An Institutional History of Electricity Politics and Climate Inaction

2020 ◽  
pp. 68-107
Author(s):  
Leah Cardamore Stokes

Chapter 3, examines the historical roots of the current conflict over the electricity system. Electric utilities have long held a privileged position in energy policy, controlling state regulatory bodies for most of the twentieth century. Early regulatory decisions surrounding electricity ownership and pricing structures paved the way for contemporary conflicts over renewable energy policies. Notably, utilities used their power to shape policy and technology to their advantage in three ways: they resisted innovation, they shaped the rate structure in ways that exacerbated environmental harms, and they denied the climate crisis and other environmental problems. Taking a historical view, we can see that the electricity system developed the way it did—with large, fossil fuel plants and expensive, privately owned, and poorly maintained electric grids—because it served the interests of these powerful private utilities. This chapter shows how utilities’ delay and denial have undermined progress on climate change.

2019 ◽  
pp. 80-102
Author(s):  
David Wood

This chapter develops an eleventh “plague” onto Jacques Derrida's list of ten plagues of the New World Order in his Specters of Marx: the growing global climate crisis. Forging an amalgam from Derrida and Heidegger, it shows that the eleventh plague was not just “one more plague” but was at the heart of the first ten, or at least was intimately implied or caught up in them. In the most summary form, this would be to show that questions of violence, law, and social justice are inseparable from ecological sustainability. A similar move would demonstrate that another candidate for the eleventh plague—the animal holocaust—is closely connected both with the first ten plagues and ecological sustainability, perhaps serving as a bridge of sorts. Derrida's remarks about the animal holocaust, and about human suffering and misery, are set in the context of people's denial, blindness, and refusal to acknowledge these phenomena, and the way that human suffering especially represents the contradiction, the hidden waste, produced by an ever more efficiently functioning system.


2015 ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
J. David Brett ◽  
Nadine E. Berge

The article reviews both the provincial and federal legislative frameworks governing access to oil and gas pipelines, with emphasis on dispute resolution options in the case of access and toll disputes. These codified resolution obligations are compared with the traditional common law common carrier obligations, and it is demonstrated that the latter still play an important role in today's regulatory environment. Key regulatory decisions of both the National Energy Board and the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board are examined to demonstrate both the approaches of these bodies in encouraging settlement of outstanding issues and their attitudes toward yielding regulatory jurisdiction when parties' affairs have been arranged by contract. It is demonstrated that these regulatory bodies still maintain jurisdiction over some aspects of oil and gas transportation even where parties have agreed to privately drawn oil or gas pipeline contracts and will not hesitate to interfere given the right public policy concerns.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-257
Author(s):  
І. V. Zotsenko

The material and archaeological context of the research of Architectural and Archaeological Expedition of the IA NAS of Ukraine in 2016—2017 are considered in the paper. The group of sites dating to the 11th—13th centuries is located in the southern part of Kyiv named Feofania. This archaeological complex includes the hill-fort and three settlements. The officers of the Kyiv Archaeology Department Dr. O. Manigda and V. Kryzhanovsky made the surveying of the site. The exploration in 2016—2017 is connected with the construction of residential complex on the territory of settlement 2. Due to it the large area of the settlement — 2850 m2 — was discovered and explored. During the excavations 55 archaeological sites of Old Rus time were discovered. Among them are the residential and industrial buildings, outbuildings. The latter includes the object with a complex of adobe kilns (such structures have a very few analogies). The large number of archaeological material was collected among which are the items with the city nomenclature. Paleobotanical remains are distinguished in a separate numerous category of material. The traces of two fires have been occurred at the settlement. If the second fire is related to the collapse of the settlement during the Tatar-Mongol invasion (1240), the first one dates to the end of 11th — beginning of the 12th century, and the reason of it is unknown. Summing up the previous results, it is possible to refer the settlements No. 2 to the type of settlements privately owned by representatives of the feudal class. The group settlements and the hill-fort formed the block-post controlling the way to Kyiv from the south. In addition to Medieval antiquities the number of finds and objects of the Late Bronze — Early Iron Ages, as well as three burials of the late 18th—19th centuries, which apparently related to the cemetery of Saint Panteleimon Monastery, were discovered.


Author(s):  
Frank Fischer

The Conclusion seeks to make clear not only where the discussion has taken the reader, but also how the journey should be understood. Throughout the eleven chapters of the book we have engaged in an exploratory search for an answer to the question: what are the democratic prospects during a full-scale climate crisis? It is an inquiry that takes the reader from the global to the local level. After briefly summarizing the sections of the book, this Conclusion then underscores the way in which climate “crisis” is a political and ecological crisis. Against worries about eco-authoritarianism, it clarifies the contribution of eco-localism and the role it can play, but also presents its limits. In this regard, it calls for a form of global eco-localism. It closes by stressing the need for a more relevant environmental political theory useful to those who will confront the full force of climate crisis ahead.


2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Balla

In this article it is examined how Paul used slavery imagery in Galatians 4 when dealing with the theme of God’s “children”. The use of words related to the semantic field of slavery in Galatians is briefly discussed. Paul uses these words both with their literal meaning and in a figurative sense. This is also true for the main passage to be discussed in this article – the Hagar allegory. In Galatians 4, Paul first speaks about a real slave wo- man, and then uses this imagery to describe those who do not accept God’s promises to have been fulfilled in Jesus. The way Paul uses the term “allegorise” is examined. It is argued that in Galatians 4 Paul uses the slavery imagery in order to speak about aspects of one’s relationship to God. The background of his use of the Hagar allegory is his “salvation historical” view concerning God’s covenantal relationship to his people. He uses allusions to Old Testament texts to express his view re- garding who belongs to God’s people in the era of the new covenant.


Ars Adriatica ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Nikola Jakšić

The paper deals with a 15 century psalter that was kept in Franciscan convent at Kampor on Rab Island. In 1986 it was stolen, thrown away and later found in the sea by local fishermen. It was entirely destroyed.In this way, another worthy historical testimony disappeared from otherwise opulent heritage of this Dalmatian island. Author has made an effort to reconstruct the destroyed manuscript through comparison with Dalmatian Franciscan manuscripts from both Zadar and Dubrovnik, chosen mostly because of their common contents. In literature, Kampor manuscript was concisely published long ago - in 1917 - by H. Folnesics, with a black-andwhite photo of a single figural initial (fig. 8). In 1995, A. Badurina published a colour photo of a whole folium 57’ with a figural miniature (fig. 1). In 2004, this was apparently enough for M. Medica to attribute these miniatures to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, active during the second half of the 15th century.On the basis of the thorough descriptions by H. Folnesics and A. Badurina, it was obvious that the codex contained eight figural miniatures in total, with few decorative ones in addition. Author had assumed that the legacy of A. Badurina could contain few more photos of Rab miniatures and began the quest in the photo archive of Zagreb Institute of Art History. Consequently, photos were found: four, previously unpublished black-and-white reproductions of figural initials allowed further understanding of the lost codex illuminations. One of theminiatures with the figure of Christ (fig. 3) entirely matched a figural initial (fig. 2) from a privately owned folio that was exhibited in 1998 and published in the catalogue La miniatura a Ferrara dal tempo di Cosmè Tura all’eredità di Ercole de’ Roberti, (ed. F. Toniolo), published in 1998. M. Medica has attributed this folium to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, unaware of psalter’s original context. All of the abovementioned led to conclusion that the the most valuable folios have been cut from the codex that was thrown in the sea in order to ease the trafficking. These new findings have facilitated an, at least partial, reconstruction of destroyed psalter’s figural contents. Miniatures have been distributed according to the liturgical division of psalter, in the way that the initialpsalm for each of the weekdays began with an initial adorned with a figural miniature, as was usual with contemporary examples.The distribution of the miniatures: first image is related do Psalm I (ff: Ps I) on f. 4, illustrating the beginning of text Beatus vir, (fig. 5), related to Sunday. It is followed by Monday, on f. 29 Dominus illumination mea, Ps XXVI, with no preserved reproduction. On f. 44, there is a Tuesday text: Dixi: custodiam vias meas, ut non delinquam in lingua sua from Ps XXXVIII. Its reproduction has not been preserved. Wednesday’s f. 57’: Dixi insipiens in corde suo, Ps LII, with a colour representation of the entire folium (fig. 1), showing a figure of a reckless man. On Thursdayf. 70: Salvum me fac, Deus, quoniam intraverunt aque usque ad animam mea, Ps LXVII (fig. 8). The Friday f. 88: Exultate deo adiutori nostro: jubilate deo Jacob, Ps LXXX (fig. 9), and the Saturday f. 101’ Cantate dominon canticum novum, Ps XCVII (fig. 10). The eighth miniature is related to Ps CIX, with verses Dixit Dominus Domino meo, used to commence the vespers. This folium is the only one that has been preserved (fig. 2) and whose original context is proved by a black-and-white photo from Zagreb Institute of Art History (fig. 3).Except for a general confirmation of the suggested attribution to Giovanni di Antonio da Bologna, author points out to some of the corresponding miniatures from codices illustrated by that miniaturist, particularly thecompositions that haven’t been preserved in the photoarchives of Rab codex (figs. 4, 6, 7, 11).Finally, author dates the psalter before 1445, year of the foundation of Kampor Franciscan convent in which it had been used, furthermore pointing out that the name of the Rab aristocrat who financed theconstruction was Petrus de Zaro, and not Car as was generally accepted in the literature.


2015 ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
John Gruber

This article canvasses significant regulatory and legislative development in oil and gas law during the period April 2004 to March 2005. Selected contributions of courts (the Federal Court of Appeal, Alberta Court of Appeal, and Alberta Court of Queen's Bench), regulatory bodies (the National Energy Board, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, and the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board), and legislators (at the federal and provincial levels) are summarized and analyzed, followed by a discussion of policy initiatives. The article deals with a variety of developments, highlighting themes of considerable importance to oil and gas Iaw.  These include: the continuing effects of GB 2003-028 on gas/bitumen conservation policy, the consequences of the recent regulatory decisions of the National Energy Board on TransCanada Pipelines Limited tolls on upstream and midstream companies and, more generally, changes to energy legislation in Alberta and British Columbia.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 278-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Alice Ashby ◽  
Aileen O'Brien ◽  
Deborah Bowman ◽  
Carwyn Hooper ◽  
Toby Stevens ◽  
...  

SummarySince its beginnings in the 1980s the internet has come to shape our everyday lives, but doctors still seem rather afraid of it. This anxiety may be explained by the fact that researchers and regulatory bodies focus less on the way that the internet can be used to enhance clinical work and more on the potential and perceived risks that this technology poses in terms of boundary violations and accidental breaches of confidentiality. Some aspects of the internet's impact on medicine have been better researched than others, for example, whether email communication, social media and teleconferencing psychotherapy could be used to improve the delivery of care. However, few authors have considered the specific issue of searching online for information about patients and much of the guidance published by regulatory organisations eludes this issue. In this article we provide clinical examples where the question ‘should I Google the patient?’ may arise and present questions for future research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Norman ◽  
Peter Newman ◽  
Will Steffen

AbstractThe apocalyptic Australian bushfires have challenged the way we plan settlements. What is the future for small urban settlements within fire-vulnerable forests and bushland? Could they create a new model for rural settlements with wider lessons for development in big cities? This paper draws together observations of the 2019/20 bushfire size, intensity and destructiveness and links the fires to the global nature of the climate crisis and an earlier case study that accurately predicted the fire impacts in southeast coastal Australia. The findings are set out in two scenarios suggesting that the fires can lead to a new model for climate resilient development that can flow into larger centres with multiple benefits.


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