About 40% of the human population, or about 2.8 billion people, find commercial fuels like electricity and gas inaccessible, too expensive or too irregularly supplied to use for cooking and heating (Smith et al., 2013; IEA, 2012). Instead, they rely on solid fuels like coal, fuelwood, dung and charcoal that are combusted inside their homes.
Kailin Kroetz, James N. Sanchirico, Julio Peña Torres, David Corderi Novoa
Why are economists, like lawyers and proctologists, universally loved and admired? One reason is our penchant for highlighting the perverse unintended consequences of public policies, particularly policies that ignore behavioral responses.
A few weeks can pass quickly in politics. A moment ago Francois Hollande sat and discussed climate science at the College de France.
Today I was feeling confident that I had my badge and knew my way around the COP21. In the afternoon I was first working with two colleagues from Gothenburg (Åsa Löfgren and Wolfgang Habla). Then I was at the Ecole de Mines – one of the great engineering schools.
First day we travelled to Le Bourget. Åsa Löfgren and I and many thousands more. People from small island states, in national costumes of feathers and many men in suits. Then dozens of scanners and badges, welcome packages and everything just magically swift. All in all the arrangements, the scanning, the process of registration for accredited observers, absolutely everything has worked smoothly. Much better than in Copenhagen.
Yesterday Noveber 30th, COP21 was finally inaugurated by President Hollande. Of course it is hard in such a speech to know what are just words and to what extent there will be force behind them. Clearly he is riding on a wave of some sympathy. Two weeks ago he came and shook hands with me and those next to me in the front row, after spending a few hours debating at the Collège de France. He said he wanted to speak not only for France but for Science. Then came the terrorist attacks and he was propelled into his role as the strong leader of France.
Note: This blogpost was first published as an RWI Impact note in November 2015.
Note: This blogpost was published by the Economist on November 18, 2015 read original blogpost here
Looking out of the window I see a Paris bathed in sunshine on this warm winter Sunday. But the headlines talk of bathing in blood. This blog post will be about art school, climate science, statistics and the politics of terror. Each of us must struggle to find balance in life.