Energy & Environment

If you think there's a climate-change conspiracy, ask yourself who's more likely to be lying: CEOs profiting from the top 100 corporations that are responsible for more than 70% of greenhouse emissions produced since 1988 (with just 20 companies linked to a third of emissions), or scientists who - far from having been guilty of exaggeration - are finding that their initial predictions seriously understated how rapid and severe the changes would be?

But it doesn't matter if you still have doubts about the escalating impacts of human-induced global warming; it's a significant risk (if not a total certainty), but thankfully one we can still (just) readily address as there are many cost-effective solutions available for limiting climate change, if we're willing to take on vested interests. Basically, it's the best value insurance you'll ever get - see my 2006 SMH letter about managing these risks (responding to this article):

For thoughts on specific areas to pursue, see the following links and discussion on sustainable energy:

Agriculture - especially reversing land clearing for meat consumption
Energy-efficient aviation & space technology
Pricing of electric cars & their use
Emissions trading - the pragmatic scheme design that minimises energy price impacts
Grid transformers - the broadband network as a competing electricity grid to support residential solar PV
(also an idea for putting a Vertical Axis wind turbine on top of a power pylon)
Nuclear risks - why unsafe nuclear power makes no economic sense!
Solar absorption enhancement in PV modules (my PhD thesis)
Some thoughts on climate-change modelling – following on from thoughts about human evolution

and, looking beyond climate change:

Effective actions to address plastic water pollution, instead of tokenistic product bans,

plus:

Supplying clean water & sanitation for the world's poor (a work in progress).