#European energy market | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

digiroadsabhisheksaini · 3 months

Text

Innovations in Packaging for European Energy Bars: Enhancing Sustainability and Consumer Experience

Introduction:

The European energy bars market has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by the rising demand for convenient and nutritious on-the-go snacks. With consumers becoming increasingly health-conscious and seeking products that align with their active lifestyles, energy bars have emerged as a popular choice. However, in a crowded marketplace, packaging plays a crucial role in attracting consumers and ensuring product integrity. In this blog, we'll explore the latest innovations in packaging for the European energy bars market, focusing on sustainability and enhancing the consumer experience.

Sustainability in Packaging:

As environmental concerns continue to gain momentum, the push for sustainable packaging solutions has become a top priority for both consumers and manufacturers. In the energy bars market, brands are exploring eco-friendly materials and innovative designs to minimise their environmental footprint.

Biodegradable Materials: Many companies are transitioning from traditional plastic packaging to biodegradable alternatives made from compostable materials such as plant-based plastics, paper, or biofilms. These materials break down naturally, reducing the impact on the environment and offering consumers a more sustainable option.

Recyclable Packaging: Another approach is to use recyclable materials for energy bar packaging. By designing packaging that can be easily recycled through existing waste management systems, brands are promoting a circular economy and reducing the amount of packaging waste that ends up in landfills.

Minimalist Design: Simplifying packaging design not only reduces material usage but also contributes to a more sustainable approach. Brands are adopting minimalist designs with fewer layers and excess packaging, focusing on functionality and recyclability without compromising on product protection.

Enhancing Consumer Experience:

In addition to sustainability, packaging plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall consumer experience. Innovative designs and features can attract attention, provide convenience, and differentiate brands in a competitive market.

Interactive Packaging: Brands are leveraging interactive packaging solutions to engage consumers and create a memorable experience. This includes QR codes for access to digital content, augmented reality features for interactive storytelling, and packaging that doubles as serving or storage containers.

Convenience Features: Convenience is key for on-the-go consumers, and packaging innovations are addressing this need. Easy-open resealable pouches, portion-controlled packaging, and tear-away wrappers are some examples of features designed to improve convenience and usability.

Personalization: Personalised packaging allows brands to connect with consumers on a deeper level by tailoring messaging, imagery, or even product formulations to individual preferences. Technologies like digital printing enable cost-effective customization, allowing brands to create unique packaging experiences for their target audience.

Conclusion:

Innovation in packaging for the European energy bars market is driven by the dual objectives of sustainability and enhancing the consumer experience. By adopting eco-friendly materials, minimalist designs, and interactive features, brands are not only reducing their environmental footprint but also attracting and retaining customers in a competitive market. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, packaging will remain a critical factor in shaping purchasing decisions and driving the growth of the energy bars market in Europe.

#European energy bars market

0 notes

head-post · 6 months

Text

Hydrogen Bank stimulates decarbonisation process

The EU Hydrogen Bank started offering 800 million euros to hydrogen producers to stimulate demand for the fuel critical for industrial decarbonisation.

Europe aims to produce 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually by 2030. Brussels plans to help companies switch by compensating them for the difference between their ability to pay and the high prices charged by producers of clean-burning gas.

The EU’s new Green Deal chief, Maroš Šefčovič, stated at the launch on November 23:

“Today’s launch is about connecting supply and demand for renewable hydrogen.”

Using revenue generated from the EU carbon price, €80 per tonne, the “hydrogen bank” will match suppliers with off-takers and smooth over price differences.

It is about creating transparency about price points, which will help kickstart a European hydrogen market.

Learn more HERE

0 notes

niveditaabaidya · 11 months

Video

youtube

EU Countries Eye Tighter Subsidies In Hunt For Energy Market Deal #yout...

#youtube #EU Countries Eye Tighter Subsidies In Hunt For Energy Market Deal. youtube eu france austria luxembourg germany norway sweden European Uni

0 notes

itmightrain · 1 year

Text

i've been watching a lot of european news lately for no good reason and it's kind of amazing to see the impact of some of Biden's climate change/clean energy stuff? Like it's kind of a global game-changer for how other countries (at least in europe) are viewing this industry?

#like reporters have gone from being all 'activists demand change' to 'economics say our country needs to immediately begin exerting #ourselves in the green energy market or we will fall behind' and then they talk about the US #pretty cool!#in the US it like hasn't really been a big talking point i think #altho. i do watch british and german news more often than US news. so maybe it's talked about a lot and i just dont know lol #not all european countries im sure but like the UK and germany at least are Anxious about it

1 note · View note

zvaigzdelasas · 2 months

Text

Millions of solar panels are piling up in warehouses across the Continent because of a manufacturing battle in China, where cut-throat competition has driven the world’s biggest panel-makers to expand production far faster than they can be installed.

The supply glut has caused solar panel prices to halve. This sounds like great news for the EU, which recently pledged to triple its solar power capacity to 672 gigawatts by 2030. That’s roughly equivalent to 200 large nuclear power stations.

In reality, though, it has caused a crisis. Under the EU’s “Green Deal Industrial Plan”, 40pc of the panels to be spread across European fields and roofs were meant to be made by European manufacturers.

However, the influx of cheap Chinese alternatives means that instead of tooling up, manufacturers are pulling out of the market or becoming insolvent. Last year 97pc of the solar panels installed across Europe came from China.[...]

The best estimates suggest that about 90 gigawatts worth of solar panels are stashed around Europe. That solar power capacity roughly equates to 25 large nuclear power stations the size of Hinkley Point C.[...]

The sheer scale of the problem was revealed in a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

It warned that although the world was installing at record rates of around 400 gigawatts a year, manufacturing capacity was growing far faster.

By the end of this year solar panel factories, mostly in China, will be capable of churning out 1,100 gigawatts a year – nearly three times more than the world is ready [sic] for. For comparison, that’s about 11 times [!!!!] the UK’s entire generating capacity.

For some solar power installers, it’s a dream come true. Sagar Adani is building solar farms across India’s deserts, with 54 in operation and another 12 being built.

His company, Adani Green Energy, is constructing one solar farm so large that it will cover an area five times the size of Paris and have a capacity of 30 gigawatts – equal to a third of the UK’s entire generating capacity.

“I am installing tens of millions of solar panels across these projects,” says Adani. “Almost all of them will have been imported from China. There is nowhere else that can supply them in such numbers or at such prices.

“China saw the opportunity before others, it looked forward to what the world is going to set up 10 years on. And because they scaled up in the way they did, they were able to reduce costs substantially as well.”

That scaling up meant the capital cost of installing solar power fell from around £1.25m per megawatt of generating capacity in 2015 to around £600,000 today – a decrease of more than 50pc – making it cheaper than almost any other form of generation, including wind.[...]

“Up to 2012 there was a healthy looking European solar panel industry but it was actually very reliant on subsidies and preferential treatment.

“But then European governments and other customers started buying from China because their products were so much cheaper. And China still has cheap labour and cheap energy plus a massive domestic market. It’s hard to see Europe recovering from those disadvantages.”

Trying sososo hard to make this sound like a bad thing [23 Mar 24]

#sowwy ur nationalistic fever dream got outcompeted #free market innit #now shut up and install the fucking panels #shocking revelation: combatting a global problem isnt most efficiently done through local solutions #'we cant install that many' yeah you can lol #wheres that 'become an accompished scientist' meme

468 notes · View notes

globalcourant · 2 years

Text

How Russia could try to get around the European Union's oil sanctions

How Russia could try to get around the European Union’s oil sanctions

The EU’s partial embargo covers Russian oil brought into the bloc by sea, with an exemption carved out for imports delivered by pipeline following opposition from Hungary. Attila Kisbenedek | Afp | Getty Images Moscow could respond to European sanctions on Russian oil by seeking other buyers for its crude or cutting production to keep prices high. Its actions would have a global economic impact…

View On WordPress

#business news #Commodity markets #energy #European #Markets #oil #Oil and Gas #Russia #Russia-Ukraine Crisis #sanctions #Unions

0 notes

timesofocean · 2 years

Text

Germany is keen to pursue gas projects with Senegal

New Post has been published on https://www.timesofocean.com/germany-is-keen-to-pursue-gas-projects-with-senegal/

Germany is keen to pursue gas projects with Senegal

Dakar (The Times Groupe)- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday on his first trip to Africa that Germany will pursue gas and renewable energy projects with Senegal in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine.

Scholz began his three-day trip in Senegal, which has billions of cubic metres of gas reserves and is expected to become a major gas producer in the region.

As a result of the Kremlin‘s invasion of Ukraine, Germany wants to reduce its reliance on Russian gas. Scholz said the company has begun discussions with Senegalese authorities about gas extraction and liquefied natural gas.

“This is an issue worth pursuing intensively,” he said at a joint news conference with Senegalese President Macky Sall, adding that progress was in both countries’ interests.

German renewable energy projects are also of interest to Scholz. No further details were provided.

Germany could help explore a gas field in Senegal, a German government official said on Friday.

All said Senegal was ready to provide LNG to the European market. Senegal’s LNG output is forecast to reach 2.5 million tonnes next year and 10 million tonnes by 2030.

In terms of gas exploration, project financing, and other questions, Sall said, “all that is open, and we are eager to work with Germany in this respect.”

#Dakar #energy crisis #energy news #European market #gas crisis #gas projects with Senegal #German Chancellor Olaf Scholz #Germany #germany news #Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine #latest News #renewable energy projects #Senegal's LNG #Senegalese President Macky Sall #The Times Groupe #Times #Times Of Ocean #Unravel News #Russia Ukraine War

0 notes

hotgirlmuseboardxo · 1 month

Text

◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦

i can't be bothered to do paragraphs rn so summing myself up for you in bullet points this time lol:

before i am a Hot Girl on Tumblr.com i am a Mentally Ill Woman Who Doesn't Owe You Shit. please don't forget that <3

i have bipolar and adhd and psychic gifts 🔮

i make a living by writing for numerous pop culture/entertainment websites and reading people's birth charts/tarot cards/energy. a hippie dippie ass bitch, if u will <3

i have two sweet baby cats (they'll be five this year !!), astra and apollo

i studied journalism and fashion marketing after high school. ever since i was a little girl i knew i wanted to play dress up and look pretty for the rest of my life 💅🏼

i live on the west side of canada but my family is from out east on the island and randomly decided to raise me in yeehawville lmaooo. i've moved around a lot since i was 17 and i'm planning on relocating to toronto or wherever the good lord plants me in a few months 🫡

ethnically i'm a european mutt + indigenous (of mi'kmaq descent). i'm not quite bilingual but i've been studying french forever. i'm an only child. i'm the oldest soul i know. i'm a healer and a lover girl and an angel on earth and a being of light!!! and so much more

but also i'm just a girl so pls don't expect too much of me hehe

my frequently used tags are below :) xo

◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦◦•●◉✿✿◉●•◦

168 notes · View notes

faultfalha · 10 months

Photo

The Ukraine conflict and the EU's ban on Russian oil products have driven a surge in product tanker orders, according to industry analysts. The ban, imposed in late July, has led to a significant increase in orders for oil tankers, as refineries in Europe seek to replace Russian oil with supplies from other sources. This shift is driving a boom in the product tanker market, as tankers are increasingly in demand to transport oil and other commodities between different parts of the world. Industry insiders say that the current market conditions are likely to persist for some time, as the ban on Russian oil products continues to have a significant impact on the European energy market.

#Shipping #bimco #tankers #Ukraine War #fault #Ukraine conflict #EU ban #Russian oil #product tanker orders #European energy market

0 notes

breelandwalker · 8 months

Text

Harvest Moon - September 28, 2023

The summer heat might be hanging on, but it's time to get excited for autumn shenanigans all the same. Grab your canning supplies and your favorite cider mug - it's time for the Harvest Moon!

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon is the name given to the full moon which occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. It does not matter whether the moon occurs before or after the equinox or in which month it falls. In some years, this means the Harvest Moon may occur in October, in which cause the September moon might go by the name of Corn Moon or Rice Moon, depending on where you are.

In 2023, the Harvest Moon falls once more in the month of September. The same will happen in 2024, when the Harvest Moon will also be a supermoon! However, in 2025, the September moon will come early in the month, making it a Corn Moon. The Harvest Moon that year will be in early October.

The September moon is particularly beloved by farmers in the Northern Hemisphere, as it rises earlier and shines brighter than other full moons due to the relative angle of the Earth in relation to the moon during the equinox, which is helpful for lighting up the tail end of those long work days. In addition, the Harvest Moon may also appear full for multiple nights, providing additional illumination for labor or evening strolls. As such, while the peak of the Harvest Moon will occur in the wee hours of September 29th, it will appear to be full on both the 28th and 29th.

Other North American Indigenous names for the September moon include a number of variations of the aforementioned Corn Moon (used by numerous nations), such as Corn Maker Moon (Abenaki), Corn Harvest Moon (Dakota), and Corn Is Harvested Moon (Zuni). Other names refer to seasonal changes or animal behavior, such as Autumn Moon (Cree), Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe), Leaves Turning Moon (Anishinaabe), and Rutting Moon (Cree). Some European and modern pagan names for the September moon include Barley Moon (Old English), Singing Moon (Celtic), and Fruit Moon (general).

It's also worth noting that our Jewish friends and neighbors will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah this month, so remember to share your apples and honey and wish them Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year)!

What Does It Mean For Witches?

As autumn begins, we continue to reap what we've sown over the course of the year. It's a time to pause and reflect on what we've accomplished, let go of any unnecessary burdens we're still carrying, and focus on taking care of hearth and home for the cold months ahead. Now is a good time to do one last clutter purge or finish those repairs you've been putting off all summer!

Change is in the air as well, and transformations begun earlier in the year will burst into vibrant life. Just as the flowers bloom in spring, the leaves turn in the fall, and those of us who come alive in the autumn will start to fell that zing coming back.

Community also comes back into focus during harvest time, both because of the sharing of resources and the accompanying start of the school year. Take a moment to reinforce positive and supportive connections with friends and neighbors, or reach out to your local or online circle to strengthen existing bonds.

This a time of great abundance, so if you've been meaning to draw any kind of increase into your life, take steps to do so now. Harness that Harvest Moon energy to help carry you through the lean times in comfort and plenty.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

This is the time for feasting, bonfires, and outdoor gatherings. September and October will give us a few more warm weeks before the weather turns cold and rainy, so make the most of it! Have a potluck supper with a menu made of everyone's favorite seasonal recipes. Visit a local farmer's market and bring home that fresh seasonal produce. Thank the earth for the bounty it provides and renew your promise to be a good steward of the land where you live.

Technically, this is the second "harvest" moon of the year, since the harvest of most seasonal crops began back in August with wheat and corn and late summer fruits. The harvest of corn and grain continues into September and is joined by additional late-season fruits and vegetables, the most iconic of which is the annual apple crop.

Apple-picking is easily my favorite autumn activity and it's fantastic way to get outdoors, get some fresh air, and come home with tasty produce for uses both mundane and magical. From cider to applesauce to pies, apples are delightfully versatile. They also feature in a number of folk traditions and party games which double as divination rituals.

Continue your preparations for winter by canning or preserving fresh foods, hanging harvested herbs and flowers to dry, or refreshing your stocks of moon water and magical oils. Make your own magical brews using a stock pot as a cauldron and soups, stews, punch, cider, and mulled wine as your potions. Kitchen witches, your time is NOW!

Wear the colors of the season boldly and revel in all the gifts you've received and joys you've experienced so far this year. If you've been particularly blessed, pay it forward to share the bounty with others. Reflect on everything you've accomplished, celebrate your progress, and maybe set one or two small goals for the end of the year.

And since the decorations are already appearing in stores, start stocking up for Halloween!

Happy Harvest Moon, witches! 😊🍎

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Secular Celebrations - Autumn Equinox

Harvest Moon, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

What Is The Harvest Moon?, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Harvest Moon 2023: The Spiritual Meaning of September's Full Moon, The Peculiar Brunette.

Full Moon 2025 Calendar, Full Moonology.

Rosh Hashanah, Wikipedia.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

#Harvest Moon #lunar magic #moon magic #lunar calendar #witchcraft #witchblr #witch tips #witch community #pagan #autumn

437 notes · View notes

mostlysignssomeportents · 2 months

Text

End of the line for corporate sovereignty

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me next weekend (Mar 30/31) in ANAHEIM at WONDERCON, then in Boston with Randall "XKCD" Munroe (Apr 11), then Providence (Apr 12), and beyond!

Back in the 1950s, a new, democratically elected Iranian government nationalized foreign oil interests. The UK and the US then backed a coup, deposing the progressive government with one more hospitable to foreign corporations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationalization_of_the_Iranian_oil_industry

This nasty piece of geopolitical skullduggery led to the mother-of-all-blowbacks: the Anglo-American puppet regime was toppled by the Ayatollah and his cronies, who have led Iran ever since.

For the US and the UK, the lesson was clear: they needed a less kinetic way to ensure that sovereign countries around the world steered clear of policies that undermined the profits of their oil companies and other commercial giants. Thus, the "investor-state dispute settlement" (ISDS) was born.

The modern ISDS was perfected in the 1990s with the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT). The ECT was meant to foam the runway for western corporations seeking to take over ex-Soviet energy facilities, by making those new post-Glasnost governments promise to never pass laws that would undermine foreign companies' profits.

But as Nick Dearden writes for Jacobin, the western companies that pushed the east into the ECT failed to anticipate that ISDSes have their own form of blowback:

https://jacobin.com/2024/03/energy-charter-treaty-climate-change/

When the 2000s rolled around and countries like the Netherlands and Denmark started to pass rules to limit fossil fuels and promote renewables, German coal companies sued the shit out of these governments and forced them to either back off on their democratically negotiated policies, or to pay gigantic settlements to German corporations.

ISDS settlements are truly grotesque: they're not just a matter of buying out existing investments made by foreign companies and refunding them money spent on them. ISDS tribunals routinely order governments to pay foreign corporations all the profits they might have made from those investments.

For example, the UK company Rockhopper went after Italy for limiting offshore drilling in response to mass protests, and took $350m out of the Italian government. Now, Rockhopper only spent $50m on Adriatic oil exploration – the other $300m was to compensate Rockhopper for the profits it might have made if it actually got to pump oil off the Italian coast.

Governments, both left and right, grew steadily more outraged that ISDSes tied the hands of democratically elected lawmakers and subordinated their national sovereignty to corporate sovereignty. By 2023, nine EU countries were ready to pull out of the ECT.

But the ECT had another trick up its sleeve: a 20-year "sunset" clause that bound countries to go on enforcing the ECT's provisions – including ISDS rulings – for two decades after pulling out of the treaty. This prompted European governments to hit on the strategy of a simultaneous, mass withdrawal from the ECT, which would prevent companies registered in any of the ex-ECT countries from suing under the ECT.

It will not surprise you to learn that the UK did not join this pan-European coalition to wriggle out of the ECT. On the one hand, there's the Tories' commitment to markets above all else (as the Trashfuture podcast often points out, the UK government is the only neoliberal state so committed to austerity that it's actually dismantling its own police force). On the other hand, there's Rishi Sunak's planet-immolating promise to "max out North Sea oil."

But as the rest of the world transitions to renewables, different blocs in the UK – from unions to Tory MPs – are realizing that the country's membership in ECT and its fossil fuel commitment is going to make it a world leader in an increasingly irrelevant boondoggle – and so now the UK is also planning to pull out of the ECT.

As Dearden writes, the oil-loving, market-worshipping UK's departure from the ECT means that the whole idea of ISDSes is in danger. After all, some of the world's poorest countries are also fed up to the eyeballs with ISDSes and threatening to leave treaties that impose them.

One country has already pulled out: Honduras. Honduras is home to Prospera, a libertarian autonomous zone on the island of Roatan. Prospera was born after a US-backed drug kingpin named Porfirio Lobo Sosa overthrew the democratic government of Manuel Zelaya in 2009.

The Lobo Sosa regime established a system of special economic zones (known by their Spanish acronym, "ZEDEs"). Foreign investors who established a ZEDE would be exempted from Honduran law, allowing them to create "charter cities" with their own private criminal and civil code and tax system.

This was so extreme that the Honduran supreme court rejected the plan, so Lobo Sosa fired the court and replaced them with cronies who'd back his play.

A group of crypto bros capitalized on this development, using various ruses to establish a ZEDE on the island of Roatan, a largely English-speaking, Afro-Carribean island known for its marine reserve, its SCUBA diving, and its cruise ship port. This "charter city" included every bizarre idea from the long history of doomed "libertarian exit" projects, so ably recounted in Raymond Craib's excellent 2022 book Adventure Capitalism:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/14/this-way-to-the-egress/#terra-nullius

Right from the start, Prospera was ill starred. Paul Romer, the Nobel-winning economist most closely associated with the idea of charter cities, disavowed the project. Locals hated it – the tourist shops and restaurants on Roatan all may sport dusty "Bitcoin accepted here" signs, but not one of those shops takes cryptocurrency.

But the real danger to Prospera came from democracy itself. When Xiomara Castro – wife of Manuel Zelaya – was elected president in 2021, she announced an end to the ZEDE program. Prospera countered by suing Honduras under the ISDS provisions of the Central America Free Trade Agreements, seeking $10b, a third of the country's GDP.

In response, President Castro announced her country's departure from CAFTA, and the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes:

https://theintercept.com/2024/03/19/honduras-crypto-investors-world-bank-prospera/

An open letter by progressive economists in support of President Castro condemns ISDSes for costing latinamerican countries $30b in corporate compensation, triggered by laws protecting labor rights, vulnerable ecosystems and the climate:

https://progressive.international/wire/2024-03-18-economists-the-era-of-corporate-supremacy-in-the-international-trade-system-is-coming-to-an-end/en

As Ryan Grim writes for The Intercept, the ZEDE law is wildly unpopular with the Honduran people, and Merrick Garland called the Lobo Sosa regime that created it "a narco-state where violent drug traffickers were allowed to operate with virtual impunity":

https://theintercept.com/2024/03/19/honduras-crypto-investors-world-bank-prospera/

The world's worst people are furious and terrified about Honduras's withdrawal from its ISDS. After 60+ years of wrapping democracy in chains to protect corporate profits, the collapse of the corporate kangaroo courts that override democratic laws represents a serious threat to oligarchy.

As Dearden writes, "elsewhere in the world, ISDS cases have been brought specifically on the basis that governments have not done enough to suppress protest movements in the interests of foreign capital."

It's not just poor countries in the global south, either. When Australia passed a plain-packaging law for tobacco, Philip Morris relocated offshore in order to bring an ISDS case against the Australian government in a bid to remove impediments to tobacco sales:

https://isds.bilaterals.org/?philip-morris-vs-australia-isds

And in 2015, the WTO sanctioned the US government for its "dolphin-safe" tuna labeling, arguing that this eroded the profits of corporations that fished for tuna in ways that killed a lot of dolphins:

https://theintercept.com/2015/11/24/wto-ruling-on-dolphin-safe-tuna-labeling-illustrates-supremacy-of-trade-agreements/

In Canada, the Conservative hero Steven Harper entered into the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, which banned Canada from passing laws that undermined the profits of Chinese corporations for 31 years (the rule expires in 2045):

https://www.vancouverobserver.com/news/harper-oks-potentially-unconstitutional-china-canada-fipa-deal-coming-force-october-1

Harper's successor, Justin Trudeau, went on to sign the Canada-EU Trade Agreement that Harper negotiated, including its ISDS provisions that let EU corporations override Canadian laws:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-eu-parliament-schulz-ceta-1.3415689

There was a time when any challenge to ISDS was a political third rail. Back in 2015, even hinting that ISDSes should be slightly modified would send corporate thinktanks into a frenzy:

https://www.techdirt.com/2015/07/20/eu-proposes-to-reform-corporate-sovereignty-slightly-us-think-tank-goes-into-panic-mode/

But over the years, there's been a growing consensus that nations can only be sovereign if corporations aren't. It's one thing to treat corporations as "persons," but another thing altogether to elevate them above personhood and subordinate entire nations to their whims.

With the world's richest countries pulling out of ISDSes alongside the world's poorest ones, it's feeling like the end of the road for this particularly nasty form of corporate corruption.

And not a moment too soon.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/27/korporate-kangaroo-kourts/#corporate-sovereignty

Image: ChrisErbach (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UnitedNations_GeneralAssemblyChamber.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

#pluralistic #isds #investor state dispute settlement #steven harper #canada #canpoli #ukpoli #honduras #prospera #roatan #Energy Charter Treaty #ect #eu #rockhopper #world bank #charter cities #cryptocurrency #libertarian exit #Xiomara Castro

220 notes · View notes

probablyasocialecologist · 5 months

Text

The case of the Zionist regime’s interest in gas fields surrounding the borders of Palestine is a textbook example of imperialism as defined by Lenin or Walter Rodney’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa: namely, the concentration of production and monopolies (namely by U.S. and British-affiliated energy corporations) and the export of capital. Though attempting to hide this resource theft from Palestinians behind the smokescreen of “solving” a global energy crisis sparked by NATO’s proxy war in Ukraine and the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, the UK, U.S., EU, and the Zionist state have long been interested in solidifying stolen gas exports from the Leviathan gas field in the European energy market, beyond the confines of deals with Jordan, Egypt, and now Lebanon. This is why Yemeni strategic attacks on shipping routes to and from the Zionist state are a true threat to the viability of this genocidal regime: if the energy cost of this attack on Gaza is too high, megacorporations that supply the IOF with energy and weapons are more likely to halt shipments altogether, threatening the global trade economy.

Tara Alami, Gas, Gaza, and Western imperialism

#palestine #israel #gaza #fossil fuels #zionism

99 notes · View notes

reasonsforhope · 11 months

Text

When William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya’s fifth president in September 2022, he used his inauguration speech to demand an end to humanity’s “addiction to fossil fuels” and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to reach 100% clean energy by 2030. Kenya is not far off this target today.

In 2021, 81% of Kenya’s electricity generation came from the low carbon sources of geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar power. Over half of this low carbon electricity came from geothermal energy, which Kenya has in abundance. So much in fact, that excess geothermal energy is released during the night when electricity demand is low. Installed geothermal capacity in Kenya could be increased by at least eightfold, which could open opportunities for scaling up green manufacturing capacity or exporting excess electricity to neighbouring countries.

Renewable rollouts have substantially improved energy access. In 2013, around 28% of Kenyans had access to electricity. By 2020, this had risen to over 71%. This was achieved as the population grew by over seven million over the same period, while the rate of urbanisation continued to gather pace. According to the World Bank, barely one million Kenyans had electricity in 1990 [which, back then, was approximately just 5% of the population].

Ruto’s words, and Kenya’s actions, are timely due to the backdrop they are made against. Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the vacuum created in global energy markets, European leaders and multinational fossil fuel firms have launched a ‘dash for gas’ across Africa, where a raft of new oil and gas projects, as well as old ones, are being given the green light. At COP27, Ruto kicked back against the dash for gas, stating that “we [Kenya] have taken a position that as a country we are going green and we are well on course.”

-via Rapid Transition Alliance, November 17, 2022

#kenya #green energy #sustainability #carbon emissions #air pollution #africa #world bank #developing nations #electrification #wind power #solar #solar power #geothermal #geothermalpower #fossil fuels #clean energy #good news #hope

224 notes · View notes

zvaigzdelasas · 4 months

Text

The US and Europe can no longer compete with China after the cost of producing solar modules there dropped by 42% in 2023 to $0.15 (€0.14) per watt. That gives Chinese manufacturers an enormous cost advantage over international rivals, according to a new Horizons report from consultancy Wood Mackenzie. In 2023, China's domestic solar additions were double those of the US and the EU combined. China, the world's solar module powerhouse, now holds 80% of global manufacturing capacity. By 2050, it will account for over 50% of the global power supply, according to Wood Mackenzie. "China is the lowest-cost solar module manufacturer in the world. Solar module prices in dollar per watt tallied in December show China's cost of $0.15 well below Indian ($0.22), European ($0.30) and US ($0.40) manufacturing rates," said Steven Knell, vice president and head of Power & Renewables Consulting, EMEA, at Wood Mackenzie. "The enormous cost advantage China holds imply international rivals' efforts to displace incumbent Chinese suppliers in renewable value chains may well be futile. The outlook for available component supply in the market is bullish given the capacity race that's underway, but China's rivals are unlikely to win on cost. China's already won the green technology capacity race," Knell told DW.[...]

The EU and US have made huge strides in renewable energy policy in the past two years. But reaching critical mass in the solar module production sector, like in China, requires commensurate commercial application, the experts agree. And this is where centralized state capitalism [sic] seems to offer certain advantages.

1 Jan 24

82 notes · View notes

jokeroutsubs · 9 months

Text

Nace Jordan for Slovenian online journal Aleteia

From performing at Ritem srca (Rhythm of the Heart) to Eurovision: "I value honesty the most"

03.06.2023

Interview with Nace Jordan, bassist of Joker Out

"Thank you, don't count on us..." This is a segment of their currently hottest song Carpe diem, taken out of context. Two weeks ago at Eurovision we were counting on them quite a lot. Despite finishing 21st they did not let us down, as we got to witness an energetic, playful and colourful musical delicacy.

We are glad you managed to take some time for Aleteia during the exciting post-Eurovision events. The youngest member of Joker Out according to length of service, and the wisest according to age, the likeable bassist Nace Jordan.

Congratulations for your wonderful Eurovision performance. Have you gone deaf due to the crowds that have excitedly welcomed you yet?

(laughter) We haven't gone deaf, but the reactions were very nice. We heard that people in Slovenia were watching and loudly cheering for us, especially during the semi-finals performance. All of this is very 'extra'.

Did anything disappoint you in Liverpool?

I can't say we were disappointed about anything. Maybe I would mention that they were promising us 'crazy' parties, which take place during Eurovision. They were great, but not as special as we were promised.

How long has it taken for the adrenaline to calm down after Eurovision?

Personally, I have not yet managed to recover from it all. All together it was very mentally and physically exhausting, but because of our love for music, we managed to pull through.

When coming home, was it difficult to switch from a huge event, where everything is about you, and come into a familiar, calm environment and simply go to the store?

We are lucky enough that since coming home from Great Britain, we have had so many things happen that we haven't yet had any time to lead a normal life, even to go to the store to buy something.

Currently we are positioned on various European charts. (Author's note: On the day of the interview (interview posted 03/06/2023) the group is fourth on the Spotify Global Viral chart; the only fellow Eurovision contestants above them are Finnish representative Käärijä and Swedish representative Loreen. Overall they have surpassed the 1,500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Source: evrovizija.com.)

Marvelous!

All of this feels unreal and nice and it gives us a lot of energy. In addition, many are beckoning us to concerts abroad. The dreams of each musician are to once spread from the narrow area of Ex-Yugoslavia to the markets all across Europe. We decided that we will risk it, since the people want to hear us. We announced a concert in Dublin which we will perform with our Irish Eurovision friends. Let me say that the concert was sold out in 20 minutes. These are truly 'insane' numbers, which are not letting us catch our breaths after Liverpool.

The excitement of the crowds does not surprise us. When and how did the members of the group even meet?

Bojan Cvjetićanin and Kris Guštin met at a performance in secondary school, where Kris was the reporter of the school newspaper. After a while, Bojan invited Kris and Jan Peteh into the band. After a while Jure Maček joined, and last year myself as well.

You came into the band last, yet it seems as though you've been with the boys since their beginnings in 2016.

That's right.

Nace, we have already managed to observe you well on stage. We see that you're all smiles, brave and energetic. How would you describe yourself?

Really? (laughter) I would describe myself as silent and smiley. Due to me being the oldest member of the band (Author's note: Nace is 28, the ages of the other members vary between 23 and 24), I have noticed that I have a different view of things than the other members of the band.

So the age gap is noticeable?

I think so.

In short, describe the other members of the band.

Bojan is intuitive, Maček playful, Guštin serious. And I can't describe Jan in any other way than saying that he is a pure artist.

Do you have other occupations, not connected to music?

I can speak for the entire band when I say that no one does anything besides music. Well, Bojan may occasionally appear in a commercial or two. (laughter)

What is the atmosphere among you? Do you trust and help each other?

No doubt, without it we couldn't have handled the pressure of Eurovision. Everything was easier because there were five of us. If someone was feeling down, the others noticed right away and gave him some space. Or offered him to talk - whatever he needed in that moment.

I liked it how you said at the press conference in Liverpool that you wouldn't consume alcohol before the performance. I have also noticed that you know how to express yourself in interviews. And we can't forget the fact that you sang in Slovene at Eurovision. Do you think it's important to maintain our language?

The fact that we sang in Slovene at Eurovision should say it all. We love Slovene and we find it the most appropriate for expressing ourselves, both in songs and conversation.

In the song Carpe diem, among other things, you sing about how you are against hate. How do you, as Nace Jordan, take steps toward a kinder society?

Let me correct that the song itself is not only against hatred, but it also talks about how we have to seize each day and look at the bright side. We ourselves are the only ones who have control over the fact that we wake up in the morning and make the best of the day. Personally, I make a person's day by smiling at them and consequently giving them a good feeling.

During your concerts, unexpected things are bound to happen. Would you let us in on any such event?

Not everything is of public nature. But I can mention that recently we had a concert in Umag. It took us a very long time to find the entrance to the concert hall. Luckily, we managed to find it right before the concert. We were really close to missing our own performance. (laughter)

Nace, Joker Out is not the first band in which you played. In the past you have collaborated with many Slovene performers, you are a member of Diamanti ('Diamonds' - the RTV house band) who take care of the musical accompaniment for the show 'V petek zvečer' ('On Friday Evening' - a show on Slovene national TV).

I don't know how much longer, sadly time is tight.

Your friends mention that you're a real-life 'jukebox', as you still remember the melodies of all the 200 songs that you performed during your times on the cruise ship.

That's true.

How was it, playing on a large ship away from shore?

When others went to study, I went to play on the ship. At that moment I chose to dedicate my life to music. This was one of the nicest and best decisions I've ever made. The half year spent on the cruise ship shaped me into the musician I am today. Living on a ship with so many people was a real school of interpersonal relations.

Was the music you performed always according to your taste?

Of course not, amongst the less favoured were for example German hit songs. (laughter)

I can't not mention that you were a member of the accompanying band at 'Ritem srca' ('Rhythm of the Heart' - festival of modern Christian music) and at the concert of 'Radio Ognjišče' ('Radio Fireplace' - a Christian Catholic radio in Slovenia). What is your memory of that experience?

I was looking forward to performing at Ritem srca this year as well. But sadly we had concerts and practice with Joker Out, so it wasn't possible. Ritem srca is one of the more pleasant festivals in Slovenia and I do not have a single bad experience with it. All participants were not only kind but also in good spirits and energetic. That is exactly what the world needs, it's 'carpe diem' in principle.

Who is the best performer of spiritual rhythmic music according to you?

I can mention Matej Šoklič, who I know personally. And Franci Rotar. Franci is a real 'character'. Every time I meet him he brightens and improves my day.

Speaking of spiritual music... Have you had to give up something that did not align with your personal beliefs during your musical career?

I avoid politics.

At the moment, Joker Out are a role model for many youths. What do you admire in a person?

It may sound cliché, but I appreciate honesty the most, both a frank critique and praise. With time I forget that I'm good at something, so it feels really nice when someone reminds me of it.

Translation cr.: @beeoftheanxieties

#joker out #nace jordan #bojan cvjeticanin #bojan cvjetićanin #kris gustin #kris guštin #jan peteh #jure macek #jure maček

118 notes · View notes