Action in spite of Uncertainty

This is an excellent piece from the Financial Times about the uncertainty surrounding climate change. It goes to great lengths to spotlight areas of agreement and areas where the evidence is less clear (e.g., it's pretty much a given that we'll experience a 1.5C rise in temps, but not so clear cut on 4C).

If you don't have time to read the whole article, skip to the last paragraph:

Meanwhile, concentrations of airborne carbon increase year on year. Once carbon is in the atmosphere, it can stay there for a century, continuing its warming effect. The problem is that if action is delayed until these areas of uncertainty are resolved, the world may find it is too late.

I've written about this before. The whole point of dealing with climate change is to manage our exposure to risk despite the uncertainty.

First Solar in China

Interesting Washington Post article on China highlighting the challenge of US businesses operating there. Doesn't mean we should now embrace the Homer Simpson philosophy of "never try" but it does reflect the need for greater, sustained engagement with the largest energy consumer and greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter in the world.

Economist article on climate impacts

This is a solid, if slightly wonky, article from the Economist. If you don't want to get bogged down in "Rossby waves" (not to be confused with Cosby waves) then just remember this:

Episodes of heavy rain and snowfall are now more common around the world than they were 50 years ago, according to the IPCC’s 2007 review of the literature, which is to be expected in a warming world; warmer air can carry more water, and so more can be released when the conditions are right. Reflecting this trend, the Indian monsoon — which in terms of absolute levels of rainfall changed little over the 20th century—has been seeing more of its rainfall in extreme events than it used to. No one of those extreme events can be laid at the door of worldwide climate change; nor can the Russian heatwave. The pattern of increases, though, fits expectations—and those expectations see things getting worse.

So while you can't directly pinpoint one particular event to climate change, you can look at current trends which are cause for serious concern.

Let there be light!

This is a great piece on the growth in the UK's solar industry. Key takeaway:

The growth in jobs is attributable as much to the nature of the Government scheme as it is the size—offering predictable, guaranteed long-term support for the industry, rather than the more sporadic offers of short-term grants and tax breaks that have been so common across the Globe.

It's all about long-term certainty. Otherwise you have peaks and valleys for renewable energy development. And not to sound like a broken record here, but these policies create jobs, jobs, and more jobs.

Could use a little wind out here

While the chances of comprehensive climate change and energy legislation seem less and less likely, it's nice to see some good news coming out of the states. This is an interesting piece on the largest US wind farm to date. Home grown energy that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, provides a clean, safe, and secure source of energy, and creates thousands of jobs. Dare I say it's a win-wind?

The Links

This isn't about golf, it's about global warming. The warning signs are right in front of us. I wrote earlier about Greenland's melting glaciers. Now take a look at this excellent article from Andrew Revkin of the NY Times spotlighting the links between the heatwaves in Russia and the mind boggling floods in Pakistan.

Canary in the Moulin?

This is a fascinating, but fairly long, report from the Daily Mail's science editor (a self-described climate skeptic as you will read). It focuses on the research being conducted by British scientists in Greenland who are studying the dramatic increase in summer melt waters over the past decade.

Aside from his play-by-play of what's happening in Greenland, he writes the following:

For many people, what I am looking at is the beginning of the end; the first concrete sign that the stability upon which our civilisation depends is about to crumble into an overheated future.

The key message is "the stability upon which our civilisation depends is about to crumble." Some people will argue that the earth has gone through climate shifts in the past and therefore this one is nothing to worry about. But that is misguided to say the least. Our world's population and economy have grown at remarkable rates based on a generally stable and livable environment. Climate change directly threatens that stability and therefore threatens our economic prosperity and national security.

The Clean Economy Race

So regular GreenMachine readers, you'll have pretty much guessed by now where I sit on climate change and clean energy policy. And I've stressed away the months as the chances of comprehensive legislation have whittled away to almost nil. I've come to accept that these things happen. But I found it especially interesting that Congress is doing this while China is doing this. It makes you wonder who is going to win the 21st Century economic race?

More melting leads to more drilling

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from burning fossil fuels is leading to global warming. Global warming is leading to a melting Arctic. A melting Arctic is leading to more fossil fuels. The circle of life.