UPDATE: Guess who has had the best record on CO2 emissions since Kyoto was signed.
I have previously posted on the Australian PM’s change of heart once he was actually in charge of the government. At Bali, little was accomplished. The political left is not happy. Why ? Ask Al Gore. Gore says the Global Warming hysterics are the “first global people power movement.” What have those people accomplished and why are we the villain? Let’s look. Here are total emissions by nation. Part of our objection to Kyoto was the exemption of certain “developing” countries from the goals. One was China. Here are emissions per capita and China is down to 91. Fair enough.Now here is an explanation of why our emissions may have risen. I’ve previously posted my opinions on why natural gas is a bad source of electricity generation. One more reason is the amount of CO2 emitted. Nuclear power does not add to CO2 emissions. Of course, this may all be much ado about nothing. Mr Watkins told the Financial Times: “If the rich countries can cut emissions by 80 per cent we have a 50:50 chance of [limiting] temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels [which scientists say is the limit of safety]. So what do we do ? The BBC says When Kyoto was agreed, the US signed and committed to reducing its emissions by 6%. But since then it has pulled out of the agreement and its carbon dioxide emissions have increased to more than 15% above 1990 levels. So it’s all Bush’s fault. Funny, I have a different recollection. So does Ed Koch, former Democratic Mayor of NY City. Who was Vice-President in 1997 ? I forget.If you want to know the costs associated with the “Cap and Trade” system proposed by Kyoto, look at this report. If you can’t decipher the bureaucratic language, here is the conclusion. GDP and consumption impacts in the Full Auction case are substantially larger than those in the Phased Auction case. Relative to the reference case, discounted total GDP (in 2000 dollars) over the 2009-2030 time period in the Full Auction case is $462 billion (0.19 percent lower), while discounted real consumer spending is $483 billion (0.29 percent) lower. In 2030, projected real GDP in the Full Auction case is $94 billion (0.41 percent) lower than in the reference case, while aggregate consumption is $106 billion (0.69 percent) lower, almost twice the estimated consumption loss in the Phased Auction case. A reduction in GDP is called a recession.A reduction that is permanent is called a Depression.Personally, I think all we are seeing is the end of the Little Ice Age. I also believe that the present climate is not yet as warm as the Medieval Warm Period when Vikings farmed on Greenland. There are no farms on Greenland yet. I think it is too soon to kill our economy for a theory that doesn’t explain the climate.
Hi Dr. K. Have your read Lomborg’s “Cool It” yet? The entire AGW debate is shot through with politics and Western self-hatred. And when anyone—even a goofball like Al Gore—says, about science, that “the debate is over,” I get steamed.
I wonder if you have read Lomborg’s book, and what you thought?
I read Skeptical E but not the new one.
I believe that the real tip-off as to the AGW fanatics real motives and agenda is revealed if you try to propose any other solution(s) to the supposed GW issue other than their own, e.g. reduction in US economic success.
BTW: don’t try to argue facts with them. They won’t. They’ll dodge and squirm like a mongoose.
The leaders and pundits on this issue don’t give a rat’s derrière about GW. They are simply trying to institute global socialism, in a nutshell.
And line their own pockets in the process.
All IMHO, of course.
That “e.g. reduction…” referred back to “their solutions”..
Its been a long day.
Yes, this article spells out the agenda. The key quote is:
“”When the chips are down I think democracy is a less important goal than is the protection of the planet from the death of life, the end of life on it,” he says. “This has got to be imposed on people whether they like it or not.“
That’s it! GW is just a means to the end.
Regarding the “When the chips are down…” quote:
Looks like Dr. Sanity (http://drsanity.blogspot.com/) finally caught up with where you were a day or two ago, Dr. K. She’s as disgusted as we are about it.
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YWJhNzE2M2NmNDc2NjY2N2U3NDRhNTg0ZTExNzY1NmI=
hm.
I don’t doubt that some warming is going on. I think it is part of the natural cycle of warming and cooling that the earth has gone through for 4 billion years. The arrogance of those who think human activity could alter the forces of natural cycles is breathtaking, or would be if I did not think this was merely leftist politics at work.
Spot on, Dr. K. I accept that some natural warming has occurred.
I also accept that – subject to more measurements, corrections, and refinement – we’re peaked, and headed into a gentle downturn. It might get noticeably colder in fifty years. I won’t be here so I can’t take it too seriously, especially since – practically speaking – there’s not a thing we can do about it.