Drill offshore? Drill in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)?
These are two of the primary suggestions to try and reduce skyrocketing oil prices. What about the effects of these 'solutions' on greenhouse gas emissions?
According to James Hansen, one of the earliest to warn us about global warming, "this is the last chance."
"Exactly 20 years after warning America about global warming, a top NASA scientist said the situation has gotten so bad that the world's only hope is drastic action. James Hansen told Congress on Monday that the world has long passed the "dangerous level" for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and needs to get back to 1988 levels. He said Earth's atmosphere can only stay this loaded with man-made carbon dioxide for a couple more decades without changes such as mass extinction, ecosystem collapse and dramatic sea level rises.
The year of Hansen's original testimony was the world's hottest year on record. Since then, 14 years have been hotter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."
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Oh yeah.... and what about peak oil? These "solutions" will of course delay the inevitable and turn our lack of a sustainable energy policy into a crisis.
I have stopped worrying about trying to do anything about climate change.
Why?
Because stopping or even reducing the emission of CO2 just isn't going to happen. Even when both candidates for the US presidency SAY they recognize the problem, neither has understood the consequences of that recognition.
McCain wants to drill for more oil, and even suspend the federal gas tax!!
Obama wants more corn ethanol and an additional tax on oil profits (currently being paid mostly to pension funds and IRA accounts).
Clearly neither understands the issue.
And even IF the US were to take drastic action like taxing CO2 emissions(fat chance), any reductions would be more than offset by increases from China and India. Since the Kyoto Treaty, CO2 emissions have increased at a faster rate than before. Each year China increases CO2 emissions by more than England emits.
Some people still claim the entire GHG/climate change thing is a hoax. Let's hope they are right. But I don't plan to retire to Florida Reply to this
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