Too negative about fossil fuels
Issue: 2023/11/19
Texas: Republican-controlled school board votes against climate textbooks
“The rejected textbooks included climate-crisis policy solutions, and conservative board members criticized them for being too negative about fossil fuels.”
1. Act Now
Consumers don’t pump oil, companies and governments do:
Another demotivating and misguided entry in the “why won’t individuals due more to fix climate change” file. They bury the lede: the need for systemic changes.
But, we grant The Conversation this: “20 million electric vehicles and 1.3 million commercial EVs” vs “over 280 million electric mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and three-wheelers on the road last year”
While these vehicle choices are largely driven by regional income and economic conditions, most fossil fuel emissions are driven by industrial uses.
2. Build Political Will
The United States and China have announced a new climate deal, but critics say it lacks the ambition and concrete steps needed to address the climate crisis. The deal calls for increased cooperation on clean energy and reducing methane emissions, but it does not include any new targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“New U.S.-China Climate Deal: Same as the Old Deals” (reason.com)
About that APEC meeting: “Five things we learned from the Biden-Xi meeting” (bbc.com)
InfluenceMap finds that many companies are making net zero (wiki) commitments but are not taking the necessary steps to achieve them. Another finding: companies that use net zero language on their websites are not more likely to support positive climate policy. The authors argue that companies should be held accountable for their net zero commitments.
See special #COP28 section below.
3. Eliminate Fossil Fuels
🔥 Despite a 20-year-old commitment to eliminate routine flaring, satellite images analyzed by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air show that some oil and gas fields in the United Arab Emirates are flaring constantly. Flaring is the burning of excess natural gas, which releases harmful methane into the atmosphere. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
“…a single gas field in the United Arab Emirates run by state oil firm Adnoc flared more gas than all oil and gas fields in Norway last year.”
Globally, “Fugitive emissions from oil and gas” account for 3.9% of all green-house gas emissions
4. Speed up renewable energy
Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists reports on a UCSC study which highlights the urgent need for accelerating clean energy adoption to combat climate change. She emphasizes that while progress has been made, the pace of transition is not fast enough to avert the worst impacts of climate change. From the executive summary:
The window for the United States to meet its climate targets is closing fast.
Rapidly phasing out fossil fuels is key to meeting US climate targets.
&
An update on a previously reported story:
Oct 12: $100,000,000 guarantee that NJ wind farm to be ready in 2025
❌ Nov 1: Never mind
❌ Nov 13: We can’t even
5. Shift towards sustainable transportation
“4 of the Most Picturesque Car-Free Towns in the U.S.”
Car dealerships, with their vested interest in selling gas-powered vehicles, are a significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of electric cars in the United States. Their practices, such as limited availability of electric vehicles and misleading sales tactics, are hindering the transition to a cleaner transportation system.
🛤️ Night trains are making a comeback across Europe as a sustainable and enjoyable alternative to air travel. They offer a relaxing and scenic way to travel, with the added benefit of reducing carbon emissions.
6. Adopt planet-friendly agricultural practices
An editorial in The Guardian discusses the challenges of transitioning to sustainable farming practices. It highlights the excessive greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and deforestation associated with animal agriculture. These practices contribute to climate change, water scarcity, and habitat loss, posing a significant threat to the planet's health.
7. Eat a more climate friendly diet
8. Create sustainable cities and buildings
Rebuilding in Paradise, CA: are we ready for $9,000+/month home insurance?
Reducing the number of parking spaces can help fight climate change by encouraging people to use alternative forms of transportation, freeing up space for denser housing, and reducing the urban heat island effect.
What would your street look like if it went Dutch?
9. Protect and restore our environment
A new study estimates that natural forest recovery could capture an impressive 226 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon, but only if we also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This forest potential can only be achieved alongside emissions cuts and requires community-driven efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity.
10. Ensure global warming stays below dangerous limits
There were two significant climate assessments released this week:
Fifth National Climate Assessment
The Fifth National Climate Assessment is the US Government’s preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses [..]
The effects of human-caused climate change are already far-reaching and worsening across every region of the United States. Rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions can limit future warming and associated increases in many risks. Across the country, efforts to adapt to climate change and reduce emissions have expanded since 2018, and US emissions have fallen since peaking in 2007. However, without deeper cuts in global net greenhouse gas emissions and accelerated adaptation efforts, severe climate risks to the United States will continue to grow.
Best Summary: “Report Charts Climate Change’s Growing Impact in the US, While Stressing Benefits of Action” (insideclimatenews.org)
“Climate change affects your life in 3 big ways…” (npr.org)
State of Climate Action 2023 from the World Resource Institute
“This year’s State of Climate Action finds that progress made in closing the global gap in climate action remains woefully inadequate — 41 of 42 indicators assessed are not on track to achieve their 2030 targets.”
🌐
Michael E. Mann:
‘We’re not doomed yet’: five reasons for climate hope, by a climatologist
We can still keep warming below the 1.5C danger level. The obstacles aren’t physical or technological. They are entirely political. And political obstacles can be overcome if we all make a commitment to act.
☄️
“Note From [Adam] McKay: The Comet Is Already Hitting Us”
#COP28
COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
An open letter signed by over 100 organizations urges the COP28 president to adopt a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels. The letter also expresses concern about the use of carbon capture and storage technologies.
EcoWatch discusses a new report from the United Nations that finds that current climate action plans are not enough. The report finds that emissions must be reduced by 43% by 2030, but are only projected to fall by 2%. The UN warns that this is not enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
📅 REGISTER NOW: “Climate Home News is hosting ‘Oil, carbon and loss: navigating Cop28’, a series of three online events to guide you through Cop28.”
Substack Share of the Week
Video of the week
"…in order to save the planet, it’s going to take a lot more effort than what’s currently being given by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg" (wiki)
Link of the week
“This is the seventh annual Scorecard on Insurance, Fossil Fuels and the Climate Emergency published by the Insure Our Future campaign. The Scorecard analyses 30 leading primary insurers and reinsurers, assessing their policies on insuring and investing in coal, oil and gas. The report highlights progress and loopholes, calls out leaders and laggards, and identifies challenges and opportunities for the year ahead.”
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