After a series of moves that proved far more effective, but were almost as complicated as astro physics, Russia dropped an anvil on Ukraine and annexed Crimea. In response, Ukraine’s acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk signed a political association agreement with the European Union (EU), and the United States slapped sanctions on some of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s wealthy allies and Bank Rossiya. (more…)
Last Tuesday, Eurostat, which provides statistical information on the European Union (EU), announced that its flash estimate showed positive economic growth (up 0.3 percent) for the Euro area for the second quarter. Media outlets embraced the news with tremendous enthusiasm and some informed the world that Europe was, once again, on its feet.
You’ve heard about the tortoise and the hare. It’s a fable that has much to say about unequal partners, overconfidence, and perseverance – topics that leaders of the European Union (EU) may ponder when they’re not poking and prodding member states in efforts to provoke structural reform and growth.
It seems that way sometimes. According to UNEP’s report, Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2013, “Renewables are picking up speed across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, with new investment in all technologies… Markets, manufacturing, and investment shifted increasingly towards developing countries during 2012.” For instance, after running even with the United States during 2011, China became the dominant country for renewable energy investment in 2012, according to the report.
