Blog posts
COVID-19 Teaches Us Lessons About Air Pollution, Environmental Justice, and Climate Change
The rapid spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic has highlighted some of the most pressing social and environmental issues in the modern world. One issue to rear its head is the impact of air pollution on human health. The WHO estimates that, in a typical year, air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths worldwide annually. Decades […]
Coal Region Economic Transformation in China
Four years ago, in 2016, I was honored to post an inaugural blog for the Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy. The blog tells my personal story of how I witnessed the economic ups and downs of my hometown city Wuhai (not to be confused with Wuhan) in Inner Mongolia, the number one coal-producing province […]
Earth Day 2020: Honoring the 50th Anniversary
Three BU environmental experts join the conversation on conservation, green legislation, and the history behind the first Earth Day celebration. 50 years ago American citizens and environmental activists came together to recognize the first official Earth Day celebration. Flash forward and the holiday is now observed in just under 200 countries to help to lift […]
Earth Day 50th Environmental Victories
Earth Day is a time to reflect on the progress made and work to be done in order to protect the health of people and the Earth’s natural systems. On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, National Geographic describes in photos 50 key “environmental victories.” What do you think? Suggestions for important additions? 1970 First […]
Will Shale Oil Survive a Restructured Oil Market?
Shale faces a difficult future because the COVID-19 pandemic and the Green paradox are pushing Saudi Arabia and Russia to restructure an unstable alliance that cut production to defend higher prices to a more traditional market that favors low-cost producers. The negative effects of these changes are amplified by increased uncertainty, which reduces incentives to […]
World Water Day 2020: Deep Dive Into Water and Climate Change
BU ISE clean energy and sustainability experts share water conservation tips, debunk common myths, and explain why water is so important in the fight against climate change. On Sunday, March 22, communities across the globe will come together for World Water Day, an annual UN observance that highlights the importance of freshwater and the sustainable […]
The Decade Ahead: Energy, Transportation, and Climate Action
Some decades make their mark more than others. As we cross the threshold of the 2020s, there’s no doubt this decade will be a game-changer for our climate as the stakes grow catastrophically higher with each passing year. If global warming is the ultimate disrupter, how will it fundamentally change our power and water utilities? […]
Detecting Giant Methane Leaks
The New York Times recently put a spotlight on one of the biggest known methane leaks in recent years, a natural gas well blowout in Ohio that emitted about 120 metric tons of methane an hour for 20 days (Methane Leak, Seen From Space, Proves to Be Far Larger Than Thought). New satellite technology is […]
Encouraging Congress to Enact the Best Possible Environmental Regulations
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas. Although the mass of methane emitted by human activity is only 1/100 that of carbon dioxide, its immediate warming effect is comparable because methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas. Globally, the oil and gas industry is responsible for 15% of all methane emissions, natural and […]
UN Climate Week: China’s Electricity Market Reform Is Underway
During the UN Climate Week, I attended a panel hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) China and China Electricity Council (CEC) for a discussion on China’s electricity market reform. Experts in attendance were from Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Energy Foundation China, International Energy Agency (IEA), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Global Energy Interconnection […]