The Bulletin: Reaction to big changes required by first emissions report
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Reaction to big changes required by first emissions report, stories swirl about managed isolation places, and UK in bid to join NZ-inclusive trade bloc.
The Climate Change Commission has released a major report setting out the changes that will need to be made for New Zealand to meet international emissions obligations. Commissioner Dr Rod Carr described it as “ambitious but achievable.” There will now be a period of consultation, and at a certain point the government will be legally required to respond to the plan, either accepting it and implementing it as policy, or setting out one of its own. An exceptionally useful wrap of it all has been put together by Justin Giovannetti, who read the massive text while it was under embargo, and I’d highly encourage you to read his piece.
2022 last chance to slash emissions to avoid 2C? https://t.co/Lf3RhNlay1
If emissions keep rising we ll be on target to hit 2C in the 2030s (2034 at the earliest according to this analysis which uses a conservative 19th century baseline and looks at the latest climate models which may underestimate Arctic heating and feedbacks).https://t.co/qr9KNHhyol
From that last link,
Under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015, virtually all the world’s nations pledged to limit global warming to “well below” 2C above pre-industrial levels and also, if possible, “pursue” efforts to cap warming at 1.5C. At present, the world is not close to being on track to meet either target.
And:
E/G is the energy intensity of the GDP
F/E is the carbon footprint of energy
If we want to get F, total carbon to zero, we have to get one of these four factors to zero.
Assuming that at some stage this century we must drive F (total carbon rate) to zero, this implies at least one of these factors must also be zero. But which ones?
Setting P = 0 is the human extinction plan and I think we can rule that one out. Nonetheless humanity is now entering an entirely new demographic state we have never been in before; many developed nations are now at zero or even negative population growth. This has long term implications well worth exploring in a future post.
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:55 am, December 17th, 2020 - 66 comments
These are in remarkably good shape. Who would have predicted that dealing properly with a global pandemic would have had better results for the economy than timidly dealing with it and trying to ensure that economic activity continued?
And that making baby boomers stay home and spend their wealth on new kitchens or meals out or local holidays would be much better for the economy than spending the money on overseas holidays or overseas luxuries?
Whatever the reason the country’s figures are looking remarkably good.
A faster and stronger economic rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic will see the government’s finances headed back to surplus sooner than expected, according to the Treasury.
Biden s selection of Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy is a good choice. A hard worker, a great communicator, and a champion of renewable energy.
The BAU everyone is adamant is about to occur – will not. Sure, change is not going to be fast enough for most round these parts, but this lady is no dinosaur nor a rich crony.
Hard working experienced people. I reckon Joe s doing alright building a team considering everyone s expectations are so low.
Andre 2.1
More significantly, the appointment of Granholm may signal an intention to re-orient the Department of Energy to actually be mostly about energy, rather than being a deceptive name for the keeper of the nuclear weapons stockpile.