Climate group: Latest news

The Energy and Climate group has as many members in Britain as it has
in Ireland with others around the world. It is currently one of the
most active groups within Feasta. The main thrust of its work from
2005 onwards has been an exploration of the effect that very much
higher energy prices are likely to have, whether these arise as a
result of oil and gas depletion or because of restrictions on fossil
fuel use in order to prevent catastrophic climate change. Its
conclusion has been that as a vital commodity such as oil grows
increasingly scarce, its distribution cannot be left completely to the
market, particularly as the use of fossil fuels enhances human
productivity to such an extent that large energy users will always be
able to outbid poorer people, perhaps leaving the latter with no
energy at all. The group has therefore developed a system of what is
effectively fossil energy rationing, although it is the emissions from
fossil fuels that are rationed rather than the fuels themselves. This
means that the proposal is also an effective way of limiting climate
change.

The European emissions trading system (ETS) could be developed into an
emissions rationing system on the lines the group suggests and in
March 2006 it launched a website, www.euemissions.com to discuss the
radical reform of the EU ETS.

In November 2006, the group launched the Cap and Share campaign to
promote its ideas to the public and to politicians. (See
www.capandshare.org) Cap and Share will operate independently of
Feasta though, at present, most of its most active members are in the
Energy and Climate group.

The group has also launched a third website
www.energyscenariosireland.com which looks at the effect that
increasingly high fossil energy prices could have on the Irish economy
and society. Much of this work was carried out under contract to the
Irish government’s Environmental Protection Agency and a full report
was posted on this website in mid-2007 (see below).

Most of the group’s discussions are carried out over the internet. We
have an online Cap and Share forum here. Please do not sign up for the
forum email list unless you are seriously interested in participating
in the group’s work. The traffic can be quite heavy. We also have more
general forums on energy, climate and biochar.