Heathrow runway three and peak oil

So the Government has given the go ahead for a third runway at Heathrow. Lots of protest and lots of support.

Most of the protest centres around noise, air quality and carbon dioxide emissions - important considerations, the last one particularly if we are to achieve 80% cuts in CO2 by 2050.

Perhaps though the most obvious problem with the plan is being ignored - that of peak oil. A recent report The Oil Crunch - featured on this blog here suggested that we might see supply side problems in the UK as early as 20011/12. With supply problems come oil price hikes and with that the whole financial model for the third runway falls apart.

For me, it is inconceivable that the growth in flying will continue much longer - by the time the third runway is built in 10 years time, aviation will be in decline as oil prices make flying unattainable for most people.

Would be much better to invest the £7B investment in green renewable technologies.

Google and CO2

Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard academic has claimed that a typical Google search on a desktop computer produces about 7g CO2 - two search equal the same CO2 emissions as boiling a kettle. How? Google runs a lot of servers which use a lot of electricity.

For a fuller account see the BBC website here.

ExxonMobil calls for green taxes

ExxonMobil is the world's largest oil company and for years it has downplayed the role that fossils fuels have played in affecting the climate. Indeed the company has funded many organisation involved in global warming denial.

Now the boss of Exxon Roy Tillerson has come out and called for a carbon tax. This no doubt reflects the new politics emerging in the US with Obama's Presidency just days away.

Others have suggested that asking for a carbon tax is less damaging to the oil industry than carbon caps which form the European 'cap and trade' schemes.

Earthscan Sustainability 2

Earthscan recently held a conference in London 'Does Sustainability need an update?'

Brilliant speech by Professor Bill Adams - available as a video download - really recommend it.

Watch the video here

Climate Safety

This new report from the Public Interest Research Centre brings the science of climate change up to date since the publication of the IPCC AR4 reports - although these were only published last year they were based on peer reviewed science which was 5 years old. Climate Safety updates - particularly on Arctic Ice Melt and carbon sink effectiveness.

Their report can be downloaded here.

The foreword is written by Sir John Houghton - co-chair of the IPCC and former DG of the Met Office. He states "I wish to commend the authors of the Climate Safety report for their carefully researched assessment of the climate future, the severity of its likely impacts as currently understood and the urgent demands that are made on both global and national action. They point out the 2°C target as currently pursued will almost certainly turn out to be inadequate and will soon need to be substantially strengthened."

The main conclusion of the report is that as climate change is occurring much quicker than originally predicted, in order to maintain global temperature increases below 2 degrees C CO2 levels will have to be stabilised at 300ppm and not the 450-550ppm recommended by the Committee on Climate Change or in the Stern Report.

The report concludes with a series of required actions.

An important read.

Mark Lynas - author of Six Degree said the following of the report “Climate Safety plainly shows us that we need to inject a sense of urgency into the debate about how we respond to climate change. It’s not about gradually reducing emissions any more, it’s about recognising the risks we face and cutting our emissions to zero as quickly as possible.”

George Monbiot, Guardian columnist said “You cannot overstate the importance of this report: it has opened my eyes to levels of climate risk far beyond those of which I was aware. Crisp, clear-headed and profoundly shocking, this report should be read immediately by everyone who cares.”

80% by 2050 - legal assent

80% by 2050 is now legally binding! The Climate Change Bill received Royal Assent on the 1st Dec.. The Climate Change Committee has been set up to over see monitoring - they have have new web site - see here.

The CCC have recommended a 34% (cf 1990) cut in CO2 emissions by 2020 - see their press release here.

In addition they have published a huge document on creating a low carbon economy based on the new legislation. This is clearly and important document which I have yet to read - it is downloadable here.

This is important stuff - visit the web site - 34% cuts in CO2 in 12 years time is a stiff target which can only be achieved by major change

One Shot Left

George Monbiot's latest offering in the Guardian is the most gloomy thing I have read about climate change ever

He has based his conclusions on the recent findings of Jim Hansen the NASA climate specialist. Hansen assets that 350ppm is the safe level of CO2 in the atmosphere (we are currently above 380ppm) and anything above that could lead to rapid catastrophic climate change across the globe.

Monbiot also refers to the work of the Public Interest Research Centre who are holding a conference on the topic on Thursday 27th Nov.

The science has moved on rapidly from the 2007 IPCC reports, ice sheets melting much more rapidly, methane venting from the tundra etc etc etc.

It is obviously time to act (80% by 2050) but have we left it too late.......

Gloomy, Monbiot, may be but One Shot Left is essential reading.