Andy Rowell

A proposal to label the dirty tar sands as more polluting than conventional oil has been spectacularly abandoned by the European Commission after a four year lobbying campaign by the Canadians.

There has been a huge amount written over the last few days about the plummeting oil price. One British newspaper is warning of an “oil war” as the price of Brent crude “tanks” on the back of oversupply in the market.

Shell has become the latest western company to cease its activities in Russia due to sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine. The oil giant has suspended its operations with its joint venture partner Gazprom Neft to frack Russian shale oil.

Later today, the Spanish nomination for the new EU Energy and Climate Commissioner, Miguel Arias Cañete, will answer questions from Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) about taking up his new influential role.

How about some good news for a change? The end of the dominance of the oil age could be sooner than you think.