The hottest Environmental Economics Substack posts right now

Capturing CO2 at scale won’t magically solve emissions because most industrial uses of captured CO2 release it back to the atmosphere, and the market for permanently storing or using that CO2 is tiny compared to global emissions.
Doing this properly would need massive, expensive infrastructure—millions of miles of pipelines, huge geological storage, and rebuilt steam networks—which is likely economically and logistically unrealistic at the scale needed.
Even if the technology works, investors and policymakers can create a lot of costly, symbolic projects (virtue theater) that don’t deliver permanent climate benefits and may just enrich startups or rely on short-term subsidies.

Having more bins for waste helps us recycle better. It's easier to separate recyclables from trash when we do it ourselves, which saves money for local councils.
The cost of waste disposal affects what gets recycled. It's cheaper to recycle valuable materials but some items are harder to process, making their disposal costly.
Not everyone has the same ability to recycle, often due to income or living situation. Building better systems and increasing bins alone won't solve the recycling problem—we also need to support everyone in participating.

Germany's energy market has seen a shift where renewable energy support is now funded by the federal budget instead of consumers. This change eases the financial burden on consumers.
The price for electricity from renewables is influenced by baseload prices. Lower baseload prices can increase the financial needs for funding renewable projects.
Support mechanisms like feed-in tariffs and market premiums help renewable producers when market prices drop. However, these systems also mean that funding needs can fluctuate with market prices.

Renewable energy is quickly growing and could supply half of all power by 2030. Electric vehicles are also set to increase significantly on the roads.
China's demand for energy is slowing down, which is important because it has been a major factor in global energy growth. This could change where energy demand comes from.
By 2030, we are likely to see big changes in the energy system. The transition to clean energy is already happening, and more investment is needed to reach climate goals.

Green hydrogen production in Europe must meet strict rules to ensure it's sourced from renewable energy. These rules include standards for additionality, geographic, and temporal correlation to confirm the electricity is genuinely green.
The 'green grid' exception allows hydrogen producers in certain high-renewable bidding zones to bypass some of these strict rules. This means they can count their hydrogen as renewable without developing additional renewable energy sources.
As European countries consider increasing the number of bidding zones, there are concerns that this might lead to less efficient use of renewable electricity. It's important to ensure that the hydrogen production doesn’t divert green energy from more direct uses like heating or electric vehicles.

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Electricity prices are changing a lot due to the rise of renewable energy sources. This fluctuation can create opportunities for consumers to save money by using power when it's cheapest.
To make the most of these price changes, electricity tariffs should adjust in real-time, encouraging users to shift their power usage to times when energy is abundant and cheap.
However, this adjustment in tariffs could lead to increased overall electricity consumption, as people might use more energy when the costs are low, which may go against goals for energy efficiency.

Global warming is not just an environmental issue; it is changing how economies and societies work. The costs of addressing climate change could take away resources needed for future progress.
As the climate shifts, we face serious challenges like unstable weather and changing environments. This affects our infrastructure and could lead to even worse disasters if not addressed quickly.
Handling global warming will likely consume a lot of resources that could have helped us adapt to other economic changes. We need to think about how to support those who suffer as we transition to a more sustainable society.

Solar and wind energy are growing really fast, but we need to speed up even more to hit climate goals. Continuous growth is happening, and it's pretty exciting!
Even though there are obstacles, the reasons for switching to renewable energy are stronger. Solutions are everywhere, and they're outpacing the barriers we're facing.
The fossil fuel era is coming to an end. By 2030, renewable energy could produce a lot more electricity than fossil fuels, and it’s crucial we keep pushing for change.

Germany's energy transition has made taxpayers pay billions for solar energy, even when supply exceeds demand. This means people are paying producers for electricity that isn't really needed.
The costs for solar feed-in tariffs are rising every year, and future projections expect them to reach even higher levels. This could lead to major budget issues for the government.
New rules for solar subsidies aim to prevent overproduction from larger solar farms, but smaller operators remain a problem without a clear solution. Many small solar users may not benefit from these changes.

Everyone has a personal view on the social cost of CO2, which can vary widely. It's important to recognize that even if you aren't sure about your view, it still exists.
The trade-off between CO2 emissions and energy consumption is crucial for making decisions about energy sources. Finding a balance is more effective than choosing a source and adjusting to its costs later.
To resolve disagreements on energy and CO2 impacts, we could gather opinions on the best balance and use the majority choice to guide our energy planning.