How To Solve Global Warming

Image borrowed from https://www.joboneforhumanity.org/plan

A little while ago, I wrote an uncharacteristically (for me) pessimistic post about global warming in which I expressed my considered opinion that our species is not going to be able to solve this problem.  Well, as Theodore Roosevelt once said, "complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining."  

I believe that's a fair comment.  The problem is, I have no specific solutions to offer.   If I did, I'd be much richer and more famous than I am.  I only know that what we have done to this point is insufficient and, indeed, what we intend to do, based on the recent COP26 conference in Scotland isn't encouraging either.  I did, however, make what I think is a useful observation that might provide a broad suggestion as to what it will take to solve this crisis.

For example, while it`s clear that the mining and the burning of coal are significant sources of the CO<sup>2</sup> gas being added to the Earth`s atmosphere, neither China nor India, two of the world`s largest coal producers, have expressed a willingness to put an end to its mining.  Instead of agreeing to "phase out" (i.e. gradually end) coal production, they committed only to "phase down" (i.e. reduce) coal production.

Other countries were quick to condemn the two nations for their unwillingness to cooperate.  However, if one realizes that coal powers a significant portion of China's power grid and, indeed, that China needed to increase production after experiencing widespread power shortages in mid to late September, one comes to realize that it's not enough to simply agree to end activities that cause global warming.  We need to understand why those activities are in place and we need a concrete plan for how those needs will be met via alternate, environmental friendly resources.

To put a more personal spin on this, you might decide to commit to stop using natural gas, another source of CO², to heat your house, but first you need to figure out how else you are going to heat it, because you do need heat.  Once you've decided how you're going to heat your home without natural gas, you need a plan for converting to that method and it's going to cost money, so you also need to budget for it.

Another example; lots of people are looking toward replacing gasoline-powered cars with electrical ones as a way to significantly reduce CO² emissions.  After all, electrically-powered cars produce zero emissions.  No-brainer, right?  Except that electrical cars are expensive and not within everybody's budget, and charging stations are arguably still too few and far between, and charging a battery still takes a heck of a lot longer than filling a gas tank.  

 Further, although the electrical power grid can sustain the handful of E.V. (electric vehicle) owners out there to date, could it also support re-charging the literal millions of E.V.s that will flood the streets once we finally do away with gas-powered cars?  I've read stories about brown-outs and black-outs due only to increased air-conditioner usage during the summer months.  Yet we seem to assume that we can support this and recharging millions of electrical cars without a problem?  

The lithium batteries that power these cars don't have an infinite life span.  How are we going to dispose of or recycle them when they start reaching their end of lives in significant numbers?  And can we produce enough lithium to make the millions of batteries required for all those millions of E.V.s in the first place?  It's considered a "rare earth" mineral for a reason, you know.  

And what kind of CO² emissions are generated by the manufacturing process behind a typical E.V. in the first  place?  Will we simply be replacing the CO² emissions that come from driving our cars, with those that come from manufacturing them?  I haven't heard many of the same people that seem eager to embrace replacing gas-powered cars with E.V.s ask any of the above questions, and I sure haven't heard them answer any of them.

Don't misunderstand me.  This is not a defense of fossil fuels nor a denigration of electrical-powered transportation.  It's simply meant to point out the shortsightedness of those who over-simplify the problem of making the very necessary conversion from greenhouse gas-producing technologies to carbon-free or, at least, carbon-neutral ones.  It's not enough to say that we'll do it or even that we'll do it by a given date.  We need a concrete roadmap that lays out how this will happen; one that acknowledges that costs and inconveniences will have to be endured by all. Until we can do that, I say again ... we're doomed!

The Up-side Of 2020

I think that most people would agree that 2020 was not the best of years.  Aside from causing millions of deaths and sicknesses, COVID-19 has ravaged the world economy, throwing countless people out of work and causing the closure of countless businesses.  And yet, the Halmanator, being an eternal optimist, can find silver linings among even these ponderous clouds.  Here are some positive things that have come out of 2020.

The Environment

At their peak, daily global CO₂ emissions decreased by 26% compared with the mean 2019 levels, according to Nature Climate Change.  During the spring lock-downs, stories abounded about wildlife appearing in deserted city streets.  Aside from finally moving the carbon footprint in the right direction, this also refutes, once and for all, the argument that global warming is not caused by human activity.  The moment human activity is reduced, the carbon footprint decreases.  One couldn't ask for a clearer indication of cause and effect than that.  Perhaps more importantly, this has shown us that we can reduce carbon emissions.  It's not an unattainable goal.  We simply need the collective will to change our energy consumption habits.  The move from gasoline-powered cars to electric cars has been accelerated in many countries, promising a much-needed reduction in fossil fuel consumption within the next decade or so.  That's a definite step in the right direction.

Sharing the Wealth

Because of increased unemployment, many governments introduced some form of government income support until businesses could re-open and resume their activities.  This has shown us the benefits of a universal income program, something which had already been suggested before the pandemic, but which the pandemic may have accelerated.  Several countries are now looking much more seriously at this idea.  It's an improvement over traditional welfare because the recipient isn't penalized for improving his or her financial situation.

In This Together

Most people followed the new health and safety protocols, from wearing masks and frequent hand washing to staying home as much as possible to keeping a safe distance from others.  Many employers adopted a "work from home" policy and made it possible for employees to do so.  Front line workers including health care professionals, police, fire fighters, farmers, truck drivers and even common store clerks and food servers braved and continue to brave the risk of infection on a daily basis so that essential services can be provided.  Many of those with the financial means have donated to charities and food banks to help the less fortunate.  In many cases, the pandemic has brought out the best in people and has reminded us that we're stronger and more effective when we work together.

Trump Dumped

Yes, Donald Trump, that narcissistic, misogynistic, racist, vacuous, soulless, arrogant, jingoistic, narrow-minded, deceitful, elitist charlatan, the worst excuse for a man ever to occupy the office of President of the United States of America, has been voted out of that office.  Even so, he still refuses to accept defeat graciously, which in itself speaks volumes about his deplorable dearth of character.  No matter, the American people have spoken and the word is "go", and don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.  To quote Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka, "You get nothing!  You lose!  Good day sir!"

COVID-19 Vaccines

Not only have several viable COVID-19 vaccines been developed, but this has been accomplished in record time.  Perhaps this signals a new scientific approach that may herald similarly speedy cures for future diseases.  And lets not forget the brave volunteers who helped with early testing by agreeing to receive what was then an as yet untested vaccine so that it could be proven safe and effective.

2020 came with more than its share of challenges.  On that there can be no argument.  Yet it also reminded us of the indomitably of the human spirit, and what we can accomplish when we work together with goodwill and cooperation.  That's a message worth hearing.