Prometheus » Blog Archive » One of These Perspectives is Reality Based

At some point these well-meaning scientists and their international colleagues will realize that shutting down coal plants is just not in the cards in the “near future.” The realities of global energy supply and geopolitics necessarily implies that capture and sequestration will have to be developed and deployed, if carbon dioxide emissions from coal are to be addressed.

Scientists acting as advocates is fine, as they are citizens as well. But is it too much to ask that their advocacy be well-informed and practical, rather than naive and impossible? Advocating faster progress on capture and storage technologies would be a good place to start.

Now I'm confused: Won't the White House garden save the world from fiery Armageddon?: Michelle Obama, Mom-in-Chief

Even her White House garden is framed more as an initiative for healthy eating and quality family meals than as a statement of commitment to local foods as an effort against global climate change.

The Search for Scientific Truth Sometimes Wanders into Strange Paths. « American Elephants

The rise in global temperatures since 1880 closely correlates with increases in postal charges, sparking alarm that perhaps CO2 has been usurped as the main driver of climate change.

The U.S. Postal Service is poised to raise the charges by 2¢ to a total of 44¢ for a first class stamp, on May 11, 2009. According to Jo Nova, the Postal Action Network (PAN) has already sprung into existence this afternoon and plans a boycott campaign of the new 44¢ Homer Simpson stamp.

Michigan's governor promotes the green jobs scam, which is precariously balanced atop the climate scam

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, whose state has been battered by layoffs in auto industry and related sectors, said jobs in the wind energy industry could replace manufacturing jobs there.

She said the industrial Midwest could move from being the Rust Belt to the Green Belt. Suppliers to the auto industry could easily be manufacturing wind energy components, she said.

"I continue to tell Michigan citizens that whenever you hear the words 'climate change' or 'global warming,' think jobs," Granholm said.

China can't continue to expect to be bribed on climate change :: Ben Caldecott

During Ed Miliband's visit to China this week he set out a rosy view of China's engagement on climate change. Despite these reports to the contrary, there hasn't been a fundamental change in China's negotiating position. Chinese negotiators have almost always been willing to entertain the concern western diplomats have for climate change, as long as the financial and technological rewards to China look sufficiently attractive.

Instead of the Chinese being possessed with an urgency to act on climate change - after all they will suffer disproportionately from it - they will only act with large incentives paid for by western governments. The view of Chinese negotiators is coloured by the idea that climate change is some sort of western conspiracy, designed to give European and American companies a competitive advantage that will keep China in relative poverty for another century. This view is surprisingly prevalent, even amongst officials in Beijing and in the most developed provinces, and leads to an obsession with self sufficiency and the need to obtain western technologies.