Monthly Archives: November 2011

Hydropower, Southeast Asia, Uncategorized, Water

Trading Your Society and Culture for Money: Laos and Myanmar Decide (Part I of II)

Laos Overlooks the Impact of Social and Environmental Damages in Moving Forward with the Xayaburi Dam

A classic dilemma for emerging economies in today’s world  is the choice between economic development and preserving the country’s socio-cultural integrity. This two part article will analyze the decisions behind Laos and Myanmar’s decisions for each country’s respective hydroelectric projects, where the former has chosen economic development and the latter has chosen to preserve their socio-cultural integrity.

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China, Uncategorized

5 Strategies to Make Sure Your Energy-Related Organization Gets Taken Seriously

Top10 China aims to promote the most energy efficient products to Chinese consumers, but the group needs a better brand and greater recognition before it can succeed.

Let’s imagine that you have an international organization dedicated to changing attitudes of energy consumers. This is a big task for any organization, but especially one dedicated to mass behavioral change. How do you make sure everyday citizens notice AND remember you?

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China, East Asia, Nuclear, Uncategorized

With Nuclear Energy, China Chooses Dependence Over Independence (Part II of II)

China’s nuclear industry increases dependence on another set of foreign countries due to technology, nuclear safety, and uranium trade.

China is now at a cross-roads that requires it to be increasingly accountable for its energy use, carbon emissions, environmental impact, and public health. Due to this nuclear energy has become one of the lauded fuels of choice for the future. However, if China steps in this direction the country might be dependent on another set of foreign countries, leaving them in another cycle of energy dependence and vulnerability.

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China, East Asia, Nuclear, Uncategorized

China’s Cautious Expansion of Nuclear Power (Part I of II)

China uncharacteristically expands nuclear power at a slower than expected speed due to the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear disaster in March 2011.

When China opened its economy to the world in the early 1980s, the communist country was heavily reliant on oil and coal. These two fossil fuels were relatively abundant domestically and helped secure China’s national security at a time when the country was cautious of foreign influence. However, this energy policy set the pattern for China’s energy needs over the next three decades despite China’s net importation of oil since the early 1990s and coal in 2009. 

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