| What are Global Warming and climate change challenges? For a long time, I have been confused with facts however I am starting to see clarity |
Is Global warming real?
First of all I am not a scientist, like most of you plus I have been agnostic on how and if the temperature increases are man-made or even fossil fuel has driven.
Whilst part of the science community wants something done about the burning of fossil fuels there remains a massive opposition.
How could this be so, science is a science therefore how can you argue the point?
Never before have we seen so much that is untrue and pedalled by those whose income may be harmed. From world Leaders and international press, misinformation has been laid out to confuse us all
The answer, however, lies in several places that are mostly hidden from the mainstream population.
Does the Fossil fuel industry have a say?
In fact, the people whose business is in danger, coal producers, fuel companies, energy outlets, countries and even the uranium industry have reason to be scared.
As some people demand clean energy the fossil fuel industry works very diligently in developing the sceptic press. It is in their direct interest to foster doubt and uncertainty and go on in the business of making money.
They pour millions of dollars into organisations that dispute global warming as a problem and feed the masses with a significant amount of propaganda.
In fact, they bend the truth, bribe and cajole the population into believing their position.
We have been misled by those wanting a different reality. It is time to take a position.
Is Fossil fuel really a problem?
We need to consider both the rich and poorer nations in relation to the need for cheap energy.
It is a fact that cheap energy has been a massive contributor to industrialisation and that many third-world countries need cheap fuel to provide electricity and power.
How can you take this access away from them and curtail future development, employment and country wealth by demanding that they use expensive power generation? Particularly as the wealthy countries have gone the course from wood burners to coal to gas and even atomic energy in the course of development.
To expect the poorer countries to start at the top is unfair and comes at a massive cost disadvantage.
The two stand-out countries are, of course, China and India with a massive population bases
and a need to lift the lifestyle. Industrialisation is at the beginning for them and to change will bring economic disaster.
Therefore how can we change the world's problem, if we have one, and maintain economic growth in developing nations?
Can science make a difference and will it be applied in time to stop atmospheric pollution and the resulting world warming or do we ignore the problem?
Knowing you have a problem is a simple step. Ignoring it is a disaster.
Therefore what can we do about it and where should we go from here?
Do governments make a difference?
This has been a real bun fight. There are as many sceptic prime ministers as believers so we are dragged into a push and tug war for political benefit.
Obama made an agreement with China to develop ways to reduce warming however Trump and China derailed the process and sabotaged nearly everything so far achieved.
Trump was a non-believer however Biden will restore some respect to the issue
In Australia, the past prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was a believer however the current leader Scott Morrison is not nearly as engaged.
Now another change and Anthony Albanese is pushing the climate change barrow very hard
Three Prime ministers have previously been rolled because of climate change fights with the business world and now a fourth.
China are in protection mode, however wanting to be seen as a world leader and lifting the standards
Governments that are owned by the fossil fuel industry really struggle to engage in a strong and focused clear energy policy. The USA with massive oil and gas industries and Australia a mining mentality with the greatest export being coal face a financial challenge.
Much of the middle east built on oil wealth speaks for itself.
Can one voice change the attitude of so many?
It happened in our lifetime, an activist that made a difference, a young girl called Greta Thunberg rose to international fame and carried the world's youth with her.
I am not pretending that everything Greta has said or done is 100% right or that she is scientifically more advanced than the common kid, that would not be right.
However, she was the voice that rallied the youth to follow and have an opinion and furthermore take that to the steps of parliament.
Greta, single handily made the environment a cause for concern for the world's youth creating a massive shift in thinking and action.
Yes, she has distractors however results have proven her worth to an international cause.
The World Press and warming
A section of the press has an agenda of denial, the Murdoch press is often accused of biased reporting from selected science sources that deny the existence of global warming.
Are they supported by the fossil fuel industry and have an agenda for misinformation by spreading false or even fake reports? However, are they right and there is no cause for alarm?
I am confused by the press, by the science and the realities.
It should be abundantly clear to the actual facts. Yet it is a mishmash of lies and exaggeration
We have an answer and a clear winner of the war
What is Global Warming and climate change and how to clean up energy
Making energy clean
The war is over
However, the battle still continues and the fighting will continue for some time yet.
The burning of wood products and the necessary felling of large forest areas is generally recognised as a product of the past. Yes, it is still employed in some parts of the world however it is at the end of a life cycle.
Nuclear energy has lost popularity following a couple of world disasters, particularly in Japan and America.
Furthermore, the storing of waste nuclear products is challenged and the trend is away from this form of generation. The cost of energy generated has risen with the demand for extra security.
When you consider the few lives lost in massive disasters to the thousands of coal miners that die every year you may wonder at the negative approach to cheap, clean and safe entry to
low-cost energy
Coal has changed but it is a twilight industry trying desperately to maintain its market. Brown coal and pollution is being replaced by clean coal and pollution and much cleaner carbon capture and storage facility. Are they flogging a dead horse or is price and abundant supply going to keep them afloat?
When it's all about money place your bets.
Gas is the first base alternative that has both a price advantage and a lower emissions problem. With abundant supplies available the fossil industry is right on board promoting a product that is still a problem.
Gas is still a pollutant and whilst it may be a backup product it has no place in mainstream energy.
What of the new products for energy
There is a range of new energy-efficient ideas that produce no outwardly downside contamination to the world, that is ignoring the pollution to manufacture transport and run them. Furthermore, none can be a single supplier as they all have inherent problems.
Windfarms work when the wind is blowing plus the global footprint of their farms is very large limiting needed tree growth and offering a blot on the landscape.
Wave power has not achieved real commercial acceptance however trials still go on.
Solar farms are really generating interest in support power. This is particularly so for industry and massive battery storage is helping stabilise the grid.
Household solar panels will work in many climates and countries like Australia where it is seeing significant growth and assistance to the supply.
This is a low-cost effective solution when coupled with batteries.
Hydroelectric power is a winner where the facilities are available even using a constant flow technology. Let the water go at night and pump it back up in the day.
Many low-income economies are being helped in this way.
The car you drive
Battery-powered vehicles, Just a few years back a pipe dream and are now a near-term reality.
So much so that over 20% of all vehicles are now electric. Ten years from now will see the replacement of all petrol and diesel motors.
The difference really came from one man and a dream, Elon Musk and the Tesla growth.
Laughed at, nearly broke he is now selling near a million cars a year with a new launch imminent. A model 2 cheap version out of a Chinese factory at about US $20k.
Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Jaguar and a whole host of others getting in on the action so watch what this does to world pollution levels.
Re-foresting is being achieved in many countries however the Amazon fires at the end of 2020 lost a lot of natural jungle.
Animals' belching causes greenhouse gas. A small issue that will be with us forever.
What is Global Warming and climate change as it turns to Hydrogen.
Turning to hydrogen power
In recent years hydrogen backed by solar farms has been proven as an example of great power capacity in major omitting businesses. These factories are starting to bob up around the world. Could this be a real saver of the problem?
Technology will drive change and this is just one example.
What is Global Warming and climate change when you have carbon offsets
Carbon offsets, cap and trade rational
This whole idea leaves me a bit cold. When you want to produce less carbon you buy credit from someone that is doing it, that way everyone is intent on reducing the carbon footprint.
In Australia, the capital Canberra is promoted as being solar-free, and the term is repeated in many reports and press. The truth is they use gas and coal power from Queensland and sell the windfarm power to compensate for the difference. It makes me wonder at the mentality of the reasoning.
This has been a political football thrown around with as many takers as givers.
What the world is saying
At last, we are achieving some consensus and an attitude to change. World meetings although politically motivated are getting results. Leaders are having to follow or face world criticism.
I wonder if Donald Trump would be in place if he had a more green tolerance.
Let's look at a few examples:
Prime minister Boris Johnson has promised to mobilise £12 billion to put the UK on a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050
The EU is one of the signatories of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. EU countries endorsed the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement
Joe Biden knows there is no greater challenge facing our country and our world. That’s why he is outlining a bold plan – a Clean Energy Revolution – to address this grave threat and lead the world in addressing the climate emergency.
J Biden
President Xi Jinping has announced in September 2020 that China will strengthen its 2030 climate target (NDC), peak emissions before 2030 and aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
India has promised to ensure that 40 percent of its electricity-generation capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. It will also reduce its “emissions intensity” — a ratio of total emissions to gross domestic product — by at least one-third compared with 2005 levels.
Washinton post
That is just a small example from World Leaders.
All goes well for our future
We would be right in believing the fight has been won. The war is not quite yet however as more countries get on board we have a massive chance of success.
The first step was recognising we have a problem. Then taking ownership of the cause. Finally taking action to change.
What is your part in all this? All personal actions help however voting for people who demand change is your responsibility. It is a global problem that must be fixed.
Australia only contributes to 1.3% of the world's greenhouse gas problem yet on a per capita basis more than anyone else. We are affected by climate change and if global warming continues to grow we are all in danger.
What are the Global Warming and climate change challenges by Peter Hanley?
Global warming is your problem. You can make a difference.
This is the first time I’m reading an in-depth explanation about what fossil fuel is and how it works plus how our world is reacting to it. I’m not surprised to read about those who are in power lying and making others believe what they want them to believe instead of what’s accurate and what the people want to know.
thanks Stephanie,
It is a very long and involved conversation and a lot more than a couple of thousand words.
However an important one we must all have
best wishes
Peter H