clair031

Summary .   A conference entitled “Global Climate Policy without the United States : Thinking the Unthinkable”, was held at Yale University Law School November 9-10, 2012 .   After an opening talk detailing the worsening state of global warming already under way, several speakers dealt with frameworks and strategies that could bypass the stalemated international deliberations on global warming.   These include transnational actions involving fewer nations, and cooperation among nations, nongovernmental organizations and private corporations.   Additionally two talks addressed geoengineering, and the need to act cautiously if at all in implementing it. Since the pace of greenhouse gas emissions is increasing, and the resulting warming of the planet grows accordingly, stratagems such as discussed in this conference should be pursued with all deliberate speed.   Avoiding the worsening effects of global warming may well rely on transnational and extra-governme...

I've created a video entitled “ Does Burning Fossil Fuels Cause Global Warming? ”. It’s a pictorial examination of the relationship between fossil fuel use, carbon dioxide increase, and increased long-term global average temperature. It presents experimental data showing that a) the long-term global average temperature is increasing, b) the atmospheric CO 2 level is increasing, c) the increased CO 2 originates from burning fossil fuels, and d) burning fossil fuels is a major factor directly contributing to global warming. Please have a look! 　 This video is the third in a series that also includes             Our Invisible Energy  a nd            Light and Heat - The Greenhouse Effect . 　 © 2012 Henry Auer

Summary .   This post reviews the new book “Climate Change Policy Failures: Why Conventional Mitigation Approaches Cannot Succeed” by Prof. Howard A. Latin.   Prof. Latin begins by reviewing the past decade or more of legislative activity in the U. S. concerned with abating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, finding the drafts to be ineffective (none were enacted into law).   More generally, he characterizes the gradual approach to abatement currently prevalent both nationally and internationally as being “too little, too late”, and being “back-loaded” toward later decades.   This is ineffective because GHGs would continue to accumulate, building up ever higher levels in the atmosphere and worsening the warming of the planet.   Additionally, the book details the failures at the international level to agree on world-wide abatement policies, over more than two decades. Instead, the book calls for innovative measures to “decarbonize” our energy economy by deploying r...

Summary .   One way of reducing the rate of emission of carbon dioxide is to generate electric power from renewable sources, including wind energy.   In the U. S. renewable energy has been aided by a production tax credit since 1992, that Congress, in fits and starts, has repeatedly granted and taken away.   It is scheduled to expire again on Dec. 31, 2012 .   In contrast, conventional fossil fuel energy sources have been steadily subsidized since the early 1900’s.   Renewable energy, including wind energy, benefits the U. S. by relieving dependence on foreign energy sources, expanding economic activity, and lowering the annual rate of emission of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas.   For these reasons the production tax credit should be renewed for an extended duration, in order to convey stability and predictability to the renewable energy industry.   Introduction .   The United States burns large amounts of fossil fuels in or...