Posted on 09/22/2018 7:35:10 PM PDT by texas booster
The latest in a string of monster storms of recent years, Hurricane Florence punctuates the fact that the cost of climate pollution is accelerating.
Duke Energy executives bear much of the blame for Hurricane Florence’s devastation. The Charlotte-based corporation is one of the world’s largest climate polluters, it’s been aggressively expanding its use of climate-wrecking fracked gas (methane), opposing requirements to curb methane venting and leakage, impeding the cheaper, clean-energy solutions that are ready to replace fossil-fueled electricity, and suppressing attention to these interrelated factors.
In short, Duke’s Energy’s “natural” gas expansion is amplifying global heating at the worst possible time:
There is scientific consensus that global emissions of methane – which is 100 times stronger than carbon dioxide at trapping atmospheric heat in the critical short term – have soared for 12 years and become a key driver of global heating. NASA scientists recently confirmed that the methane increase is mostly from fossil fuels. The 12-year time period corresponds with the U.S. fracking boom, which spews unburned methane into the air, needlessly. Due to its potency, methane begins trapping heat immediately, spreads quickly across Earth’s atmosphere, and has helped produce record-breaking global temperatures since 2014. Rising global heat is changing the jet stream and weather systems, which amplifies tropical storms and slows them down for prolonged destruction.
Hurricanes aren’t new, but as UNC-CH’s Dr. Jason West recently wrote, “climate change is like putting our weather on steroids … making events like Hurricane Florence more likely or severe … the media need to report that.”
While science can’t prove Florence was worsened by Duke Energy decision-makers, a reasonable, conservative approach to the crisis demands extreme caution regarding this known hazard: methane. Plus, since fossil fueled electricity can be phased out quickly while avoiding billions of dollars in unneeded fracked gas investments, shouldn’t we at least be openly discussing our energy options?
The gas-climate connection also increases hazards for thousands of dedicated Duke Energy workers who leave their families to restore power even as storms roar.
Is NC WARN exploiting misery by calling out Duke Energy leaders? No. Millions of people and animals are already being devastated each year by climate disasters – disproportionately low-income and communities of color such as those in the eastern Carolinas that Florence has hammered yet again. We’re trying to avoid having these disasters keep worsening forever.
United Nations chief António Guterres recently emphasized that “If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change.”
Scientists from NOAA, Cornell and other institutions say curbing methane leakage and venting from the gas-to-power system – which is cost-effective according to the Rocky Mountain Institute and others – can have immediate, positive impacts, while buying time to phase out CO2 emissions.
Indeed, if we don’t begin slowing methane emissions, it’s game over. Humanity will soon cross the threshold toward runaway climate, social and economic chaos.
No wonder indigenous Arctic groups and others already suffering from climate disruption are demanding immediate methane reductions.
Fortunately, we don’t need the gas. Proven solutions for phasing out all coal- and gas-fired power – such as local solar-with-storage and energy-balancing programs – are surging in free markets. They’re cheaper, can be deployed immediately, and they create resiliency against grid outages (see our NC Clean Path 2025).
By contrast, Duke Energy’s new 15-year plan dismisses battery storage while projecting construction of 24 large gas-fired plants in the Carolinas and the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline. As other utilities and states are moving to go all-renewable, Duke plans to be only 7% renewable by 2033 – despite all the slick advertising.
Reasonable people need to connect the dots and demand accountability, such as truly open discussion and evidentiary hearings regarding Duke’s 15-year plan.
Making climate change controversial, thus stifling media attention, was a greedy corporate strategy that has threatened literally all life on Earth.
The people of North Carolina and the executives of Duke Energy – one of the world’s largest utilities – must finally begin an open, democratic discussion of how the Charlotte-based corporation could use its enormous resources to help avert runaway climate chaos instead of blocking climate solutions and selling its “clean natural gas” propaganda.
Media executives must step up and foster that discussion, especially because corporate giants have bought the silence and support of most of our alleged leaders.
Jim Warren is executive director of Durham-based NC WARN
Pure Bravo Sierra.
Click the link below to see 166 years of hurricane history in the United States. Nothing has changed.
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E23.html
Well, they certainly “fueled” the argument by keeping liberals from freezing to death. I wonder if there’s some kind of AI electric meter that can divine your political leanings.
They also forgot to condemn the swamps and cattle.
These people are insane
Some giant mosquitoes around Sabine, Texas were worse ever that didn’t retreat from Deet. Louisiana tall-grass marsh has two inch horse flies that beat all others ever encountered.
Thank you, I'll be here all week.
As hurricanes go Florence was a minor burp. High pressure systems prevented to from taking its natural northeasterly course.
Article is all BS.
Let’s see, seems every type of electrical power generation other than wind and solar is evil.
What we need to see is a video/pictures of what a solar panel farm would look like to supply the energy for a large city, the backup generation, storage, etc.
Effects on the environment, flora and fauna of the wind turbines sq miles of panels, heat islands they would create.
It only floods where the Army Corp of Engineers has provided their services.
Monster storm? Pug-lease
Average hurricane strengths have been DECREASING in the past several decades, not increasing.
You have no clue what you’re talking about. Just repeating pablum.
Hate to tell these folks that we don’t vent methane. While we might have an occasional leak from time to time we go to great extremes to contain it. Methane is money! From the well, through the separator, through the treater and even what little goes into the tanks is contained. Most goes from the separator directly into the meter line. What we see as flares burning is being vented but it;s also burning to remove any methane escaping. What they’re not saying in the story is the earth burps and farts methane at an enormous rate whether it’s venting from the soil or bubbling up from the sea floor. Every lake in the US is a producer of methane. One of the largest producers of methane comes from landfills and every town in the US has at least one and some have several. Vent pipes have to be installed to keep pressures from building up and they don’t flare those due to the risk of setting other escaping gasses on fire.
The lies are starting to unravel, yet they keep promoting them...
How was Florence a “monster storm?”. It was a Cat 1.
Considering all the inputs, it’s doubtful that current “green” energy equipment ever generates enough lifetime energy to offset that used in their manufacturing.
I drove to Raleigh by Durham on I40 Friday and yesterday.
We saw at least 60_or so power trucks headed home to somewhere
LOL...how ridiculous...
leftist will believe any BS published...
Florence hit as just a Category 1. It was not a “monster storm”.
All sounded like horse hockey to me. Again.
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Where is the obligatory “BARF ALERT?”
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