Decarbonisation - unleashing the potential
The 21 st Century will be about how Energy is managed on Earth. Officially, the Republic of Ireland is committed to zero carbon emissions in the Energy Sector by 2100 (I suspect that not many reading this blog will be alive then). A reduction of 80% for the Sector is mooted for 2050. Progress, to...
Monday Blog: Are special purpose vehicles a good idea?
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is a general technical term that covers a multitude. It refers to a wide variety of arrangements whereby a financial entity is established for a ‘special purpose’ as the title suggests. The National Asset Management Agency is a type of SPV set up to buy distressed...
NERI seminar: Ireland’s daunting climate change challenge
The latest NERI seminar, 'Ireland’s daunting climate change challenge in the period to 2030: how to respond?', was held on 2 December. Joseph Curtin, Research Fellow at the Institute of International and European Affairs on climate policy, provided an overview of Ireland’s climate change challenge...
NERI Seminar Dublin: Ireland' s daunting climate change challenge
Joseph Curtin, Research Fellow at the Institute of International and European Affairs on climate policy, provides an overview of Ireland’s climate change challenge within the context of the upcoming Paris COP 21 and EU climate 2030 negotiations. He reviews Ireland’s progress to date, and presents...
NERI Seminar: Assessing Funding Models for Water Services Provision
The Institute hosted its November research seminar in INTO Learning Centre yesterday afternoon. Dr Tom McDonnell presented his recent working paper on funding models for water services provision. Working on the premise of water charges being introduced, the paper recommends combining a volume based...
Monday Blog: The Energy Debate: touch choices
Fracking – or Induced hydraulic fracturing to give it its full technical term – is rapidly developing as an issue of public debate. In the United States where fracking has been in operation for many years the output of oil and gas is making a significant contribution to opening up alternative...
Monday Blog: We ignore the environment at our peril
Environmental change has attracted growing concern over recent decades. The recent recession in most European states has diverted attention, temporarily to problems of debt, low-growth and under-utilisation of resources such as labour. Yet, the natural environment plays a huge role in shaping the...