase or even remain stable. Attention is also given to issues surrounding coal; & renewable energy, eg, wind, solar, & biofuels; conservation & efficiency policies. Reasons why oil independents might chose to distance themselves from climate greens are then offered. D. Edelman

Considers the notion of energy independence for the US, arguing that if market forces are to be the main impetus behind an energy industry redirection, then a clear & consistent government policy is needed. Attention is given to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the unreliability of most oil suppliers to the US, problematic arguments for US energy self-sufficiency, & the effect of a gasoline tax to reduce consumption on the renewable energy market. Adapted from the source document.

Discusses the record US trade deficit. Attention is given to the partisan divisions of the Trade Deficit Review Commission, asserting that less-than-practical conclusions were reached. In this light, the sustainability issue is considered in terms of debt, equity markets, & the dollar. Issues of protectionism, US competitiveness, & subsidies are also examined. Adapted from the source document.

Topics include the environment, drugs, corruption, migration, security, trade and sustainable development, and Latin American democracy; 8 articles. Topics considered at the summit meeting, held in Miami, Florida, Dec. 9-10, 1994.