Anyone still wondering if climate change is real should consider the following:
These startling occurrences provide all the evidence we need to see the truth: The climate is becoming increasingly unstable because of rising global temperatures. It is irrefutable that this is related to evidence that CO2 levels in the Arctic are at levels higher than 400 parts per million at multiple locations. In pre-industrial times, that number was a much safer 275 parts per million.
Perhaps most startlingly, this natural upheaval is set against a backdrop of steadily declining traditional, non-renewable, energy sources. While it's true that shale gas and oil sands-generated crude oil are available for use in the short-term future, we must remember that these resources do not provide a permanent solution to this problem.
This issue requires national and global attention. It requires scientific research and strong policy based on that research. It requires education at every level.
Our children must learn to reduce their consumption; even our youngest citizens, the toddlers and preschoolers, can develop habits that will serve them -- and our precious natural resources -- in the years to come. Our school-age children can -- in fact, they must -- learn the ramifications of failing to live sustainably. And our young adults can learn the scientific methods, economic principles and social practices that help reduce humanity's impact on our planet.
Clearly, public policy is a key part of the solution.
It has been widely reported that fossil fuels are subsidized at nearly six times the rate of renewable energy. From 2002 to 2008, the U.S. government gave the mature fossil fuel industry more than $72 billion in subsidies while investments in the emerging renewable-energy industry totaled $12.2 billion.
This makes as much sense as subsidizing the manufacture of leisure suits. Much like those icons of the 1970s, the idea of powering our world with non-renewable fossil fuels is a thing of the past. Elected leaders who can't see the reality of our situation should be replaced with more forward-thinking leaders.
We must today focus on providing assistance to those severely affected by the fires and extreme weather. Then we owe it to the generations of tomorrow to take seriously the warnings of today.
Mitigation and prevention are not at odds. Taking care of the areas that have already suffered, planning to change the trajectory of the cause--escalating climate change--and planning ahead to better manage the coming disasters, all need to be worked on as a unified whole. Thanks for introducing this point.
A 2010 study by Global Subsidies Initiative compared global relative subsidies of different energy sources. Results show that fossil fuels receive 0,8 US cents per kWh of energy they produce nuclear energy receives 1,7 cents / kWh, renewable energy (excluding hydroelectricity) receives 5,0 cents / kWh and biofuels receive 5,1 cents / kWh in subsidies.
But, we certainly have a problem.
Zero population growth would be a double win for the earth. Less of just about everything that is an issue: over crowding, pollution, water supply issues, transportation issues, housing issues, food supply, healthcare supply, energy supply, and.....less global warming thrown in for free! Stopping at two offspring is better than anything else you can do. It tops switching from a Hummer to a Prius, converting to LED lights, turning down (up) the heat, eliminating coal burning.
Simple, free, effective.
Natural Gas is still a fossil fuel- so long term it still emits C02
The economic slowdown has help drop oil and coal needs- for how long?
Nowhere in this post does he even remotely allude to natural gas being anything BUT a fossil fuel, so I'm not sure how this comment is relevant.