GMF Blog

Archive for the 'Energy' Category

On Climate, Focus on Financing not Legislation

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC — Europe had been waiting patiently for the United States to enact domestic legislation to cut its carbon emissions.  After months of negotiations between the U.S. Congress and utilities, oil companies, and other stakeholders on the details of comprehensive climate and energy legislation, the Senate in late July … Continue Reading…

Drill, baby, drill? Apathy and opportunity following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Friday, June 18th, 2010

It might be thought that the flow of tens of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico would renew American interest in achieving independence from fossil fuels and combating climate change. Sadly, this assumption remains questionable. A cursory glance at polls indicates that American attitudes towards these … Continue Reading…

Bulgarian Energy Policy: Tilting Toward National Interest

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

SOFIA — Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced last Friday that his government cancelled the Burgas–Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project and suspended the Belene nuclear power plant construction. That statement was linked by local and international observers to the recent visit to Sofia of CIA Director Leon Panetta and to strategic … Continue Reading…

Polarizing Politics in Ukraine

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

WASHINGTON — The agreement signed last week between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev in which Ukraine will receive cheaper gas in exchange for extending Russia’s Black Sea Fleet presence in Crimea through at least 2042 has set off a firestorm of criticism. The rapid ratification of … Continue Reading…

The BRICs: Building blocks of a new world order that diminishes the West?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

WASHINGTON — Last week’s summit among the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China occasioned predictable analyses of the dawn of a new world order led by these developing giants.   Their scale is indeed breathtaking.   Each is subcontinental in scope; together they represent nearly every region; their combined … Continue Reading…

NATO’s New Strategic Concept Must Reflect Today’s Strategic Reality

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

WASHINGTON — More than a decade has passed since NATO last updated its Strategic Concept, an official document intended to reinforce the founding treaty by updating the military alliance’s key priorities.   A new initiative is underway, led by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and a group of … Continue Reading…

Ukraine, the EU, and Russia: Pragmatic Pendulum Policy

Friday, March 5th, 2010

BERLIN — “The King is dead.   Long live the King!” is a traditional proclamation made following the accession of a new monarch.   The same pragmatic approach was adopted by the EU Commission President when the new Ukrainian President visited Brussels Monday on his first official trip abroad: José … Continue Reading…

Clean Skies analyzes GMF Hill event reflecting on the Copenhagen Accord

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

For a full write-up of the event, please click here.

Energy and Climate: What role for U.S. metropolitan and regional organizations?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

WASHINGTON — Having worked in France for what we call a “metropolitan community of cities” in Nantes and for a regional council in Brittany, one of my objectives for my Comparative Domestic Policy fellowship at GMF was to have a close look on how metropolitan and regional organizations in the … Continue Reading…

Seven lessons from Copenhagen

Monday, December 21st, 2009

COPENHAGEN — It will be discussed for some time whether the “Copenhagen Accord” represents an unsatisfactory compromise or an unmitigated failure. Whatever the ultimate answer, there are some preliminary lessons that can be drawn from a memorably chaotic global gathering. The full text can be found with … Continue Reading…