Posted on 01/15/2019 1:06:35 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
Climate change could be kept in check if a phaseout of all fossil fuel infrastructure were to begin immediately, according to research.
It shows that meeting the internationally agreed aspiration of keeping global warming to less than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels is still possible. The scientists say it is therefore the choices being made by global society, not physics, which is the obstacle to meeting the goal.
The study found that if all fossil fuel infrastructure – power plants, factories, vehicles, ships and planes – from now on are replaced by zero-carbon alternatives at the end of their useful lives, there is a 64% chance of staying under 1.5C.
Christopher Smith, of the University of Leeds, who led the research, said: “It’s good news from a geophysical point of view. We are basically saying we can’t build anything now that emits fossil fuels.”
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, used computer models to estimate by how much global temperatures would rise if a fossil fuel infrastructure phaseout began immediately. The lifespan for power plants was set at 40 years, cars an average of 15 years and planes 26 years. The work also assumes a rapid end to beef and dairy consumption, which is responsible for significant global emissions.
In this scenario, the models suggest carbon emissions would decline to zero over the next four decades and there would be a 66% chance of the global temperature rise remaining below 1.5C. If the phaseout does not begin until 2030, the chance is 33%.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Bullstalin
This is a baseless lie.It must be resisted.
um, sure.... NO.
“Models suggest”
Yea, of course it will.
Today, I was at a Walmart where they were installing about ten electric vehicle charging stations. The technicians believed in their product so much they all had gasoline burning trucks.
Then the oil companies can be sold for a song and then they can tell us that hydrocarbons were never bad for the environment.
Actually, I believe this one. The consequences of cutting off our current economy, “cold turkey,” for green-only energy would be catastrophic. So many would die that a lot less energy would be used by those remaining. Heck, the atmosphere could even afford to let them have a hamburger every so often, out of gratitude.
It's just gone into a double dynamo super minimum.
Everything we do on Earth is piddly squat compared to a .5% reduction in output from said big ball of plasma.
Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Yeah sure, then soon we’ll have to start eating each other. Great plan.
China, India, Africa - they’re not in a position to do it, and so it’s not going to happen.
Which would mean the economy would come to a standstill and everybody would be walking around naked living in trees yet again.
Great. We’ll save the world, but all freeze or starve to death in the meantime. There are no feasible alternatives to fossil fuels for many current uses. Eventually we will probably move away from burning stuff for energy, but we’re some way from that yet.
Models suggest that I will be the next President of the USA
I am the right age. There are just a few extenuating circumstances that get in the way.
Same same.
“could” is a guess.
The author of this junk should go first. Lead by example. Show us how it’s done skippy.
Is that all? Well, let’s stop burning that stuff today....
Worth repeating .. gets my vote.
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