Comments on: When can we expect extremely high surface temperatures?

By: Richard Mercer

Richard Mercer — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:23:09 +0000

Ronald K

There have been something like 25 peer reviewed studies that show that switching to renewable clean energy and energy efficiency will have little adverse economic impact.
Some project a net economic gain.

Then there is the non peer reviewed and heavily flawed and biased study by the Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers, which shows something different.
http://energysmart.wordpress.com/ 2008/ 03/ 24/ reviews-are-coming-in-namaccf-are-full-of-it/

It is also well known that building solar and wind will create many more jobs than building coal or nuclear plants.

Convenience store closings are not among my biggest concerns.
They are convenient and expensive, and contribute to the high cost of being poor, since poor people spend a bigger chunk of their money in such places.

By: lovewow

lovewow — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:40:32 +0000

yes.The growing season will go north, but then large areas will be to warm to grow regular crops. None of it will be pleasant.

By: Ronald

Ronald — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:42:12 +0000

Way to suck up.

everything we are doing right now to reduce CO2 release is on the edges. There is still quite a ways to go before we will have 80 percent less CO2 release in developed countries and 50 percent less in developing countries. And it’s when we actually take large percentage of energy use from companies when they really will scream bloody murder in job and money losses.

Plugin vehicle would mean conveniance stores going out of business, and all the other jobs and businesses in the whole fuel supply chain. The people employed and owning those businesses will vote for those who will protect those businesses from any subsidies to Plugins. If oil is a trillion dollar business, they really won’t get excited about something that takes a few percent of the business, but once plugins take, say a hundred billion dollars a year, they’ll fight like heck against the next hundred billion going away. The same with coal going away.

There’s billions and trillions of dollars to be lost by many people moving to a low and non carbon world. It won’t be easy. I give it a less than one percent chance. But that’s a wild ass quess, what do I know. It will be hard.

By: Paul K

Paul K — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:06:40 +0000

Joe, I live on a planet with concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) capacity expected to double every 16 months over the next five years, worldwide installed CSP capacity will reach 6,400 megawatts in 2012–14 times the current capacity. Over 90 percent of fossil fuel–generated electricity in the United States and the majority of U.S. oil usage for transportation could be eliminated using solar thermal power plants – CSP and PV plants to produce 69 percent of U.S. electricity and 35 percent of total U.S. energy, including transportation, by 2050. This rosy assessment is laid out at an out of this world website beloved by many.

By: John Hollenberg

John Hollenberg — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:13:17 +0000

Paul,

The growth of CO2 emissions and attempts by other countries to cap them do not (so far) support your rosy assessment. I think it is a bit early to relax.

By: Paul K

Paul K — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:52:50 +0000

Joe,
The current “business as usual” is exponential growth in wind and solar power including CSP and the hybridization/electrification of the automotive fleet over the next twenty-five years. 1,000 ppm is not in the cards.

[JR: What planet do you live on where that is BAU -- cause it ain't earth?]

By: Dano

Dano — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:41:03 +0000

I can tell you the Colo Front Range is experiencing this sort of thing now.

And the temps are around 98ºF, which, combined with low rainfall, are causing quite a problem. Just like the models are sayin’.

Best,

By: Steve H

Steve H — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:23:22 +0000

I’m not too worried that the cities of Houston and DC would be so adversely affected. Should this prediction come to realization, I would be doubtful that the cities would be inhabited, rather inundated. Looking at that map, I would have to say that Kuwait would have the most to gain in a fight against climate change. “Off Scale” is not an optimum temperature for humans.

By: Arne Marco

Arne Marco — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:11:14 +0000

elbarto: thank you for the link. I just read the doc and I am shocked. Until today I didn’t know that CO2 is so dangerous to us and that we are so close to the limits of 426 ppm. It means there is no possibility to adapt to a higher level of CO2. I think Hansen has got it very right when he says we have to move the CO2 amount in the atmosphere down to 350 ppm to secure our future …

By: paulm

paulm — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:41:48 +0000

Quite frankly, Climate change is very bad news and we need people and bodies in the know to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouth is… all this ‘debate’ about GW is just fizzling while were sizzling.

Scientist, if they think that it is happening and is as bad as it is and are not seeing a positive reaction to their alarms – should be taking drastic steps like Hansen and Gore.

Letters stating ‘we believe etc…’ are not strong enough – shouldn’t they be threating resignations, having sit-ins, demanding audiences with leaders, placing law suites …. setting themselves on fire and jumping off tall buildings?