Somehow, the U.S. is at fault - and particularly, those dastardly Republicans…
EXCERPT:
[i]And Italy is not alone in its return to coal. Driven by rising demand, record high oil and natural gas prices, concerns over energy security and an aversion to nuclear energy, European countries are expected to put into operation about 50 coal-fired plants over the next five years, plants that will be in use for the next five decades.
In the United States, fewer new coal plants are likely to begin operations, in part because it is becoming harder to get regulatory permits and in part because nuclear power remains an alternative. Of 151 proposals in early 2007, more than 60 had been dropped by the year�??s end, many blocked by state governments. Dozens of other are stuck in court challenges.
The fast-expanding developing economies of India and China, where coal remains a major fuel source for more than two billion people, have long been regarded as among the biggest challenges to reducing carbon emissions. But the return now to coal even in eco-conscious Europe is sowing real alarm among environmentalists who warn that it is setting the world on a disastrous trajectory that will make controlling global warming impossible. [/i]
If only we had ratified Kyoto then we could nuke them for building coal plants.
This is reality. All the hand wringing over CO2 emissions is bullshit. Build the plants, use the best available scrubber technology and move on. There is no magic solution. No political party is to blame although some try to make it political.
Why do people even bother pretending that the world is actually going to make a legitimate attempt too significantly reduce CO2 emissions?
If you believe the more pessimistic predictions on global warming, there is nothing we can do about it. Most people are deluded about just how big the reduction in standard of living would be if CO2 emissions were to be reduced enough to actually have a significant impact on global temperatures.
Governments around the world will just continue to make token gestures.
Unless the current global warming theory is wrong or there are some huge breakthroughs in technology, we are pretty much fucked.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
If only we had ratified Kyoto then we could nuke them for building coal plants.
This is reality. All the hand wringing over CO2 emissions is bullshit. Build the plants, use the best available scrubber technology and move on. There is no magic solution. No political party is to blame although some try to make it political.[/quote]
Sigh. I actually agree with zap…but I am going to deny it if anyone asks me. Global warming has been hijacked by assholes. the real evidence of global warming is scant. it is so early in the global warming research game that nobody knows what the hell is going on.
In conclusion, people also forget that the planet doesnt need evil humans and their “carbon footprint” to get warmer. Medieval warm period anyone? Not to mention we are in the holocene era, characterized by its gradual warming since the ice age…
[quote]Fullback33 wrote:
Sigh. I actually agree with zap…but I am going to deny it if anyone asks me. Global warming has been hijacked by assholes. the real evidence of global warming is scant. it is so early in the global warming research game that nobody knows what the hell is going on.
In conclusion, people also forget that the planet doesnt need evil humans and their “carbon footprint” to get warmer. Medieval warm period anyone? Not to mention we are in the holocene era, characterized by its gradual warming since the ice age…[/quote]
“Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures
since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the
observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations.
7 It is likely that there has been significant anthropogenic
warming over the past 50 years averaged over
each continent (except Antarctica)” [very likely >90%; likely >66%;]