The price of European emission permits is rising so rapidly that German companies are threatening to leave the country. Thousands of jobs could be lost. And the environment may, in the end, be no better off. Numerous German companies would relocate abroad if the EU fully implements its carbon trading scheme. They sat silently through two lectures, but then they couldn't control their anger any longer. The civil servants from the Environment Ministry, the Environment Agency and the German Emissions Trading Authority made it sound easy for industry to take up carbon trading. It was just too much for the managers to tolerate. "If that's the shape the trading will take, we will simply move our cement operation to Ukraine," a cement factory manager shouted into the lecture hall. "Then there won't be any trading here, nothing will be produced here anymore -- the lights will simply go out here." The businessmen's anger surprised the emissions-allowance trading experts. They had invited industry representatives to a relaxed forum at the Environment Ministry's office in Bonn. They wanted to present international developments in the carbon trading market. However, the mood in the German business world has soured -- managers no longer have the stomach for academic lectures. The reason is that emissions allowances are already burdening some companies that require a lot of energy for production purposes.
The price of European emission permits is rising so rapidly that German companies are threatening to leave the country. Thousands of jobs could be lost. And the environment may, in the end, be no better off.
Numerous German companies would relocate abroad if the EU fully implements its carbon trading scheme. They sat silently through two lectures, but then they couldn't control their anger any longer. The civil servants from the Environment Ministry, the Environment Agency and the German Emissions Trading Authority made it sound easy for industry to take up carbon trading. It was just too much for the managers to tolerate.
"If that's the shape the trading will take, we will simply move our cement operation to Ukraine," a cement factory manager shouted into the lecture hall. "Then there won't be any trading here, nothing will be produced here anymore -- the lights will simply go out here."
The businessmen's anger surprised the emissions-allowance trading experts. They had invited industry representatives to a relaxed forum at the Environment Ministry's office in Bonn. They wanted to present international developments in the carbon trading market. However, the mood in the German business world has soured -- managers no longer have the stomach for academic lectures. The reason is that emissions allowances are already burdening some companies that require a lot of energy for production purposes.
As pointed out at It's the Planet, Stupid: Double good: building without cement, doing with less cement and building with wood has knock-on effects. Besides, proximity is the name of the game with cement. One does not simply move and make the Ukraine one's toilet unless one has clients already lined up in the Ukraine.
So that's my point: countries which traditionally use cement in the form of concrete and mortar to build houses should change their construction practice and build from timber instead. This change of direction has several advantages: timber construction locks away carbon it's quicker and easier self-build is much easier and in some countries, you can buy housing kits to do this it is essentially non-polluting unlike cement-based constructions which cause massive CO2 releases into the air, principally from cement quarrying and manufacture if real environmental costs are taken into account, wood is far cheaper greater demand for timber would stimulate more forestry development with yet more sequestration of carbon as a bonus. At the same time, cement manufacture would decline as demand slackened off, so reducing carbon pollution timber can be re-used timber-framed buildings are intrinsically warmer than stone, brick, block and concrete. In addition, it is simple to incorporate insulation in the timber frame wood is a pleasant material to work with and beautiful to look at. Concrete is messy and heavy to move around
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
timber-framed buildings are intrinsically warmer than stone, brick, block and concrete. In addition, it is simple to incorporate insulation in the timber frame
What on Earth is that supposed to mean? What sense of "warmer" are they talking about? If thermally, then they don't have a clue what they're talking about. Intrinsically warmer? Trust me, bare timber plank houses are extremely cold. They have quite a few of them surviving here in Japan, and I've been in some in the winter. They concrete boxes aren't great either, but I can't see how the bare timber houses were any "intrinsically" warmer just from being made out of wood. It's the type of construction that matters and the care taken to thermal issues.
Another interesting angle is the supposed balance between saving the environment and saving jobs. This is precisely the same narrative that exists in China. With the added menacing twist that if jobs are sacrificed, very disruptive social insecurity will ensue. ... all progress depends on the unreasonable mensch.(apologies to G.B. Shaw)
