Global food prices have broken yet another record. February prices were 2.2% higher than January, the previous all-time high. February's high was well above the 2008 average when food prices led to riots and hording. Much of this has to do with climate related events - floods in Pakistan and wildfires in Russia. Add to this the recent rise in the price of US oil, which is currently hovering at around $100 a barrel while global prices are closer to the $120 range.
So is now a good time to talk about climate change and clean energy? Unfortunately, a number of people want to avoid the conversation. In doing so we expose ourselves to ever increasing levels of risk and greater instability, both in markets and in countries. The transition to low carbon is happening but not at the scale necessary to meet the challenge. We have to ramp up our efforts if we hope to minimize some of the impacts we're already seeing.
Showing posts with label economic stability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label economic stability. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
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:
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
