CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING

[Stanley]

[Tizer]

`China coal power building boom sparks climate warning' LINK
`Building work has restarted at hundreds of Chinese coal-fired power stations, according to an analysis of satellite imagery. The research, carried out by green campaigners CoalSwarm, suggests that 259 gigawatts of new capacity are under development in China. The authors say this is the same capacity to produce electricity as the entire US coal fleet. The study says government attempts to cancel many plants have failed.'

However, note that a different view is given at the end of the article: `However, some researchers believe that the building of these plants has more to do with boosting the local economy in China than with boosting emissions. "Coal power plants run only about half the time in China, and one could argue the new capacity is not needed," said Glen Peters, from the Centre for International Climate Research in Oslo, who was not involved with the report. "The new coal power plant builds are most probably about keeping the economy ticking along, particularly from a provincial government perspective, rather than being needed for future electricity generation."

[Stanley]

My initial reaction is "Does it matter?". Given the fact that we are probably past the tipping point it may not make much difference. Sorry about that but optimism can only carry you so far and at heart I am a realist.

[plaques]

My initial reaction is "Does it matter?".

Not when Trump and the Republicans are telling us there is no such thing as climate change. If fact they are encouraging their own industries to burn more coal. Since they apparently set the rules on everything from, Who is a terrorist, Trade deals and sanctions, International laws, you can hardly beef about China doing exactly the same with their coal. Does it really matter? Of course it does and its about time that the rest of the developed world got their act together and put America in their place and telling them that International means just that.

[Tizer]

A lot of people fear `globalisation' for one reason or another and we've failed to help them understand that it's inevitable but in the long term is `a good thing'. Rather like immigration too. We have no choice but to `globalise' if we are successfully to tackle the major problems facing the world. (I'm using the word globalisation here to mean international cooperation, and not the merging of big companies around the world which is unnecessary and done to benefit the pockets and stroke the egos of the CEOs.)

[Stanley]

In theory I agree with all you say Tiz but after reading Woodward's book and getting a glimpse (Which I trust to be accurate) into Trump's mind, we are on a hiding to nothing. He has childish self-belief and is never wrong. See his comment about Globalisation being dead and Patriotism as the new reality. Bollocks of course but the combined brains of all the smart people round him can't shake him from his belief, no matter how mistaken. That's what we are up against and is the actual root of the trends we are seeing. I am sad but realistic, I think we are knackered!

[Tizer]

I have to agree with you and I don't want to make it look any worse but I'll just point out that it's not just Trump but the approximately 50% of Americans who voted for him and still seem convinced he's the answer to their dreams. Aaargh!

[Stanley]

Absolutely right and that's the aspect of America that always troubled me during my stays there. To the outsider they look ignorant but it's not that really, they are so naïve and easily led. The biggest manifestation of that used to be the NRA but Trump has exceeded even their wildest fantasies. Look up 'Manifest Destiny'.........

[chinatyke]

Absolutely right and that's the aspect of America that always troubled me during my stays there. To the outsider they look ignorant but it's not that really, they are so naïve and easily led. The biggest manifestation of that used to be....

In God we trust.

[Tripps]

In God we trust

Everyone else pays cash.

[Tizer]

...they are so naïve and easily led.

Not just Americans, gullibility is common here too. Millions of smartphone users who got their phone as part of a contract rather than bought it outright are continuing to pay the company after their contract has ended. This was in the news last week but if you google it you find that it was in the news in 2017 and 2016 too.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC account of the report that the IPCC is to consider in it's meeting in South Korea. Described as possibly the most serious and credible warning yet, it forecasts that by 2040, if we continue on the present trajectory we will reach a point where really serious problems will hit, particularly in low lying areas.
Expect a howl of protest from anyone making money out of fossil fuel and CO2 emissions......

[plaques]

...we will reach a point where really serious problems will hit, particularly in low lying areas.

. But looking at America in isolation the flooding of the lower lying cities would be an opportunity to rebuild to a higher location. This would stimulate the economy and prove to be a nice little earner for the top people. Also, as the climate heats up the ability to grow certain crops will change this will put the world price up until agriculture relocates to another place. Global warming, a win win situation for some people.

[Stanley]

'Always look on the bright side of life......'

[Tizer]

Global warming, a win win situation for some people.

Not really, when you look beyond flooding and consider water and food shortages, populations on the move, rampant infectious diseases combined with antibiotic resistance, even more extreme weather events and more often etc etc.

This article explains why the IPCC target temperature has been reduced from 2C to 1.5C and why that difference of 0.5C is so important...
`What does 1.5C mean in a warming world?' LINK

[Stanley]

James Lovelock was right in the 1970s and I fear we have now gone too far to stop it happening.

[Stanley]

See THIS report that says that wind turbines can raise local temperatures. I can imagine the climate change deniers being elated when they read this.

[plaques]

The report isn't a statement of climate change denial only that even that wind power has its affect on the climate. Simply put, the energy you take out of the wind to produce electricity wiil slow the atmosphere distribution. But it is still far better than using coal.

[Stanley]

Quite, but the deniers won't see it like that!

[Stanley]

See THIS report on NO2 pollution in specific areas and the measures that the government is proposing. Note that these proposals don't take responsibility for the problem but shunts that on to impoverished Local Councils. (I don't think this is off piste....)
The present situation is a tragedy and a disgrace. It is estimated that traffic pollution could be the biggest factor in over 40,000 deaths per annum, quite apart from the long term implications to the very youngest babies and children.

[Tizer]

The main problem in towns is with older vehicles which have higher emissions. Although we are frequently told now that diesel vehicles have higher polluting emissions than petrol the magazine `The Engineer' concludes that `new, well maintained diesel cars, built to the latest standards have similar emissions to new petrol vehicles'. LINK We need to get all those old polluting buses and commercial vehicles off the road.

[plaques]

In my view Colne's North Valley Road through Colne was purposely designed to cause traffic congestion. In normal conditions it takes at least 10 minutes to cover a mile. (6 miles and hour much of stood still). The thinking behind it appears to be that with so much congestion they had an argument to build a bypass and open up large areas of green land for development. This was, and still is, pie in the sky thinking, meanwhile the residents on this road are enduring one of the most polluted sections of road in Lancashire. How many more town suffer from this syndrome?

[chinatyke]

In my view Colne's North Valley Road through Colne was purposely designed to cause traffic congestion. In normal conditions it takes at least 10 minutes to cover a mile. (6 miles and hour much of stood still). The thinking behind it appears to be that with so much congestion they had an argument to build a bypass and open up large areas of green land for development. This was, and still is, pie in the sky thinking, meanwhile the residents on this road are enduring one of the most polluted sections of road in Lancashire. How many more town suffer from this syndrome?

Easy solution: make Northvalley Road/Windsor St one way going east, and Albert Road 1-way going west from Skipton Road to Lord Street. Would it work?

[Stanley]

I don't think there are any 'easy solutions' China..... It's in a valley as well which makes it worse.
Did anyone see the report of the air scrubber that can be fitted on a bus that removes pollution in the air as it goes along?
Later.... see THIS report on the IPCC conference in S Korea. The clearest warning yet from trustworthy sources that we are in immediate danger. We have ignored this for too long and it begins to look as though it is too late. CO2 levels are at the point now where if immediate and radical action isn't taken we are faced with 'very challenging problems'.
I've just been listening to John Humphrys on the Today programme bullying the Labour spokesman by trying to get him to state a figure for what the Labour proposals on combating climate change would cost. This was evidently his aim and he refused to listen to what was a very interesting argument supporting a radical programme. Give the man his due, he stuck to his guns even though Humphrys was doing his normal tactics of interrupting and talking over the man as he answered the last question. This was a disgraceful display of antagonism and does not help to further rational debate.

[plaques]

Probably a mixture of global warming and The Flatley Dryer. Can you remember the Clive Sinclair C%.

Sinclair C5.JPG

, 30 years before its time it was the forerunner of the current electric cars. Something like this which is simple, low cost and possibly limited mileage performance would be suitable for that local shopping trip. The downside is that mixing these vehicles with enormous HGV's , Buses and other large vehicles is a first class ticket to the promised land.