Plastic bags, climate change, renewable energy,

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
An excellent article from Richard Flanagan (in parts - he doesn't press home the demonstrated urgency of actions needed):

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...climate-change-does-he-think-were-that-stupid

Getting on with the job would be calling a moratorium on new thermal coalmines and gas fracking. Getting on with the job would be announcing a subsidised transition to electric vehicles by 2030. Getting on with the job would be working to close down all coal-fired powered stations as a matter of urgency. Getting on with the job would be calling a summit of the renewable energy industry and asking how the government can help make the transition one that happens now and one that creates jobs in the old fossil fuel energy communities.

And getting on with the job would be going to the world with these initiatives and arguing powerfully, strongly, courageously for other countries to follow as we once led the way on the secret ballot, women’s suffrage, Antarctic protection, the charter of human rights.

We are not a superpower, but nor are we a micronation. We have an economy the size of Russia’s. Our stand on issues whether good or bad is noted and quoted and used as an example. And one only has to look at the global standing of New Zealand to see the power of setting a moral and practical example, and the good that flows from it for a nation and its people.
This is not about ScoMo per se. It about everyone who drifts along not challenging this line of thought.

That same day, news broke of a panicked attempt by the federal government to administer some desperate triage over the growing costs to ordinary Australians of climate change in the form of perhaps the most ill-considered piece of policy in recent political history: to underwrite insurance premiums in north Queensland where premiums on homes in cyclone-affected areas are becoming unaffordable.

Major insurers have been warning for years that many homes will no longer be insurable as the consequences of climate change are felt and have been demanding action on climate change. The government has done nothing and now wishes to use taxpayers’ money to hide the growing costs to individual Australians of climate change. If the government does go ahead with this panicked response the precedent established is pregnant with catastrophe for the public purse.
Our actions have brought this upon ourselves.
 
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Haakon

Keeps on digging
Went to book launch thingy today from Ross Garnault, and he gave a short lecture on the state of things.

https://www.rossgarnaut.com.au/australian-economy/superpower-australias-low-carbon-opportunity/

Haven’t read the book yet, but being familiar with his work and influence on Australian climate policy over the last 15 years I think it would be worth reading if you’re interested in how we got to where we are now. And how far behind we are from the heady days of broad bipartisan support for strong targets and emissions trading. Ah, those were the days :(
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-effort-cut-emissions-stop-climate-chaos-2030

Global emissions must fall by 7.6% every year from now until 2030 to stay within the 1.5C ceiling on temperature rises that scientists say is necessary to avoid disastrous consequences. The only time in recent history when emissions have fallen in any country at a similar rate came during the collapse of the Soviet Union. During the financial crisis and recession, emissions in the US and Japan fell briefly by about 6% but soon rebounded.
And this underestimates the problem.

That percentage reduction per annum only provides a chance of staying under 1.5C plus misses the incredibly important aspect of required sequestration.

The current pledges made by countries under the Paris agreement would cause temperature rises of about 3.2C this century, according to scientific estimates.
And that's just pledges! You have to work hard to meet the pledges.

We will continue on with BAU.

Bahhhhh!!!! Lambs to the slaughter.
 

John U

MTB Precision
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-effort-cut-emissions-stop-climate-chaos-2030


And this underestimates the problem.

That percentage reduction per annum only provides a chance of staying under 1.5C plus misses the incredibly important aspect of required sequestration.



And that's just pledges! You have to work hard to meet the pledges.

We will continue on with BAU.

Bahhhhh!!!! Lambs to the slaughter.
As predicted, the efforts required to deal with the issue are only getting more and more intense.
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
Fuck I'm bored of this emissions per capita reporting like it means anything. Great, 40% reduction in emissions per capita across a 30 year period that saw a 45% increase in population for a net benefit of, well, fuck all.

Not to mention a 0.1% improvement (estimated...) on the prior year that is largely attributable to the pure dumb luck that one of the impacts of catastrophic drought is that agriculture is unproductive and therefore less emissions-intensive for a period.

:(
 

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Exactly, any Straya CO2 emissions results are down to anything other than policy.

Just let average Strayans & big business do what they want & measure the outcome.

What an enthralling past time.
 

nzhumpy

Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
I won't be draughting that truck anytime soon, getting a front wheel caught in those tracks would be well sketchy.
 

Ivan

Eats Squid
Just got back from a Gas Turbine conference and one of the OEM's was pretty excited about running their test bed on 100% hydrogen. I think the next 10 years is going to be very interesting, and no-one probably knows with any confidence what the energy grid will look like in 2030.
 
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