I was in Paris again in late June/early July at IFPEN, lecturing in both the Petroleum Economics & Management Program, and in IFP Training’s Executive Program. I began my lectures by quoting Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” The good news is a recent World Bank report noting 40 national and 20 sub-national programs around the world addressing carbon pricing, with most of those being market-oriented emissions trading programs. Domestic (compliance) trading has now started in China, and the country has seven pilot programs under development, with a national program soon to follow. On the other hand, carbon market prices have completely collapsed in both the EU and Kyoto Protocol programs, and the path forward doesn’t look bright in either case.

Viaduc des Arts

But it was certainly nice to be back in this beautiful city once again. Last year on a visit to New York I walked the length of the High Line, the new elevated greenway park built on the former railway line on the west side of Manhattan. On this Paris visit, I took some time to see the original inspiration for that – the Promenade Plantée, a 4.5 kilometer elevated park in the 12th arrondissement which begins just above the shops & galleries at the Viaduc des Arts near the Bastille, and ends at the Bois de Vincennes….. & I similarly walked the length of this former railway path on a sunny but cool Parisian afternoon.

Michelangelo ‘Dying Slave’ tribute

Following the Michelangelo theme in recent postings, an especially interesting site along the way was the view of the police station which has a tribute to Michelangelo’s ‘Dying Slave’ — certainly a rather unique architectural statement for a law enforcement agency. You might also remember the Promenade Plantée from the Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy movie Before Sunset. Their first romantic drama, Before Sunrise, came out in 1995 and took place in Vienna, but the second — filmed nine years later in Paris — included scenes from the green walkway. [Their newest film, Before Midnight, takes place eighteen years after the original one – and it’s been getting rave reviews….. so I guess I’m just going to have to find an excuse to visit the Greek isles, where that one was filmed!]