Economic Growth Whilst Preventing Dangerous Climate Change

Some climate sceptics would have us believe that saving the planet from climate change would cost too much. They therefore argue for business-as-usual and adapting to whatever comes our way (As if that were possible!).

A better alternative is where we head off climate change whilst continuing global economic growth. But how is that possible? Well, this item shows what may be possible with better city planning, improved energy efficiency, and more intelligent land use.

Solar Could Provide 25% of World's Electric by 2050

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says solar power could provide a quarter of our electricity demand by 2050. This would save around 6 gigatonnes of carbon per year.

Around 16% of the electric would come from solar PV (Solar panels) and 11% from solar thermal.

More detail here.

World Can Prosper While Tackling Climate Change

According to a calculator created for the UK government, it would be possible for the world's population to have a European lifestyle whilst preventing the global temperature rising any more than 2 degrees C.

You can read more about how this can be achieved here. Whilst the calculator is here.

So, if we can fight climate change whilst continuing economic growth, where's the problem? Answer: There isn't one. Let's get on with saving the planet for our kids.

Bank of England Boss Sees Climate Change Threat

This week, Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, warned a gathering of leading insurers that climate change poses a huge threat to future global stability. He is concerned that we may not do enough in the present to avoid profound problems in the future. As he said: "The far-sighted amongst you are anticipating broader global impacts on property, migration and political stability, as well as food and water security." but the current generation hs little incentive to fix the problem. "In other words, once climate change becomes a defining issue for financial stability, it may already be too late."

As ever, Carney, provides us with words of wisdom. His words are largely economically motivated but he reaches the same conclusion as the most ardent tree hugger: We need act now, and we need to act decisively.

More here.

Vehicle Emissions Scandal: Is It Happening In The EU too?

Hard on the heels of news that Volkswagen have been rigging U.S. emissions tests on it's diesels, there is now growing evidence that various manufacturers are doing similar things with E.U. tests. See here for the details.

The VW Emissions Scandal: No Surprise

Yesterday the news broke that Volkwagen have been rigging it's U.S. emissions tests. Basically VW diesel vehicles have been setup to detect when they're being tested and then ensure the tests see considerably less emissions than there actually are. In effect, the car appears cleaner than it actually is (See here for more).

This will cost VW billions in fines and lawsuits in America alone, not to mention ruin it's reputation. And this is only the beginning: Europe, South Korea and Australia are just the first to start investigations of their own.

What were VW thinking? Surely they knew this could happen?

But are they the only car company doing this? I suspect not. As I reported at the end of this post way back in early 2013, many car manufacturers were/are suspected of rigging EU tests anyway by tailoring their test vehicles to give the very best result.

So, no, the VW scandal doesn't surprise me. The big surprise is that it took this long for a manufacturer to be exposed.

Six months to go...

The build up to the Paris Climate Conference in December continues:

• 'Green' groups are trying to wind up the pressure on politicians with mass marches/demos/events (There's one in London on June 17th). 
• Major corporations whose businesses depend on the outcome of the conference - one way or the other - are lobbying governments. 
• Nations around the world are making announcements about the emissions cuts they're planning.
• G7 leaders are issuing promising joint statements about climate change.
• And scientists continue to roll out papers and studies that underline the need for action on climate change.

I get the sense that, finally, something significant will happen by the end of this year. Politicians seem to get it - That the decision they make, or don't make, this time round, will determine the future of mankind on this planet. We cannot afford another Copenhagen, we have to act now or any action we do take will be too late.

Why? Because the science tells us that's the case. If the politicians accept that climate change needs to be dealt with, then they've also got to accept the timescales that need to be followed: Carbon emissions must peak around 2020 and fall rapidly after that if we are to have a chance of keeping climate change below 2 degrees C (Any higher would be disastrous).

I am cautiously optimistic that they'll get it right in Paris. And what with the news that China's emissions may peak as early as 2025 now, there is at least some hope that carbon can be cut fast enough to give future generations a chance.

After A Climate Deal: Part 1 - Will It Hold Together?

This is the first part of what I hope will be mini-series speculating about what might happen after a global climate deal in Paris come December 2015.

The series is, of course, based on the rather big assumption that there will be a deal. This is by no means certain.

First off, there are a number of countries taking part in the negotiations who want to limit it or scupper it altogether. Middle East nations, Russia, Canada, and Australia to name a few.

Then there are the major differences of opinion between developed and developing countries over issues like who cuts emissions most, and how much rich nations will pay the poorer ones for adapting to climate change (Reparations by any other name). It's possible that the developing nations will veto any deal they see as unfair or doesn't help them out enough.

But.....assuming they do get through all that AND there's a strong deal at the end of it, will it actually hold together?

As I see it, there are a number of challenges to overcome:

• The final deal is unlikely to be legally binding. So what's to stop countries not bothering, or not doing enough? Only national pride (i.e. Honouring an agreement) and that's only good until the party in opposition when the government signed the agreement, get into power e.g. Look at the Kyoto agreement: Bill Clinton's signature had barely dried before his successor, George W. Bush, tore it up. Even if the agreement were legally binding, Canada have shown how much that's worth. They dropped out of Kyoto in the nick of time to avoid heavy fines because their emissions were actually increasing.
• The U.S. Republican party are almost certain to tear down anything and everything that has even the faintest whiff of 'green' about it the next time they get in power. That includes any Climate Deal, the Environmental Protection Agency (Obama's only tool for making cuts at the moment), and the Clean Power Plan. They are idealogically opposed to emissions cuts regardless of any economic, environmental, or social benefits. If the Republicans do back out of the agreement, then it is likely the whole deal will unravel.
• What happens the next time a worldwide recession happens? Will countries axe funding for emissions cuts? Seems likely doesn't it?

Notice the common link in all those challenges? Politicans. Signed deals, like promises, mean nothing to them.

So, what I'm hoping for is that a strong climate deal inspires so many millions of ordinary people around the World, that the politicians don't dare renege on it. After all, the deal will be nothing less than a rallying call for everybody on the planet, not just governments, to unite against the common threat of climate change.

We can all be part of the solution.

Are We Closer To A Climate Deal?

The whole point of the People's Climate March was to convince world leader's that people what the politicians to meet the challenge of climate change head on.

300,000 marched through the streets of New York last Sunday in anticipation of the special meeting of leaders called by U.N. secretary general Ban Ki Moon for 2 days later.

President Obama even gave mention to the march in his speech at that meeting.

Ban Ki's intention was to add some momentum to the climate decision making process in the lead up to next year's meeting in Paris where we should get a final, international climate deal.

And it does appear that the U.S. and China finally seem to be getting the message: There is no negotiating with climate.

Both of them showed a new sense of realism and urgency. They appear to finally get the fact that it's getting late, and our generation holds the fate of all future generations in it's hands.

Unfortunately, it's a bit early to celebrate yet.

Firstly, a credible climate deal has yet to be agreed, and there are many sticking points to be worked through.

Secondly, politicians are famous for making promises they don't keep.

Thirdly, whatever Obama puts in place in his own country, can be overturned the next time a Republican gets into the Whitehouse: Because, as far as they're concerned, political dogma trumps anything else.

The only hope we have of a strong deal that get's carried out is if the people make it loud and clear that the politians have no choice but to listen to us for a change.

So, yeah, this week's been a promising one, but we need to keep the pressure up.

The People's Climate Marches have to get bigger and much louder. Our kids are depending on us.

Joining The People's Climate March In London

Well, we were there yesterday, how about you?

It was quite a day really. Huge numbers were there (I later found out it was 40,000). Emma Thompson (the actress) joined us (Er, the march, not my family). And with loads of people in animal-based carnival costumes, and a number of bands walking with us, there was often a carnival-like atmosphere to the march.

I'm sure the cynics would say the march was made up of hippies, tree-huggers, conspiracy theorists, and nut-jobs, but I didn't get that impression at all. There were a great many ordinary, concerned citizens like us, citizens who just want governments to stop talking and start acting on climate change.