Spring Break
We can't stop global warming
Ian Bezek
Issue date: 4/7/09 Section: Opinion
In 2006, China added France to its power grid. Not literally of course, but China built so many new power plants in one year that they could power all of France.
In fact, according to Robert Bryce's book "Gusher of Lies," China is building a new coal-fired power plant every four days.
Even if we assume (in both cases falsely) that global warming is real and that we will magically find enough new reserves of fossil fuels to keep running our carbon-based power facilities, we can't stop global warming.
Why can't we stop it? The drivers of new carbon emissions aren't America, Europe or other already developed economies. Instead, the biggest increase in greenhouse gas emissions is coming from industrializing nations such as China and India who, we can be sure, won't go along with such niceties as the Kyoto Protocol.
Following Kyoto would be economic suicide for China. Their entire economy is built on the notion that they will be the world's factory. They make low quality easy-to-manufacture junk.
The manufacture of these rudimentary goods requires exceptional amounts of power. It is a pipe dream to believe that China, whose economy relies on building things more cheaply than all competition, will agree to costly regulation to limit carbon emissions.
A nation building roughly 80 coal power plants a year doesn't care even remotely about the environment. According to the "China Daily" newspaper, Chinese water minister Wang Shucheng admitted in 2005 that there are more than 300 million Chinese people "whose drinking water security cannot be guaranteed." China doesn't even provide fresh water to its people, let alone care to stop global warming.
As long as China and other rapidly growing nations remove themselves from the global warming discussion, there is no way to reduce human-caused carbon emissions. Bryce points out that by 2006, China was burning more coal than the U.S., Europe and Japan combined. America can bury as much carbon as it wants, it won't matter even slightly with China burning low-grade coal in ever-increasing quantities.
In fact, according to Robert Bryce's book "Gusher of Lies," China is building a new coal-fired power plant every four days.
Even if we assume (in both cases falsely) that global warming is real and that we will magically find enough new reserves of fossil fuels to keep running our carbon-based power facilities, we can't stop global warming.
Why can't we stop it? The drivers of new carbon emissions aren't America, Europe or other already developed economies. Instead, the biggest increase in greenhouse gas emissions is coming from industrializing nations such as China and India who, we can be sure, won't go along with such niceties as the Kyoto Protocol.
Following Kyoto would be economic suicide for China. Their entire economy is built on the notion that they will be the world's factory. They make low quality easy-to-manufacture junk.
The manufacture of these rudimentary goods requires exceptional amounts of power. It is a pipe dream to believe that China, whose economy relies on building things more cheaply than all competition, will agree to costly regulation to limit carbon emissions.
A nation building roughly 80 coal power plants a year doesn't care even remotely about the environment. According to the "China Daily" newspaper, Chinese water minister Wang Shucheng admitted in 2005 that there are more than 300 million Chinese people "whose drinking water security cannot be guaranteed." China doesn't even provide fresh water to its people, let alone care to stop global warming.
As long as China and other rapidly growing nations remove themselves from the global warming discussion, there is no way to reduce human-caused carbon emissions. Bryce points out that by 2006, China was burning more coal than the U.S., Europe and Japan combined. America can bury as much carbon as it wants, it won't matter even slightly with China burning low-grade coal in ever-increasing quantities.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 15
Thomas Anderson
posted 4/07/09 @ 10:29 AM MST
Mr. Bezek,
Beginning an entire article, that's based on an assumption that global warming is a real danger, with "Even if we assume (in both cases falsely) that global warming is real" is contradictory. (Continued…)
Chunk
posted 4/07/09 @ 2:13 PM MST
I have to agree with Thomas. I fail to see why you bothered writing this column at all. The title of it, effectively, is "We can't stop something that doesn't exist. (Continued…)
Registered Independent
posted 4/07/09 @ 8:49 PM MST
Confused, at a loss, in the dark? Trying to grapple with information that is beyond you?
What Ian has presented here is called a "hypothetical situation. (Continued…)
Stan
posted 4/08/09 @ 2:25 PM MST
I like the article. It may not seem like it is appropriate on a financial site but I disagree. Everything that those lunatics in Washington does has an effect on the market. (Continued…)
Thomas Anderson
posted 4/09/09 @ 10:17 AM MST
"I agree Stan. I have tried to argue that CO2 is not the driver to global warming, but no global warming advocate wants to actually investigate it."
The science behind co2 being linked to global warming is very simple. (Continued…)
Dustin
posted 4/09/09 @ 6:46 PM MST
well put Thomas...
Regardless of whether global warming is real or not are you people (those of you who believe it is not) ignorant enough to still disregard the effects of co2 emissions in addition to the effects of various other forms of pollution?
Whether you are willing to accept it or not, your actions have consequences. (Continued…)
jimmy
posted 4/10/09 @ 7:25 AM MST
[QUOTE id="77fc4bae-bef3-4f20-b4d4-95ce75afbb2d"]well put Thomas...
Regardless of whether global warming is real or not are you people (those of you who believe it is not) ignorant enough to still disregard the effects of co2 emissions in addition to the effects of various other forms of pollution?
Whether you are willing to accept it or not, your actions have consequences. (Continued…)
Registered Independent
posted 4/10/09 @ 7:40 AM MST
Response to Dustin,
You are sitting at a computer that uses an enormous amount of power. A lot of pollution is caused creating the power to make that computer work. (Continued…)
Thomas Anderson
posted 4/10/09 @ 8:34 AM MST
Arvensis,
How can we be so alike and so different at the same time? I spent an entire semester studying the effects and possible causes of global warming. (Continued…)
Arvensis
posted 4/10/09 @ 9:11 AM MST
Dustin -
"are you people (those of you who believe it is not) ignorant enough to still disregard the effects of co2 emissions in addition to the effects of various other forms of pollution?"
There is NO proof that CO2 emissions are causing global warming, and CO2 is not pollution. (Continued…)
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