How feasibly can we actually drop our global CO2 production?
I hate talking about global warming - its boring, cliche, and largely depressing, because any careful thinking about it invariably leads to the conclusion that the only true solution, if climate change models based on CO2 are correct, is a mass human extinction event, or exodus (to other planets); your child is a much greater environmental nightmare than your Hummer H2 is.
If our primary objective as a species is a global reduction in happiness and development inequalities, allowing global population growth to continue apace is totally counterproductive. And that’s a sad thought, and one that may motivate a global terrorism movement far worse than Al Qaeda.
But take a look at this graph (source: McKinsey). It estimates the cost and effectiveness of the various proposed things society can do to bring emissions down. On the left, the negative y axis values show that we save a lot of money and abate CO2 emissions, with certain strategies like insulating our houses and offices. To the right, expensive strategies. It’s clear from the graph that the real gains to be made (measured as progress along the x axis) are in this economically costly zone.
The worst part: even with all known strategies pursued, we still hit the dangerously (*according to current climate models) high levels of 450ppm by 2030.
I’d like to be able to play with the graph and generate data based on different population and oil price forecasts. Their assumptions aren’t clearly stated, disappointingly. This link offers a modest amount of skepticism regarding this graph, and highlights some further insights it gives us, alongside some auxiliary information about the bang-for-buck of different climate change prevention schemes.
Related:
- Advice to sink in slowly
- This was posted a while ago but got lost when my host lost a hard disk and the backup! Here it is again, it's worth it Check out these amazing posters designed by the older years at University College Falmouth (apparently 'The UK's Leading Arts College'). They're words of wisdom (under the general heading of "advice to sink in slowly") being passed on to freshers just starting out at UCF: The whole photoset on Flickr ...
- I may be studying biochemistry…
- ...but this is definitely NOT what labs are like (via Behance) (Also, I graduate 2 weeks from now - and will hopefully never have to pipet anything ever again)...
- Men’s Fear, for GQ Magazine Russia
- Saw these on the Behance network today. Incredibly expressive cartoons that remind me of childhood book illustrations. Pretty special. ...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Add New Comment
Viewing 1 Comment
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment
Trackbacks
(Trackback URL)