Within any country’s economy are several critical industries that are considered “strategic.”  In 19th century Britain, for example, coal, steel and shipbuilding were deemed to be essential.  Even today, the ability to construct military vessels is, at least to a limited extent, considered strategic.  Steel has a less obvious position.  …

The European Union is considering lowering its energy saving targets after 2021 according to Robert-Jan Bartunek at Reuters: “The text drafted by the Maltese presidency of the European Council proposes new annual energy savings targets of 1.4 percent through 2030, down from 1.5 percent proposed by the European Commission. “A …

Judging by the headlines last week, Britain was well on its way to an oil-powered future.  The discovery of what may or may not be a billion barrel field was presented as the start of a new golden age for an oil industry that displays all of the hallmarks of …

Human geography and planning considerations will prevent 75 percent of the UK’s shale gas from ever reaching the surface according to a new study in the journal Science of The Total Environment (see also presentation slides): “Estimates of shale gas recoverable reserves have not considered the carrying capacity of the …

The digital economy has largely been welcomed as a “disruptive force,” obliging old fashioned businesses to compete for custom with new lean internet companies like Uber and Google.  But disruptive businesses in banking may not be the positive development intended.  As Leonid Bershidsky at Bloomberg points out: “In a rivalry …

The so-called fourth industrial revolution (aka the gig economy) was supposed to result in a shiny new future in which a new class of youthful digital entrepreneurs generated prosperous jobs for all.  In reality, the digital economy created a climate of fear and insecurity at the bottom of the British labour …

Earlier this week the Hurricane Energy discovery of “up to a billion barrels” of oil in the North Sea was reported as some kind of energy miracle.  After 17 years of severe production declines, Scottish oil is back.  Suddenly IndyRef2 looks far more likely to deliver a vote for Scottish …

While media attention was focused on the economic consequences of triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the UK economy quietly suffered a far greater shock.  Tucked away in the business pages was the news that Toshiba is placing its Westinghouse US nuclear unit into bankruptcy protection. At face value, …

Polar weather events earlier this year have contributed to the lowest Arctic winter ice maximum since records began.  At the same time, Antarctica has the lowest summer sea ice ever recorded.  According to Maria-José Viñas from NASA’s Earth Science News Team: “This winter, a combination of warmer-than-average temperatures, winds unfavorable to …

We won’t be getting our shiny new electric cars anytime soon, according to Cuneyt Kazokoglu in the Financial Times: “The popular claim that a surge in electric cars will hasten the arrival of peak oil demand is undermined by the data. “The majority of the world’s cars will remain powered …