Environmental News, Obama’s Energy Policy

Just read on Grist.org, an ex-Microsoft exec, Nathan Myhrvold, published a paper along with climate scientist Ken Caldeira on the impact of changing all energy sources to low-carbon or carbon-free. I wish it wasn’t so, but the results aren’t encouraging. The team concluded that a fast transition to nuclear, solar, wind and other sustainable sources in 40-50 years would take additional emissions to install and a gargantuan shift from every country around the world. Additionally, effects of this emission reduction wouldn’t be seen until half a century later because of positive feedback and the lifetime of greenhouse emissions.

Interestingly, he comes down on natural gas, saying that emitting 50% less carbon dioxide than coal really doesn’t make a big difference in the long run. Instead, he advocates for new energy inventions and the immediate beginning of the transition towards clean energy, investing today to create a better tomorrow. This is coming from a guy who a few years ago dismissed climate activists. The full paper and the grist articles about Myhrvold’s research are linked below.

Greenhouse and Climate Change Paper

Grist on Myhrvold

Interview with Myhrvold

In other news, the IPCC margin of 450ppm isn’t good enough anymore. “Pursuit of those goals will result in an average global temperature exceeding those of the Eemian, producing decadal doubling of the rate polar ice loss, resulting in sea level rise of up to 5m by the end of this century.”

Sure, this comes from
Skeptical Science , a website that lashes at climate skeptics. My view tends to be in between the raging activists and the skeptics, especially when they claim that the optimal target is 350ppm while we are currently at 393 ppm (CO2 now), but we can’t simply dismiss these warnings.

This is another great article on the necessary changes with powerpoint slides and an amazing presentation from Saul Griffith.

Saul Griffith’s PowerPoint Presentation

Finally, Obama’s trying to invest $14 million in algae biofuels but Republicans are ridiculing his wizard tricks. Not too surprising since they don’t believe in anthropogenic climate change. What are we supposed to do, Republicans, if we don’t invest NOW in developing clean energy? Sit on our carbon plants and suffocate our children, perhaps?

Obama’s Algae
Unbelievable stuff.