Latest news with #policymaking
Washington Post
7 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Graham has a good bill on Russia. Why don't these senators support it?
The Senate, recently passive regarding its prerogatives and deferential regarding presidential assertiveness, might insert itself into policymaking concerning Ukraine. And the Senate — hopefully with the House concurring — might do so where presidents are most protective of their ability to act unilaterally: foreign affairs. The Senate's contemplated action has been 'coordinated' with the current president, who is a notably aggressive assertor of executive prerogatives.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: Credible energy transition hinges on regulatory agility, MEM official
MUSCAT: The complexity of policy frameworks—not technology or ambition—is the real bottleneck in accelerating renewable energy deployment, said Dr Firas al Abduwani, Director General of Renewable Energy and Hydrogen at the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM), during a high-level panel at the Oman Petroleum & Energy Show (OPES) on Tuesday. Speaking during the 'Innovation in New Energies to Enable the Transition' session hosted by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Dr Al Abduwani emphasised that policymaking—often criticised as slow or outdated—is far more nuanced than commonly assumed. 'Everyone says, 'Why aren't we doing more renewables?' and the answer is always 'the policy'. But very few understand how deeply layered and technically complex these policies are,' he said. 'It's not just about ambition. It's about designing policies that reflect economic realities, legacy infrastructure, and affordability for consumers and industry.' HIDDEN COSTS, REAL CONSTRAINTS Dr Al Abduwani explained that legacy energy systems—particularly natural gas—are heavily subsidised and socially embedded in Oman's industrial model, which makes sudden shifts toward renewables politically and economically risky. 'Gas in Oman is not treated purely as a commodity—it's socialised,' he said. 'It underpins electricity prices, industrial feedstock, and household consumption. Reforming that structure is like changing the wheels of a moving car.' He estimated that Oman continues to spend over a billion dollars annually in subsidies, underscoring how embedded fossil fuels remain in the nation's economic architecture. A CALL FOR AGILE, ADAPTIVE POLICY To enable a credible energy transition, Dr Al Abduwani called for more agile regulatory systems—where electricity generation, storage, and distribution are interconnected with real-time pricing and dynamic access across the grid. 'A modern energy policy must give generators and consumers the flexibility to interact with the grid dynamically. If you want renewables to compete fairly, you need to unbundle and de-subsidise the system with surgical precision,' he said. He pointed to international examples—such as Germany's multi-decade subsidy transition and market restructuring—as models worth studying, though not necessarily copying outright. 'Oman must chart its own path, but we can learn from how others sequence the shift—Germany, for instance, gave industries 10 years to adapt to new rules.' TRANSITION WITHOUT DISRUPTION Acknowledging that energy transitions risk social backlash if done poorly, Dr Al-Abduwani called for a holistic approach: engaging regulators, consumers, industries, and financiers in synchronised reform. 'You can't expect households and businesses to absorb cost shocks overnight. Transition must be just, data-driven, and inclusive,' he said. 'And that's why policy is hard. It's not just about writing laws—it's about managing trade-offs between security, affordability, and sustainability.' The OPES panel, which attracted government officials, private sector executives, and global energy experts, was part of broader discussions around Oman's clean energy roadmap under Vision 2040, particularly its green hydrogen ambitions and renewable capacity targets. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
The Supreme Court grapples with post-congressional politics
Schoolchildren are taught that law in the United States is made by Congress (Article I in the Constitution), implemented by the executive (Article II) and interpreted by the courts (Article III). But that system has been breaking down since at least President Barack Obama's second term. Policymaking is now centered on presidential decrees, with Congress as a spectators' gallery, so courts are the main forum for political contestation.
Bloomberg
12-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Lagarde Says Era of Shocks Makes ECB's Inflation Job Harder
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said abrupt shifts in global trade and the region's defense architecture will make it harder to keep inflation stable. Speaking at a conference in Frankfurt, Lagarde said the changes represent 'two-sided shocks' that, along with climate change, complicate policymaking.
