Jose Manuel Barroso: G8 Agrees to Limit Global Warming to 2 degrees Celsius, Cut Emissions by 80%

2 Responses to “Jose Manuel Barroso: G8 Agrees to Limit Global Warming to 2 degrees Celsius, Cut Emissions by 80%”

1. peter dublin July 9th, 2009 at 7:05 pm

   Well Jose, there is no doubt that emission reduction could be much simpler!

   Sufficient first phase 2020/2030 emission reduction is achieved by acting on ELECTRICITY generation (coal, gas) and TRANSPORT (mainly automobiles) alone, since these 2 sectors typically (as in the USA) account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.

   The focus on electricity and transport gives several advantages – apart from lowering CO2 emissions:

   1. Local environmental benefit from less pollution of sulphur and all else that’s in the emissions, regardless of the less certain or immediate global benefit from CO2 reduction.

   2. Electricity supply alternatives which together with improved grid distribution gives better competition and keeps down electricity bills for consumers.

   3. Transport alternatives (using electricity, hydrogen and other energy sources), which give variety of choice and competition advantages for consumers, additionally reducing the dependency on oil imports.

   4. No trade problems: Unlike Cap and Trade, which involves cement, steel and other industries having to face imports from unregulated countries, the here suggested electricity and transport changes are not just more limited, but also largely local. Since there is little competition between say utility companies internationally, “best practice” results can be compared and shared.

   Funding and Impact
   Equity and long term loan finance can be used: Long term industrial loans from financial institutions, particularly if federal/state guaranteed, give low yearly interest repayments and lessen the effect on electricity bills or transport cost.

   Compare with
   today’s all-encompassing Cap and Trade (emission trading) suggestions, with unpredictability, expense, and needless disruption from normal business practice on one hand, or unnecessary profiteering from free allowance handouts with little actual emission reduction on the other hand – together with extensive -and unnecessary- regulation on what people can or can’t buy and use.

   Understanding why proposed Cap and Trade is bad, in USA and elsewhere
   http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x
   Basic Idea — Offsets — Tree Planting — Manufacture Shift — Fair Trade — Surreal Market — Real Market — Allowances: Auctions + Hand-Outs — Allowance Trading — Companies: Business Stability + Business Cost — In Conclusion

   The Way Forward
   http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x
   Introduction — Funding and Impact —No Energy Efficiency Regulation — A New Electric World
   Electricity Generation — Distribution
   Transport Power Generation — Regulation — Taxation

2. Rachid July 10th, 2009 at 5:17 am

   Human being is destroying himself by his own hands: http://inspirationwriting.blogspot.com/2009/07/scientific-studies-showed-where-there.html