Tag: Global resources

Mar 11

Oil price trends

The updated graph of the oil price February 2004-February 2013 has been published by Debora Billi on her blog.

Sep 23

The potential of small farming

To ensure food security for all, we will have to increase not just food production, but also availability, especially for those living in developing countries. That means breaking down barriers and inequalities, building capacity, and disseminating knowledge. The International Fund for Agricultural Development sees enormous potential in Africa’s agricultural sector, which experienced 4.8% growth in …

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Sep 21

EU Commission to limit food-based biofuels

In a major policy shift, the European Commission has said it wants to cap food-based biofuels to five percent. The new limit was announced during informal talks in Cyprus on Monday between EU energy ministers, Euronews reports. Previously, the EU required bio-fuels to rise to 10% of transport fuels by 2020, and bio-fuels made from …

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Sep 13

Goa’s ban on iron mining

India’s Goa state, which exports more than half the nation’s iron ore, banned all mining after a panel of experts said the province’s government lost an estimated 349.4 billion rupees ($6.3 billion) because of illegal mining. Trading and transportation of minerals that have already been mined will be allowed after scrutiny, according to the Goa …

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Sep 13

The Water-Energy Nexus

Energy generation and resource extraction are dangerously connected to the large use of water resources. Coal, nuclear and natural gas power plants drink up half the freshwater withdrawn from US rivers. The threat appears most acute in Asia, where rivers are being diverted to feed thirsty coal-fire power plants: India and China alone plan to …

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Sep 12

Commodities markets: food price rush

In 2012 the price of soy grew over 30%, and this summer wheat and corn hit respectively +30% and +38%. In the last six months of 2010 alone, more than 44 million people were driven into extreme poverty as a result of rising food prices. At the same time, banks and financial investors are making …

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Aug 29

Peak cheap oil

Although Barclays Capital expects the crude market tightens by 2.4m barrels a day (bpd) this quarter, with little extra supply in sight, and  Goldman Sachs said the industry is chronically incapable of meeting global needs – “It is only a matter of time before inventories and OPEC spare capacity become effectively exhausted, requiring higher oil …

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