Comments on: Climate Change Negotiations: What’s Next? http://blog.nature.org/2009/07/g8_climate_change_commitments/ A blog on conservation, from migratory birds to coral reefs, from rainforests to climate change to personal green technology. Thu, 10 May 2012 16:19:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Global Patriot http://blog.nature.org/2009/07/g8_climate_change_commitments/comment-page-1/#comment-7327 Global Patriot Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:24:54 +0000 http://blog.nature.org/?p=5618#comment-7327 While I'm saddened by the fact that world leaders failed to move forward on critical climate change targets, it must be noted that this issue is the most complex ever faced by the planet, as each country is in a different stage of development and it has become extremely difficult to apply any sort of fairness doctrine to CO2 reductions. While I’m saddened by the fact that world leaders failed to move forward on critical climate change targets, it must be noted that this issue is the most complex ever faced by the planet, as each country is in a different stage of development and it has become extremely difficult to apply any sort of fairness doctrine to CO2 reductions.

]]> By: peter dublin http://blog.nature.org/2009/07/g8_climate_change_commitments/comment-page-1/#comment-7064 peter dublin Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:52:12 +0000 http://blog.nature.org/?p=5618#comment-7064 RE "what's next...." To reach agreement..... Focus on the problem. Deal directly with relevant emissions. No Cap and Trade emission trading. No energy efficiency regulation..... Given the unproven emission reduction effects on global temperature - and the expense of emission reduction - the key is to engage in activities valuable in themselves, which also keep on track with emission reduction targets at minimal business disruption and expense. Emission reduction could therefore also be much simpler, and easier to agree on - without emission trading complicating international trade relations. Sufficient first phase 2020/2030 emission reduction is achieved by acting on ELECTRICITY generation (coal, gas) and TRANSPORT (mainly automobiles) alone, since these 2 sectors typically (as in the USA) account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. The focus on electricity and transport gives several advantages: 1. Local environmental benefit from less pollution of sulphur and all else that’s in the emissions, regardless of the less certain or immediate global benefit from CO2 reduction. 2. Electricity supply alternatives which together with improved grid distribution gives better competition and keeps down electricity bills for consumers. 3. Transport alternatives (using electricity, hydrogen and other energy sources), which give variety of choice and competition advantages for consumers, additionally reducing the dependency on oil imports. 4. No trade problems: Unlike Cap and Trade, which involves cement, steel and other industries having to face imports from unregulated countries, the here suggested electricity and transport changes are not just more limited, but also largely local. Since there is little competition between say utility companies internationally, "best practice" results can be compared and shared. Funding and Impact Equity and long term loan finance can be used: Long term industrial loans from financial institutions, particularly if federal/state guaranteed, give low yearly interest repayments and lessen the effect on electricity bills or transport cost. Compare with today’s all-encompassing Cap and Trade (emission trading) suggestions, with unpredictability, expense, and needless disruption from normal business practice on one hand, or unnecessary profiteering from free allowance handouts with little actual emission reduction on the other hand - together with extensive -and unnecessary- regulation on what people can or can’t buy and use. Understanding why proposed Cap and Trade is bad, in USA and elsewhere <a href="http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x" rel="nofollow">http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x</a> Basic Idea — Offsets — Tree Planting — Manufacture Shift — Fair Trade — Surreal Market — Real Market — Allowances: Auctions + Hand-Outs — Allowance Trading — Companies: Business Stability + Business Cost — In Conclusion The Way Forward <a href="http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x" rel="nofollow">http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x</a> Introduction — Funding and Impact —No Energy Efficiency Regulation — A New Electric World Electricity Generation — Distribution Transport Power Generation — Regulation — Taxation RE “what’s next….”
To reach agreement…..
Focus on the problem.
Deal directly with relevant emissions.
No Cap and Trade emission trading.
No energy efficiency regulation…..

Given the unproven emission reduction effects on global temperature – and the expense of emission reduction – the key is to engage in activities valuable in themselves, which also keep on track with emission reduction targets at minimal business disruption and expense.

Emission reduction could therefore also be much simpler, and easier to agree on – without emission trading complicating international trade relations.

Sufficient first phase 2020/2030 emission reduction is achieved by acting on ELECTRICITY generation (coal, gas) and TRANSPORT (mainly automobiles) alone, since these 2 sectors typically (as in the USA) account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.

The focus on electricity and transport gives several advantages:

1. Local environmental benefit from less pollution of sulphur and all else that’s in the emissions, regardless of the less certain or immediate global benefit from CO2 reduction.

2. Electricity supply alternatives which together with improved grid distribution gives better competition and keeps down electricity bills for consumers.

3. Transport alternatives (using electricity, hydrogen and other energy sources), which give variety of choice and competition advantages for consumers, additionally reducing the dependency on oil imports.

4. No trade problems: Unlike Cap and Trade, which involves cement, steel and other industries having to face imports from unregulated countries, the here suggested electricity and transport changes are not just more limited, but also largely local. Since there is little competition between say utility companies internationally, “best practice” results can be compared and shared.

Funding and Impact
Equity and long term loan finance can be used: Long term industrial loans from financial institutions, particularly if federal/state guaranteed, give low yearly interest repayments and lessen the effect on electricity bills or transport cost.

Compare with
today’s all-encompassing Cap and Trade (emission trading) suggestions, with unpredictability, expense, and needless disruption from normal business practice on one hand, or unnecessary profiteering from free allowance handouts with little actual emission reduction on the other hand – together with extensive -and unnecessary- regulation on what people can or can’t buy and use.

Understanding why proposed Cap and Trade is bad, in USA and elsewhere
http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x
Basic Idea — Offsets — Tree Planting — Manufacture Shift — Fair Trade — Surreal Market — Real Market — Allowances: Auctions + Hand-Outs — Allowance Trading — Companies: Business Stability + Business Cost — In Conclusion

The Way Forward
http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x
Introduction — Funding and Impact —No Energy Efficiency Regulation — A New Electric World
Electricity Generation — Distribution
Transport Power Generation — Regulation — Taxation

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