Newt, we never knew ya. . . .
Friday, November 16th, 2007
Regardless of one’s affiliations, most of us have certain assumptions about which side of the political spectrum carries the stronger green sympathies.
But - as though paralleling its weird effects on the weather - climate change is now playing havoc with America’s conventional landscape of ‘issue-based’ politics. While some influential voices on the right continue to persist in their outspoken denial, it is becoming increasingly clear that the crisis is no longer narrowly viewed as a ‘liberal’ or even ‘environmental’ concern, in the conventional sense of the terms. Examples of this shift abound. Consider, for example, how for more than a few years a national security argument for action on emissions reduction has steadily gained greater amplitude and persuasive power in the mainstream; or how a growing number of fiscal conservative thinkers are coming to support the idea of a carbon tax; or the recent explosion of Evangelical Christian climate activism, and how it has established that influential group as a force for positive change.
But just this week a most unexpected bedfellow appears to have jumped into the eclectic sack that is the contemporary climate change movement. Newt Gingrich, architect of the conservative Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in the mid-90s, has released a book about combating global warming that appears to rhyme, in many important respects (though certainly not all - read: nuclear), with arguments coming that are held within some corners of the environmental movement. I’d say that signals that a pretty obvious paradigm shift has occurred.
Out this week, with a forward by renowned biologist and writer E.O. Wilson A Contract With The Earth (2007, Johns Hopkins UP), is sure to be an interesting and highly influential read.
Here’s a recent NYT review .
Posted in Global Warming, Politics | Permalink
Trees
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith drops science on global warming.
Posted in Global Warming | Permalink
Don’t Call It a Comeback…
Friday, November 9th, 2007
Think coal is an energy source of the past, a symbol of stagnant industrialism on its way out? Think again…
According to a report issued by the International Energy Agency, the future demand for energy derived from coal and fossil fuels will be even greater than that projected by last year’s World Energy Outlook report. Despite the recent increased emphasis on renewable energy around the globe, the proliferation of coal-burning power plants in developing countries such as China and India will drive the demand for coal up by “73 percent between 2005 and 2030.” What’s more, these new plants are unlikely to utilize cleaner coal-burning technology such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). According to a recent article published by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), “The 663-page report was packed with alarming statistics based on a “reference scenario” in which energy consumption continues on current trends without government measures to reduce demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Under this model, energy demand increases by more than 50 percent up to 2030, with 84 percent of the new demand supplied from fossil fuels.” A more optimistic “alternative” model, which takes potential government measures into account, still projects a 25% increase in CO2 emissions by 2030.
Posted in Energy, Global Warming | Permalink
California sues Feds
Friday, November 9th, 2007
The EPA’s inaction on California’s waiver request to regulate greenhouse gases (as is their right because the CA EPA predates the Fed EPA) has prompted them to file suit against the EPA in federal court. They expect fourteen other states, including New York, to join them.
“California has a long and proud history of leadership in reducing pollution and fighting for clean air for our residents. And we are upholding that tradition today by filing a lawsuit against the federal government that takes a big step forward in the battle against global warming,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “California is ready to implement the nation’s cleanest standards for vehicle emissions, but we cannot do that until the federal government grants a waiver allowing us to enforce those standards.
The EPA has yet to deny California a waiver, granting 40, in the past 30 years under the Federal Clean Air Act.
Posted in Global Warming, Legislation, Pollution | Permalink
The Momentum Builds
Friday, November 9th, 2007Remember back in 2003 when oil prices had settled back in at $25/barrel after a series of OPEC production cuts had briefly sent the price over $30? Then, well, many things happened (Iraq, Asian growth, etc.) and the price started to climb. We figured that once it hit $50/barrel, everyone would be forced to sit up and take notice of how unsustainable the use of oil was becoming thus providing the perfect opportunity for new thinking on everything from transportation to building efficiency to renewable energy. And it did, to an extent. Certainly there has been an environmental awakening in this country due to the grim prospects of climate change, the rising costs of fuel that tend to have a reverberating effect around the economy, and the zeitgeist of “green”. But it’s been a little slower in coming than we might have originally thought.
First, the effects on the economy have been slower to emerge, even with oil approaching $100/barrel and the potential amplification brought on by the housing crunch that has hurt homeowners and financial institutions alike. (more…)
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Legislation | Permalink
Bloomberg Advocates Carbon Tax
Monday, November 5th, 2007
At a convention in Seattle Mayor Bloomberg advocated for a national carbon tax to incentivise the reduction of carbon emissions. He called a “cap & trade” method more politically feasible, but he went on to say that a carbon tax is the much better structure, as it puts a clear price on polluting.
He would balance out a pollution tax with a corresponding tax cut, so it would be revenue neutral. On an individual scale, it would encourage people and companies to watch where they release their carbon.
The NYTimes has the transcript of the speech and some interesting introduction.
Posted in Global Warming, Legislation, New York City | Permalink
What’s the matter with Kansas? . . . it just made history!
Monday, October 22nd, 2007
Roderick L. Brembry - remember his name, because history will. He’s the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health who just yesterday rejected the permit application for a new 700MW coal burning power plant on the basis of its unacceptable future greenhouse gas emissions. This is a huuuuuge precedent! The development of new coal burning power plants here and abroad represents the single biggest climate threat. Over a hundred plans are on the table across the country for development over the next 5 years. . . could this mark the turning of the tide? Let’s hope so. Here’s today’s Washington Post story:
“The Kansas Department of Health and Environment yesterday became the first government agency in the United States to cite carbon dioxide emissions as the reason for rejecting an air permit for a proposed coal-fired electricity generating plant, saying that the greenhouse gas threatens public health and the environment.” Full article.
CN
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Pollution, Sustainability | Permalink
Carbon negative fuel/compost?
Saturday, October 20th, 2007An ancient composting technique shows promise as a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Called terra preta, it is a human made soil/fertilizer, but not a chemical fertilizer. It is a way of burning/gasifying/decomposing biomass that breaks down the carbon chains to create super rich soils.
It could create a rare triple-win situation. Rather than burn or landfill crop waste, it could be specially composted. The resulting chemical process emits burnable gases for modest amounts of fuel. The majority of the original carbon in the biomass ends up in the super rich soil that has been shown to be 50% more effective than chemical fertilizers. Since carbon was extracted from the air for the plant matter, and most of it ended up back in the compost, it could potentially be more than carbon neutral.
Naturally, this could be a great jack-on-all-trades solution for poorer parts of the world, with potential to decrease soil erosion, water pollution, and provide fuel. The basic setup is not particularly complicated or expensive.
Definitely check out a full length article by the great people at World Changing.
Posted in Biofuel, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, Sustainability, Waste | Permalink
“Carbon Label” for food catches on in UK
Thursday, October 18th, 2007
Some companies in the UK, like the pictured Walkers potato chips (owned by Pepsi), are starting to place carbon labels on their products. It is a voluntary move ahead of possible government requirements. France is looking into making carbon labels mandatory.
It took a while for nutritional labels to catch on, and now everyone looks at them. Could this be the next step in knowing more about what you eat?
Posted in Food, Global Warming | Permalink
100 year drought menaces Southeast
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
Blame it on global warming.
It’s the obvious modern liberal thing to do, and one never wants to jump to unresearched conclusions, but the more once-in-a-lifetime disasters we have bunched together right when the scientists say they will happen, the harder it is to ignore the urgency to take pressing measures to mitigate climate change.
At the current rate Atlanta will run out of water in 90-120 days. The entire Southeast has a drought unmatched in scale by any region in American history. The NYTimes reports on the gravity of the situation and the passionate pleas that public officials are making to get residents to conserve water.
Posted in Global Warming, Sustainability, Water | Permalink
