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‘I want them all crushed’: the council poised to ban ‘dangerous’ Lime bikes | Cycling | The Guardian
In Brent, local people are upset with abandoned green bikes creating a hazard and teenagers speeding along pavements 
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Online gambling industry has negative impact on UK economy, says thinktank | Gambling | The Guardian
Campaign for Fairer Gambling report claims betting ‘had the effect of reducing economic activity by £1.3bn per year’
Graham Watson's insight:
The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has claimed that the online gambling industry imposes significant negative externalities on the UK economy. Indeed, it suggests that the sector imposes a social cost of £1.3bn per year.
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New legislation gives regulators more powers to tackle water pollution in England and Wales.
Graham Watson's insight:
Economics is about incentives, they say, so my response to this is "about time". That said, is it the best solution? Probably not - the best solution requires water company executives with integrity.
One potential downside to this, which will be pointed out by free market economists is that the risks associated with being a water company executive have increased and the rewards might have decreased, so this implies that you'll get a worse class of executive. I'd disagree: the present system seems to have failed to align the interests of executives with the wider public and some change is required.
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Campaign group says firms such as Uber should reveal data on driver miles to help boost wages
Graham Watson's insight:
This article highlights both the gig economy and the importance of information in enhancing economic efficiency.
Campaigners in the US believe that Uber needs to reveal data on driver miles, because the think that the app effectively creates an over-supply of drivers to keep wages down and that this means that the negative externalities associated with the sector are also higher than they need to be.
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Thames Water, Northumbrian Water and Yorkshire Water face fines for repeated sewage leaks.
Graham Watson's insight:
It seems as though the regulator is going to levy significant fines on three water companies - Thames Water, Northumbrian Water and Yorkshire Water - for historical sewage leaks.
In the first place, this is an attempt to tackle the negative externalities of marine pollution, but no doubt the first named company will suggest that this is another intervention that is going to discourage investment and drive the company ever closer to bankruptcy. I don't know where you stand on this - but might the fine not reflect years of mismanagement by remarkably well-rewarded executives.
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Fast fashion generated almost two million tonnes of waste last year, with more than 90% of clothes going to landfill, according to the Earth Organisation. The industry is looking to technology to help it reduce waste.
Graham Watson's insight:
This BBC clip looks at the environmental credentials of fast fashion and how technology is making the sector less wasteful and more efficient, reducing the associated waste.
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All 11 companies in England and Wales are now being probed after the regulator expands its investigation.
Graham Watson's insight:
The water regulator has broadened the scope of their investigation into sewage spills by announcing that all 11 companies in England and Wales will be subject to a higher level of scrutiny.
The aim is to force faster compliance with existing law and reduce marine pollution.
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GambleAware says government has ‘overlooked’ the problem and calls for pre-watershed advertising ban
Graham Watson's insight:
GambleAware are calling for tougher restrictions on gambling advertising at sporting events, arguing that both that it is supported by the public and contributes to the negative externalities associated with problem gambling.
But the fact that the former is given such prominence might get you thinking about whether this is good economics or not.
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Water companies have logged five sewage spills a day, every day, for a decade, analysis by the Observer shows
Graham Watson's insight:
An Observer investigation looks at the true extent of sewage spills, and concludes that the industry has significantly understated them.
It reflects a lot of things, the ageing nature of the infrastructure, and, dare I say it, a failure of regulation. I'd also love to say that the extent of marine pollution beggars belief. But it doesn't, does it?
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GambleAware signals collision course with industry as charity brands current warnings ‘inadequate’
Graham Watson's insight:
Campaign group, GambleAware, are looking for the government to intervene and regulate advertising of the sector in the run-up to the Euros. They argue that the demerit nature of gambling should be emphasised in the same way that the health risks of smoking at made explicit on advertising.
However, is it good economics?
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The 500kg Microlino is part of a new set challenging the ever-increasing domination of huge cars
Graham Watson's insight:
Is the Microlino going to challenge the dominance of SUVs? This Guardian article highlights the rise of the miniature car, made by the same company that make micro-scooters - so there's a chance to apply a prominent Business Management concept too.
However, are smaller electric vehicles the way forward?
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Rules target contaminants such as mercury, benzene and lead released by coke ovens used by facilities to burn coal
Graham Watson's insight:
News from the US, where new rules are being introduced to tackle a number of forms of toxic air pollution - mercury, benzene and lead - released by the coke ovens used to manufacture steel.
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Regulator understood to be looking at ‘recovery regime’ for Thames Water and others in sector
Graham Watson's insight:
With water companies still struggling, it seems as though the regulator is exploring a number of different options to allow them chance to 'recover'. In this instance, it is thought that fines for sewage leaks and so on could be reduced. However, it isn't a universally popular solution with a number of opposition politicians arguing that it lets the companies off the hook.
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Transport Secretary Louise Haigh promises to deliver a "bus revolution" that will save vital routes.
Graham Watson's insight:
It seems as though the new government as going to renationalise buses across the country, copying the moves made by areas with metro mayors, where previously privately-operated services are being taken back into public control.
The new form of bus franchising sees private firms operate the buses, but the local council determines things like routes, timetables and so on.
Clearly, it's likely to lead to situations where some, if not many, routes will be loss-making but is this a price worth paying in terms of encouraging people to use public rather than private transport?
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Lime, Dott and Tier Mobility licences to be cancelled from October due to issues with circulation and parking
Graham Watson's insight:
For all the potential positive effects arising from the introduction of e-scooters in Madrid, the city's mayor has threatened to revoke the licenses of the three providers - Lime, Dott and Tier Mobility - because of problems with their clients circulation and parking, presumably which are generating negative externalities.
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The new government must use its landslide majority to mend the damage to jobs and fish populations caused by neglect
Graham Watson's insight:
Charles Clover highlights how the UK fishing industry is still at unsustainable levels, in large part because of the 2020 Fisheries Bill which has allowed overfishing and large supertrawler owners to stockpile quota at the expense of smaller inshore vessels.
To add to the difficulties associated with this area, it is intertwined with the issue of Brexit, where management - or mismanagement of Britain's fish stocks was given a prominent role in negotiations.
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Exclusive: Poll findings prompt calls for ministers to impose sugar tax-style levy on companies to combat obesity
Graham Watson's insight:
Interesting story that implies that a majority of people want the introduction of new taxes on the manufacturers of processed food to help combat obesity.
I have to say, I'm not a fan of this: undoubtedly diet plays in role in obesity, and their are negative externalities associated with this. However, I'm certainly not a fan of policymaking being driven by what the public - or a sample of it - want. That strikes me as nonsense.
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Change equivalent to removing 200,000 cars for a year, with capital’s air quality improving at faster rate than rest of England
Graham Watson's insight:
Good news for the supporters of the expansion of the ultra low emissions zone (ULEZ), with the news that air pollution has significantly dropped. Indeed the data suggests that the change is equivalent to removing 200,000 cars from the roads for a year, something that will have reduced air pollution and the negative externalities associated with it.
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Figure represents 64-66% of global output of tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane, MIT study finds
Graham Watson's insight:
Despite all the environmental progress made in recent years, not least in China, it seems as though the Chinese economy is still a major polluter, accounting for two-thirds of global tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane emissions.
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New research shows levy has led to a significant drop in the amount of sugar in people’s diets
Graham Watson's insight:
This article does what is says on the tin. What is the sugar tax? And has it worked?
It's a response to the latest research into the soft drinks levy - the so-called sugar tax - and the claim that it's led to a significant drop in sugar consumption.
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Editorial: Seventy years after research linked cigarettes with cancer, tighter controls have been delayed once again
Graham Watson's insight:
A potted history of a classic demerit good, cigarettes, looking at how the negative externalities of tobacco were overlooked for such a long period and whether or not the new Labour government is going to resurrect the plan to make it "illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born since 2009".
However, you might weigh up whether this, and tighter controls on vapes are necessarily good economics.
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Nickel is a critical component of the batteries that power electric cars, and Indonesia has become a global giant in producing the mineral. But there is a dirty and sometimes deadly secret behind this success story. Environmentalists accuse Indonesia's nickel industry of flouting regulations intended to protect ecologically sensitive islands, and fatal accidents at Chinese-owned mining facilities are not uncommon. Bloomberg News looks into how a key part of the green transition is coming with such a high price.
Graham Watson's insight:
What is the true cost of electric cars? It seems that their environmentally-friendly credentials are less than impeccable when it comes to their manufacture.
Bloomberg news looks at how the Indonesian nickel industry has seemingly ignored environmental legislation to extract nickel.
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The UN leader's call comes as new data highlights the worrying pace of global warming.
Graham Watson's insight:
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres has called for a ban on fossil fuel advertising, in the hope that it will reduce their use, and the associated negative externalities.
But will it really? And what are the consequences of this?
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Negative scientific and press reports on the efficacy of carbon credit projects has led to a ‘direct pullback in buyer investment’
Graham Watson's insight:
It seems as though the market for carbon offsets has collapsed to some degree with the market value of offsets down by over 60% as a result of a fall in demand for such schemes, in large part because of doubts about their effectiveness.
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A UAE-based recycling app helps businesses divert their food waste away from landfills and make growing food in the desert nation less challenging.
Graham Watson's insight:
This Reuters clip looks art the recycling app ReLoop which is trying to help businesses use food waste more efficiently, turning it into compost and helping grow food in the desert.
That said, such farming is itself likely to be inefficient, and generate a number of negative externalities.
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It seems as though the adoption of Lime bikes by Brent Council, in an attempt to increase cycling and reduce the negative externalities associated with motoring appears to have created other negative externalities: increased danger to pedestrians and littering the street of North London. As a result, the council are on the brink of banning them.