Sometimes, based on erroneous assumptions, we tend to take a narrow, short-term view of energy costs. Taking a broader, longer term view, we see that:

• The cost of fossil fuels includes the cost of global warming.
• The cost of coal includes the costs of death, illness and environmental damage caused by coal mining and coal plants.
• The cost of nuclear energy includes the cost of managing nuclear waste.
• When all costs and subsidies are taken into account, clean, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass and small hydro are actually less expensive than currently dominant energy sources.

We started this site to collect and share information on the real costs of each form of energy. Those include economic, environmental and "social" costs (costs in human health and well-being).

I've been serving on the energy caucus of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) as a Trade Union liaison for several years. I felt a need to make a factual, hard-hitting presentation on this subject at the UN-CSD in May 2007, the second and concluding year of a two-year focus on climate change, air pollution, industrial development, and so-called "energy for sustainable development" (often not sustainable energy).

At the UN-CSD, the definition of what is "sustainable" is murky. Acting to adequately address global climate change and make decisions about our energy future are very time critical. Thus, we want to clarify the definition of "sustainable". We were disappointed in the outcome of the 2007 UN-CSD meeting, which we believe is being driven by corporate self-interest and the self-interest of both industrialized and 'developing' countries who are more interested in economic development than in taking care of our planet now for future generations.

The CSD is operating under the assumption that "fossil fuels will be our primary source of energy for the foreseeable future, and renewables are too expensive". This is the viewpoint of my Democratic congressman as well, and it's a source of concern. We want to explore why renewables are "too expensive" and what that means. We also want to list all forms of subsidies (including hidden subsidies) and how they distort the energy market.    (Sharon Abreu)