China will reduce emissions of major pollutants in the power sector by 60% by 2020, its cabinet announced today. [The Guardian] Abengoa, the Spanish renewable energy firm with a solar plant in Arizona, could soon become Spain’s biggest bankruptcy case of all time after the company failed to sign a new investor. [NPR] African heads… Keep reading →
China’s economic slowdown and the government’s pledges to use more renewable and nuclear is making the country’s existing coal plants unnecessary. [The NY Times] Critics of Michigan’s clean energy plan say the proposed polices will reflect closer to 5 rather than 30 percent in actual new renewable energy. [M Live] The World Energy Report 2015 predicts… Keep reading →
Almost a quarter of Africa’s energy needs could feasibly be supplied by renewable energy, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) yesterday. [The Guardian] At the second annual Our Ocean conference, world leaders will address the challenges to marine ecosystems around the globe and announce extra measures they are taking… Keep reading →
The renewable energy sector, particularly wind and solar, has seen rapid expansion globally among both developed and developing countries. Skadden attorneys Paul Kraske, Jorge Kamine, Aryan Moniri and Leah Chacon discuss current trends and issues in international renewable projects, which promise to become an increasingly important part of worldwide efforts to address energy needs.
Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon are all looking at floating LNG export projects as potential ways to bring their natural gas reserves to market. “But the Cameroonian Floating LNG project, announced on Christmas Day 2014 as a three way Heads of Agreement (the HOA) between Golar LNG Ltd (Golar) Societe Nationale de Hydrocarbures (SNH) and… Keep reading →
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) confirmed the Republican-controlled senate will first consider a bill to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline when they begin work next year. However, the legislation would still need to get by the president’s desk and he may veto it. “We’ll be starting next year with a job-creating bill that enjoys… Keep reading →
Today, the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 20) begins in Lima (Peru) and is widely seen – as Elias Ntungwe Ngalame in an article for Deutsche Welle (DW) rightly notes – by environmental experts “as a crucial springboard to COP 21 in Paris” next year. Naturally, the large… Keep reading →
Italian firm Eni won rights to develop the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block in Ghana that is expected to start up in 2017. “This project promises to deliver up to 170 million cubic feet of gas per day for the next 20 years and put Ghana on its way to a future where one… Keep reading →
An improving investment climate –
Perceptions of Africa as an investment destination are changing rapidly and parts of Africa are increasingly considered very attractive for foreign direct investment. Compare this to similar findings as recently as three or four years ago, and it becomes clear that there has been a remarkable change in Africa’s image in a short period of time.
The statistics suggest that these changing perceptions are justified. Africa’s share of global foreign direct investment stands at 5.7% – an all-time high, of which, notably, 80% is directed towards sub-Saharan Africa1. In addition, there has been a marked increase in intra-African investment. While the majority of this inward investment has been focused on the traditional extractive industries, it is worth noting that there is also a long-term trend towards increasing investments in consumer facing industries, such as financial services. Kenya, for example, is harnessing such investment to establish itself as a regional commercial financial hub…
Pollution is one of the many environmental challenges facing the world today. The impact of pollution is more severe in developing countries, leading to ill health, death and disabilities of millions of people annually. Developed countries have the resources and technologies to combat pollution. As a result of the health risks and the potential impact… Keep reading →
