Introduction I have a simple belief: that the Covid epidemic is a message from the Earth pleading with us to stop destroying her. Since the start of the industrial revolution, the Earth’s health has declined rapidly, but has now made a partial recovery, thanks to Covid. However, there has been another setback…. an announcement that yet another of the …
Introduction It’s going to take a lot of time and effort for big oil and gas companies to change direction and become truly sustainable. International oil companies (IOCs) are coming under increasing pressure to change, internally through shareholders’ wishes to be green and reduce carbon emissions, and externally through court action and public protest. BUT there …
Can oil and gas companies truly transition into sustainable energy companies? Read More »
Meltdowns I’ve been watching ‘Meltdown’ on Netflix, which has led me to wondering whether the industry has really learnt anything from this disaster, particularly considering that there have been another 4 reactor meltdowns since! In case you haven’t had an opportunity to watch ‘Meltdown’, it documents the 1979 Three Mile Island (TMI) Nuclear disaster in …
What can be done to reduce the probability of another nuclear meltdown? Read More »
Introduction I’ve long been interested in cement production, ever since, as a young project engineer in the 70’s, I was tasked with building a cement terminal. My interest was piqued again recently when I learnt that the cement and steel industries are by far the biggest CO2 emitters in heavy industry, contributing almost half of industrial …
Introduction ‘In the vast majority of countries, landfills are growing at an unsustainable rate. According to the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), 40 percent of worldwide waste ends up in open, uncontrolled dumpsites. As many as 38 of the 50 largest landfills threaten to pollute the sea and coastal areas, while 64 million people are directly …
Waste management: Legislate, Facilitate, Recycle Read More »
Introduction To my way of thinking, if anyone is really serious about conducting business in an ethical way, then there are certain basic rules. Here’s my list (in no particular order): Delivering value to customers Investing in employees Dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers Supporting the communities in which they operate Generating long-term value for shareholders, who …
Introduction Amid doomsday stories about climate change and how urgently governments need to reduce carbon emissions, it’s easy for the average person to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Over the years, individuals have been able to change the world. People like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Tim Berners-Lee have initiated major innovations such as personal computers …
Shakers and movers: Individuals can make a difference Read More »
Introduction I believe that at least one positive outcome from COP26 of November 2021 is that there is sufficient commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 with a peak global warming of 1.50C. What is now needed is a mindset change and a systems approach to solving the problem. Collaboration is essential between governments (who establish policies …
Introduction The large multi-national oil and gas companies have made astronomical profits for over one hundred years, while emitting whopping amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. But climate change now demands that they redirect their strategic focus to becoming carbon neutral. The analogy is that of a large and lumbering oil tanker taking several kilometres to …
What are the big Oil and Gas companies doing about climate change? Read More »
Introduction Our world is going to change very rapidly in the next eight years. Global warming is now widely accepted as a danger to the survival of the human species, besides the irreparable damage to the earth’s other species and the environment. Our primary anthropogenic activities (economic and social human activities, which can be either agricultural or industrial) are causing global warming at …
