Speaking on C-SPAN, Christina Romer, chairwoman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said that she expected the G.D.P. to begin growing in the fourth quarter of this year. Romer mentioned that she also doesn’t expect job growth until after the economy starts recovering. Job growth is a latent event on economic activity. Romer stated that, “unfortunately pretty realistic” that the unemployment rate could reach 9.5 percent. A sensible estimate for the G.D.P.’s expansion rate in 2010, she said, is 3%.
Christina Romer is a very important person to follow in this economic decline. Her recommendations to President Obama are taken more serious than most economists because of her background research in the great depression.
Based on figures released on May 8th 2009, the unemployment rate in April was 8.9 percent, the largest level in 25 years. The underemployment rate, which counts people who are working part time because their hours have been cut and those who have given up looking for jobs, reached 15.8 percent.
Romer recently mentioned in late April that the rate of inventory liquidation in the first quarter suggests that factories will soon have to begin producing again. Romer believed the White House may "ultimately be vindicated" in its economic forecast for the year, which is rosier than the Congressional Budget Office estimates on growth. Romer questioned recent IMF estimates over the losses that U.S. banks will suffer. Romer's comments came in testimony before the joint Economic Committee of Congress.
Showing posts with label Green Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Politics. Show all posts
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Environment, Finally EPA Declares Emissions are a Danger.
On April 17th, “going green” also means becoming health. Since the Federal Government has declared that emissions pose a danger to public health, environmental policies and emission standards will become an unquestionable need and not just a debate to support public health.
It is clear that the bush administration’s policies are receding. Concerns for global warming were previously ignored and regarded as an economic decision and not a health or environmental need.
The Obama administration is leading future regulations well by providing a clear example of their beliefs. The automobiles used will be standardized to reduce carbon dioxide admissions but cars are not the only intended change. Scientists also claim that emissions from power plants are a large contributor of global climate change.
Legislation will be debated on how to carry out this new declaration of public health risks and the white house will be a strong advocate for speedy change.
On April 21st the Environmental Protection Agency supported a new bill with a far reach for change. A summary Analysis of climate change became available titled “EPA Analysis of the Waxman-Markey Discussion Draft: The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009”
With all the changes proposed new jobs will certainly follow in supporting renewable energy jobs and environmental jobs.
It is clear that the bush administration’s policies are receding. Concerns for global warming were previously ignored and regarded as an economic decision and not a health or environmental need.
The Obama administration is leading future regulations well by providing a clear example of their beliefs. The automobiles used will be standardized to reduce carbon dioxide admissions but cars are not the only intended change. Scientists also claim that emissions from power plants are a large contributor of global climate change.
Legislation will be debated on how to carry out this new declaration of public health risks and the white house will be a strong advocate for speedy change.
On April 21st the Environmental Protection Agency supported a new bill with a far reach for change. A summary Analysis of climate change became available titled “EPA Analysis of the Waxman-Markey Discussion Draft: The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009”
With all the changes proposed new jobs will certainly follow in supporting renewable energy jobs and environmental jobs.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Back green skills, says Sustainable Development Commission
INVESTING in green skills and jobs can rebuild the economy and deal with the challenges of climate change and rising commodity prices, says a report out today.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s adviser on sustainability is asking for further investment in the green economy as the recession provides a difficult period for business.
Renewable energy jobs, sustainable transport and making homes more energy efficient are some of the key areas for investment, according to the Sustainable Development Commission.
A Sustainable New Deal urges the UK Government to invest £30bn a year over the next three years on a green recovery package. Provisional calculations suggest this could create 800,000 jobs.
Launching the report at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium today, the commission’s economics commissioner, Professor Tim Jackson, said: “The current economic crisis has the potential to seed the economic opportunities of tomorrow.
“But it demands courage and vision today. The Welsh Assembly Government has an opportunity to invest in the skills and jobs needed to build a more resilient, low-carbon economy.”
The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to a 3% annual cut in carbon emissions in areas of devolved competence from 2011. It also has an aspiration of zero-carbon new buildings from 2011.
Peter Davies, the commissioner for Wales, said: “We welcome the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposal to make sustainable development the central organising principle for government.
“Its work to support jobs through the recession, develop a green jobs strategy and create a low-carbon zone in the Heads of the Valleys provide a good starting point for the transition to a low- carbon economy and addressing the threat of climate change.”
The commission is publishing its advice to ministers in the lead-up to the Budget on April 22.
It comes as a leading professor has estimated that the solar industry has the power to create a minimum of 12,000 jobs in Wales in the next 16 years.
Glyndr University’s Professor Stuart Irvine announced the findings after research into the photovoltaic (PV) industry in Wales, which predicts an extra 1000 new jobs by 2011 and 12,000 new jobs by 2025.
The research was conducted on behalf of the OpTIC technium in Wrexham and the Welsh Opto-electronic Forum and said that the jobs will be in a range of areas from the factory floor through to research.
Prof Irvine said: “The 12,000 figure is actually very conservative. It is quite possible that this figure could be considerably higher.
“North Wales has a strong industrial base as far as solar energy and research into solar energy is concerned and we believe this is an area which will grow considerably during the next few years. As the industry grows obviously there will be a knock-on effect of more jobs being created.”
by Aled Blake, Western Mail
The Welsh Assembly Government’s adviser on sustainability is asking for further investment in the green economy as the recession provides a difficult period for business.
Renewable energy jobs, sustainable transport and making homes more energy efficient are some of the key areas for investment, according to the Sustainable Development Commission.
A Sustainable New Deal urges the UK Government to invest £30bn a year over the next three years on a green recovery package. Provisional calculations suggest this could create 800,000 jobs.
Launching the report at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium today, the commission’s economics commissioner, Professor Tim Jackson, said: “The current economic crisis has the potential to seed the economic opportunities of tomorrow.
“But it demands courage and vision today. The Welsh Assembly Government has an opportunity to invest in the skills and jobs needed to build a more resilient, low-carbon economy.”
The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to a 3% annual cut in carbon emissions in areas of devolved competence from 2011. It also has an aspiration of zero-carbon new buildings from 2011.
Peter Davies, the commissioner for Wales, said: “We welcome the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposal to make sustainable development the central organising principle for government.
“Its work to support jobs through the recession, develop a green jobs strategy and create a low-carbon zone in the Heads of the Valleys provide a good starting point for the transition to a low- carbon economy and addressing the threat of climate change.”
The commission is publishing its advice to ministers in the lead-up to the Budget on April 22.
It comes as a leading professor has estimated that the solar industry has the power to create a minimum of 12,000 jobs in Wales in the next 16 years.
Glyndr University’s Professor Stuart Irvine announced the findings after research into the photovoltaic (PV) industry in Wales, which predicts an extra 1000 new jobs by 2011 and 12,000 new jobs by 2025.
The research was conducted on behalf of the OpTIC technium in Wrexham and the Welsh Opto-electronic Forum and said that the jobs will be in a range of areas from the factory floor through to research.
Prof Irvine said: “The 12,000 figure is actually very conservative. It is quite possible that this figure could be considerably higher.
“North Wales has a strong industrial base as far as solar energy and research into solar energy is concerned and we believe this is an area which will grow considerably during the next few years. As the industry grows obviously there will be a knock-on effect of more jobs being created.”
by Aled Blake, Western Mail
Here is a link of Christina Romer discussing her current views of the us economy.
To sum up she mentioned that it was alarming to find that the average work week as been reduced to 32 hours. Also, job growth will not happen until after 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=101454&newsChannel=politicsNews
To sum up she mentioned that it was alarming to find that the average work week as been reduced to 32 hours. Also, job growth will not happen until after 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=101454&newsChannel=politicsNews
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Can Green Jobs Save the Economy?
By Phil Izzo
As the U.S. continues to hemorrhage jobs, Americans are looking for hope, and one of the key ideas put forward by the Obama administration is the promise of “green jobs” in industries focused on the environment.
San Jose, Calif., Mayor Chuck Reed is on the front lines of the battle for clean technology and other sectors that aim to support the environment. In a recent interview he pointed out a major challenge: “We’ve got to create not just green jobs but green careers.”
Obama makes remarks about investments in clean energy and new technology in Washington. In the foreground is the Solyndra Solar Panel. (Associated Press)
The administration is thinking about that, but it may be difficult to achieve. A lot of projects such as weatherization and environmental cleanup could be limited in their potential. A big chunk of the stimulus money, about a third of $32.7 billion in allocated funds, that went to the Department of Energy will be focused on those areas. The jobs will be a big boon in this economy, but can they be a career?
“We need to strike a balance between creating jobs immediately and getting a long-term impact,” said Reed. One area that could support long-term careers is facilities that produce technology such as solar panels. Factories could create jobs across a wide spectrum from support services to assembly workers to the management suite. And indeed, the government is looking to support such programs. The only loan guarantee listed on the Energy department’s Web site since October is $535 million to Solyndra Inc., a company that makes solar panels, for construction of a commercial-scale manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif.
Keeping production in the U.S., though, isn’t an easy process. The economy has shifted, and manufacturing continues to be a shrinking share of gross domestic product. In 2007, the Labor Department issued a report that said employment in the goods-producing industries has been relatively stagnant since the early 1980s, and overall the sector is expected to decline 3.3% from 2006-2016. Growth was seen in the pharmaceutical and medical industries, but the outlook was bleaker for other areas.
That’s a forecast that many are eager to prove incorrect. “This is one of the lulls in the economy that could work to our advantage. We have to turn on a dime because they can be fleeting, and time to market can be critical,” Reed said.
The current environment could provide an opportunity to nurture smaller companies in the green sector. In the early phases of a company’s growth, having production close to innovation and markets can prove to be a major boon.
Green jobs are more about potential than immediate impact. But that potential may be one of the best hopes for rebuilding the economy. Some economists say that Americans are entering a new phase, as the household sector pulls back to cut debt and limit savings. Growth in the last few decades has been built on the back of the American consumer, but something may have to pop up to pick up the slack.
“My job is to make sure companies that sprouted here, grow here,” Reed said. And in the current environment, growth is at a premium.
As the U.S. continues to hemorrhage jobs, Americans are looking for hope, and one of the key ideas put forward by the Obama administration is the promise of “green jobs” in industries focused on the environment.
San Jose, Calif., Mayor Chuck Reed is on the front lines of the battle for clean technology and other sectors that aim to support the environment. In a recent interview he pointed out a major challenge: “We’ve got to create not just green jobs but green careers.”
Obama makes remarks about investments in clean energy and new technology in Washington. In the foreground is the Solyndra Solar Panel. (Associated Press)
The administration is thinking about that, but it may be difficult to achieve. A lot of projects such as weatherization and environmental cleanup could be limited in their potential. A big chunk of the stimulus money, about a third of $32.7 billion in allocated funds, that went to the Department of Energy will be focused on those areas. The jobs will be a big boon in this economy, but can they be a career?
“We need to strike a balance between creating jobs immediately and getting a long-term impact,” said Reed. One area that could support long-term careers is facilities that produce technology such as solar panels. Factories could create jobs across a wide spectrum from support services to assembly workers to the management suite. And indeed, the government is looking to support such programs. The only loan guarantee listed on the Energy department’s Web site since October is $535 million to Solyndra Inc., a company that makes solar panels, for construction of a commercial-scale manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif.
Keeping production in the U.S., though, isn’t an easy process. The economy has shifted, and manufacturing continues to be a shrinking share of gross domestic product. In 2007, the Labor Department issued a report that said employment in the goods-producing industries has been relatively stagnant since the early 1980s, and overall the sector is expected to decline 3.3% from 2006-2016. Growth was seen in the pharmaceutical and medical industries, but the outlook was bleaker for other areas.
That’s a forecast that many are eager to prove incorrect. “This is one of the lulls in the economy that could work to our advantage. We have to turn on a dime because they can be fleeting, and time to market can be critical,” Reed said.
The current environment could provide an opportunity to nurture smaller companies in the green sector. In the early phases of a company’s growth, having production close to innovation and markets can prove to be a major boon.
Green jobs are more about potential than immediate impact. But that potential may be one of the best hopes for rebuilding the economy. Some economists say that Americans are entering a new phase, as the household sector pulls back to cut debt and limit savings. Growth in the last few decades has been built on the back of the American consumer, but something may have to pop up to pick up the slack.
“My job is to make sure companies that sprouted here, grow here,” Reed said. And in the current environment, growth is at a premium.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Green jobs not so good?
A study of Spain’s clean energy initiative by an economics professor at Juan Carlos University in Madrid shows that for every green collar job created 2.2 jobs are lost. If the numbers are correct, the Obama administration could lose around 6 million jobs if they continue their plan for green job creation. Spain might be an important case study before the US implements a plan and it shows that even the best plans can fail.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Economist Disagree About Current US Policies
Cristina Romer announced on “Meet the Press” that “We have put in the biggest, boldest recovery package in history… incredible medicine for (the) economy, and we fully expect it to work”. She continued to state that the underlining economy is in good shape and a recovery is expected with the current stimulus packages.
Romer is one of the economists who believe that increase government spending is the answer to the U.S. Economic crisis however some disagree. Cristina received her PH.D from MIT in 1985 and has been considered one of the top female economists in the world. In 2008 she was vetoed by Drew Faust to become a tenure professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy school of government.
Romers suggestions to the White House which is now policy is being debated by many economists. Paul Krugman of the New York Times believed the stimulus plan is not large enough to turn the economy around.
Romer stated “it is premature to talk about a second stimulus package” without giving the first one a chance to work.
There is no doubt that the heated debate of Romer’s recommendation, if inaccurate, will have serious consequences for the not just the U.S. economy but for World whom has looked for American leadership for economic success.
Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron said it’s a good idea that the Obama administration is focusing on long-term economic goals but the current U.S. budget proposal is “wildly optimistic”
“First, tax increases will probably not produce as much revenue as being forecast, and second, he hasn’t really touched the two really important programs that account for a huge fraction of our future liabilities (social security and Medicare,” said Miron.
Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget disagreed and said there will be substantial cutbacks.
Of course in Academia there will be many debates on what would be the best policy recommendations but the fact that Cristina Romer’s views are highly criticized is not consistent with the Obama’s statements that he has looked for a consensus of policy recommendations. Basically, no economist knows if current U.S. economic policies will be successful.
Sponsored by Solpowerjobs.com
Romer is one of the economists who believe that increase government spending is the answer to the U.S. Economic crisis however some disagree. Cristina received her PH.D from MIT in 1985 and has been considered one of the top female economists in the world. In 2008 she was vetoed by Drew Faust to become a tenure professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy school of government.
Romers suggestions to the White House which is now policy is being debated by many economists. Paul Krugman of the New York Times believed the stimulus plan is not large enough to turn the economy around.
Romer stated “it is premature to talk about a second stimulus package” without giving the first one a chance to work.
There is no doubt that the heated debate of Romer’s recommendation, if inaccurate, will have serious consequences for the not just the U.S. economy but for World whom has looked for American leadership for economic success.
Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron said it’s a good idea that the Obama administration is focusing on long-term economic goals but the current U.S. budget proposal is “wildly optimistic”
“First, tax increases will probably not produce as much revenue as being forecast, and second, he hasn’t really touched the two really important programs that account for a huge fraction of our future liabilities (social security and Medicare,” said Miron.
Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget disagreed and said there will be substantial cutbacks.
Of course in Academia there will be many debates on what would be the best policy recommendations but the fact that Cristina Romer’s views are highly criticized is not consistent with the Obama’s statements that he has looked for a consensus of policy recommendations. Basically, no economist knows if current U.S. economic policies will be successful.
Sponsored by Solpowerjobs.com
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New Global Cooperation Needed Claimed by British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, spoke before congress on March 4th 2009 with applause for his call for mutual prosperity goals and that “Protectionism… in the end protects no one.” The Prime Minister also mentioned briefly that hard working citizens will want to buy green goods, indicating his acknowledgment of this consumer trend and the importance sustainability to them.
“American and Britain will succeed and lead if we tap into the talents of our people, unleash the genius of our scientists, set free the drive of our entrepreneurs we will win the race to the top if we can develop the high value added products and services and the new green goods that the rising number of hard working families will want to buy”
No speech these days can be made without the mentioning of our difficult economic times. PM Gordon Brown stated that the world has been hit by an economic hurricane
“An economic hurricane has swept the world, creating a crisis of credit and a crisis of confidence. History has now brought us to a point where change is essential. And we are summoned not just to manage these times but to sworn them. And our task is it to rebuild prosperity and Security in a wholly different economic world where competition in no longer local but global and banks are no longer national but international”
Gordon’s overall goal was to encourage immediate action of congress of address the current economic crisis with Europe and not alone. President Obama yesterday also assured PM Brown that their ties were still strong.
“American and Britain will succeed and lead if we tap into the talents of our people, unleash the genius of our scientists, set free the drive of our entrepreneurs we will win the race to the top if we can develop the high value added products and services and the new green goods that the rising number of hard working families will want to buy”
No speech these days can be made without the mentioning of our difficult economic times. PM Gordon Brown stated that the world has been hit by an economic hurricane
“An economic hurricane has swept the world, creating a crisis of credit and a crisis of confidence. History has now brought us to a point where change is essential. And we are summoned not just to manage these times but to sworn them. And our task is it to rebuild prosperity and Security in a wholly different economic world where competition in no longer local but global and banks are no longer national but international”
Gordon’s overall goal was to encourage immediate action of congress of address the current economic crisis with Europe and not alone. President Obama yesterday also assured PM Brown that their ties were still strong.
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