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Resisting Climate Hysteria

Funny how billions spent on Instagram videos, Netflix shows, iPhones, needless electronics, and Taylor Swift concerts never gets accused of causing greenhouse emissions or global warming or climate change....
Actually .. they do. Your quite right. The impact of the internet as a whole is enormous.

But probably the most profound impact, IMV, is the relentless spreading of lies which undermine the urgency of tacking global heating.:D

 
Actually .. they do. Your quite right. The impact of the internet as a whole is enormous.

But probably the most profound impact, IMV, is the relentless spreading of lies which undermine the urgency of tacking global heating.:D


Yes, the urgency has been the issue. What urgency? We've all posted examples of the lies presented by climate scientists claiming that the World was going to blow up in 10 years, or tipping points, which never happened. The predictions of climate breakdown is a sick joke.

The real trouble is the global boiling scare campaign is going to be treated for what it is. The boy who cried wolf.
 
the relentless spreading of lies which undermine the urgency of tacking global heating.
The real trouble is the global boiling scare campaign is going to be treated for what it is. The boy who cried wolf.
I see both sides of this one, having been involved with and otherwise following the issue longer than most.

On one side there's a lot of nonsense that could be summed up as the false virtues of fossil fuels. They have their definite good points but it's also true to say they're a long way short of perfect, there's a lot of downsides there with geographic location and geopolitics, technical difficulties, non-climate environmental impacts, human health impacts and so on. There's a lot of reasons to at least try and come up with alternatives.

On the other hand the climate activists are their own worst enemy and of that I've seen more than enough.

I'll use the analogy of saying suppose we had a really popular entertainer that lots of people wanted to see live.

Regardless of whether they thought the entertainment was worthwhile or not, an engineer would focus on how to do it and that being so, they'd suggest we use the biggest stadiums we've got, like the MCG for example, and turn them into makeshift concert venues. Makeshift since they weren't built for music but they'll do, they're good enough for the purpose. That way we get as many people as possible seeing the performance, bearing in mind that due to time constraints there's a very real limit to how many shows can be done.

The climate activists will however take a very different view, complaining about noise, impact on birds, transport logistics, saying it'll ruin the playing surface and prevent the playing of cricket for the next 50 years, it'll cause deafness to the workers, and it might rain. They'll insist they support concerts and live music, it's just "industrial scale" ones they dislike but the arts as such are fine.

If the climate activists get their way there will be no show and not a single person will see the performance in this country. Then they'll carry on screaming that evil corporations or the major political parties have conspired against the arts, denying people the ability to attend the performance. Why not just hold it in a 5000 seat venue and do it nightly for a few months they ask, failing to see why that isn't a real option.

Thankfully music isn't run by activists but the analogy is very real. My observation is the activists scream very loudly about wanting something done, then fail to support the action required to actually fix the issue.

If you really are drowning, you don't complain about the details of how you're rescued, right? :2twocents
 
Stock up on canned tomatoes for your bolognese.

IMG_2250.jpeg
 
Al Gore in his 2007 Nobel Peace Prize speech: "A study by Navy research scientists say The Arctic will be ice-free in as little as 7 years."

I'm sure this chart must be fake.

Screenshot 2024-02-24 at 12.35.18 pm.png
 
No. Not fake. Full chart below.
View attachment 171501

Thanks. Doesn't quite match the other chart. This is at the lower end of the range compared to the one I posted which is at the top end. But either way, there's still ice there, a decade after it was supposed to be ice free. The scientists making these projections are an absolute joke. Almost as bad as the resource experts predicting a nickel deficit this year.
 
Thanks. Doesn't quite match the other chart. This is at the lower end of the range compared to the one I posted which is at the top end. But either way, there's still ice there, a decade after it was supposed to be ice free. The scientists making these projections are an absolute joke. Almost as bad as the resource experts predicting a nickel deficit this year.
I bet Al Gore got it wrong.

The IPCc have always understated it and been too conservative.
They have had to change their statements over time.

You can look up each year on this NASA website. Pretty cool.

 
I bet Al Gore got it wrong.

The IPCc have always understated it and been too conservative.
They have had to change their statements over time.

"The IPCC report concluded that the Arctic would lose its summer ice in the 2040s in intermediate and high emissions scenarios, but the new research advances that by a decade into the 2030s. -6 June 2023"

You can look up each year on this NASA website. Pretty cool.

The more conservative apocalypse takes longer to disprove. ;)
 
Guess we'll have to wait for the apocalypse to see ;)
Being able to ship goods over the polar ice caps in summer might actually be good for trade.

China call it the polar silk road and have been building ships to use it.


 
Being able to ship goods over the polar ice caps in summer might actually be good for trade.

China call it the polar silk road and have been building ships to use it.


It's a bit like building concentration camps for the China sniffles.
 
The climate activists will however take a very different view, complaining about noise, impact on birds, transport logistics, saying it'll ruin the playing surface and prevent the playing of cricket for the next 50 years, it'll cause deafness to the workers, and it might rain. They'll insist they support concerts and live music, it's just "industrial scale" ones they dislike but the arts as such are fine.
Really Smurf ? I can hear some arguments about climate activists but for the life of me I can't recall anyone seriously trying to say big concerts/events shouldn't be held in major stadiums. And if someone did I would be amazed if they weren't laughed down.

I will take the point about the balancing of particular activities from a climate change/environment/ business profit POV.

Essentially the business profit POV often gets the loudest voice in the conversation. I think property developers and mining operators are up there with the most hard nosed profit based proposals. For example give property developers an inch and they would flatten everything in site to throw up the biggest, cheapest, poorest quality high rises they could away with. One could argue otherwise but frankly the evidence is overwhelming. This industry make its biggest bucks on volume and cheapness. If we don't have robust oversight of property developers we inevitably end up with poorer long term outcomes.

The Mining industry doesn't have a great record either. The most challenging aspects are often destruction of the area being mined, the creation of massive and dangerous pollutions from the operations and leaving old mining operations a blight on the landscape. There is supposed to be a bond put in place for rehab but when companies go down good look with that.

Back to actions to tackle global warming. The totally commercial aspect of businesses can end up with projects that make money but end up leaving problems and damage behind for others to clear. Here is a specific example. Large scale solar farms are required to generate renewable energy. They will require upgraded power lines to move electricity around. I think these can be built in ways that do not seriously blight the landscape. But sometimes a bit of give and take can make the final picture more agreeable to all parties rather than just the quickest, commercial route that doesn't give a xxxx about anything else.

Solar farms themself ? There is now a wealth of research that shows that solar farms can work in synergy with grazing, agriculture and native environment protection. On the face of it the amount off solar panels would be 10-15% less. However the value of the attendant industry increases the overall value of the project and improves the environment. Win, Win , Win

At one stage in my life I was involved with some farming ventures . I got to learn a lot more about farming and the balancing of interest.
At that time farmers would clear and sow fence to fence. All wheat, all sheep half a dozen trees if one was lucky.

At that stage Dep of Ag and CSIRO were doing trials with the creation of strips of trees and native vegetation along fence lines. Farmers thought this was waste of precious cropping land - until they saw the outcomes of farms that trialed this approach.

1) The trees acted as a wind break and reduced drying effects of hot winds. Cropping yields went up
2) The strips offered protection for sheep and lambs in harsh weather. Animals did better, losses went down
3) Choosing high value trees in the strips added long term value for the farmer
4) The increase in bird,insect and plant biodiversity reduced insect attacks on crops.
 
Really Smurf ? I can hear some arguments about climate activists but for the life of me I can't recall anyone seriously trying to say big concerts/events shouldn't be held in major stadiums.
I think I made it pretty clear that was an analogy. ;)

The climate equivalent would be if anyone opposed, in an overall sense as distinct from a minority of specific projects, the measures required to transition society away from fossil fuels.

The basic problem with activists in my view is on one hand they're quick to identify the problem with fossil fuels and will decry anyone who denies it. On the other hand they themselves are the ultimate deniers of the scale of what's required to actually fix it.
Professional scientists and others doing work related to ecology, conservation, environmental impacts and so on sure, no problem there. Such people tend to stick to the facts and are fully aware that we live in a world of trade offs where no perfect solution will be found. Even if priorities differ, it's easily possible to have rational dialogue with such people and look for solutions or workarounds to problems. For the record I'm actually good friends with one.

Adding to that, I'll readily acknowledge the energy industry itself has undeniably done things that shouldn't have been done. Damming Lagoon of Islands was one, Lake Pedder was another, it was never built but one of the nuclear proposals 50 years ago was in a shockingly bad location too, thank heavens it wasn't built. Not sure how public that one was so I won't identify the location - let's just say it's appropriately named but not smart, oh no it wasn't.

So on occasion activists have had a point, no argument there. The problem however is that the whole thing has run off the rails and we've got a situation where calm, rational evaluation of the options just isn't happening.

We've come to a point now, and I can state this with certainty, that potential developers just won't even take some things through to the point of a serious proposal because they know full well it'll end up with a battle that drags the company's name through the mud, costs a fortune, ties up staff who could instead be applied to other matters and ends up not building it anyway. And so they go for the easy option of gas or diesel, and as of a month ago there were 24 new fossil fuel generating units under active consideration within the NEM not including Kurri Kurri or Tallawarra B.

Even wind farms are facing that problem. Opposition to offshore wind in NSW, Victoria and SA, opposition to onshore wind, uncertainty about transmission and so on is scaring off investors. Hence there's only 8 committed new wind farms in the NEM as of a month ago (counting single projects split into stages as 1 wind farm) and not a single one in Tasmania following the Robbins Island debacle which has sent investors running.

Then there's the issue that we've still got gas being installed into practically every new home built in several states.

Against that backdrop are the real scientists along with the engineers and so on shaking their heads. Politics has turned the whole situation into a fiasco where not enough is being built and the public's confused as to what's true and what's not both with climate science itself and the energy supply responses to it.

What did that? Well it wasn't real science of any sort and it wasn't engineering. Nor was it legitimate management and nor was it trades and construction workers. No, it was politics and game playing and that goes for both sides.

One one hand are the conservatives who seem to think doing nothing at all is the way to run a country. That there's a need to renew energy infrastructure regardless seems to have completely escaped them.

On the other hand are the activists who downplay the scale of what's required and who've convinced the public that it's all far easier than it is. Rather than softening the public up to accept what needs to happen, they've done the opposite and convinced the masses that all we need is a few solar panels and batteries and we're done. Nothing could be further from the truth.

On the climate science well I'm not the right person for that. But if it's anywhere near the truth then Australia's not even remotely on track to do it's part in fixing it and nor are most.

Now if I point that out to those I'll classify as activists, well I know what happens. Outright denial that we're not on track and that it's not all going perfectly to plan. Push the point and here come the personal insults, accusations and so on.

On the other hand, if we take people who aren't political activists of any sort then even among those who don't consider climate change to be a problem, who see no need to shift away from fossil fuels at all, I doubt they'd disagree with the statement that we're not actually moving away from them at any sort of decent pace. They might not agree on the need, but they can see what is and isn't happening.

So overall I don't hate anyone, I'll actually agree with the activists on a few points, but overall the politics needs to stop and that goes for all sides. Regardless of whether your perspective is climate, energy supply or the economy, it's not doing anyone any good to be blunt.

As for fossil fuel use and emissions, well I think the trend's pretty clear:

1709063503441.png


1709062987050.png


The scale of the task is immense. Hence my point that if there's to be any chance of doing it then politics, from all sides, needs to get out of the way and leave the scientists, engineers and construction workers to get on with it. If there's a genuine concern about something then refer that to the environmental scientists to evaluate but there isn't time to spend a decade on each and every project going through objections based on visual amenity, who'll own it, who might or might not have walked there, that there's some pretty rocks lying on the ground or the loss of some generic bushland.

But sure, if there really is an endangered species that lives there or the Flying Doctor really does use the road as an airstrip where the transmission line is planned to cross well that's a real problem yes. :2twocents
 
After the covid reaction and the way the scientific/medical community got it so wrong to the point we have now mass injured the human race. I think it's safe to say "Stop listening to leftist cults".

They have absolutely botched everything they have touched.
 
I think I made it pretty clear that was an analogy. ;)

The climate equivalent would be if anyone opposed, in an overall sense as distinct from a minority of specific projects, the measures required to transition society away from fossil fuels.

The basic problem with activists in my view is on one hand they're quick to identify the problem with fossil fuels and will decry anyone who denies it. On the other hand they themselves are the ultimate deniers of the scale of what's required to actually fix it.
Professional scientists and others doing work related to ecology, conservation, environmental impacts and so on sure, no problem there. Such people tend to stick to the facts and are fully aware that we live in a world of trade offs where no perfect solution will be found. Even if priorities differ, it's easily possible to have rational dialogue with such people and look for solutions or workarounds to problems. For the record I'm actually good friends with one.

Adding to that, I'll readily acknowledge the energy industry itself has undeniably done things that shouldn't have been done. Damming Lagoon of Islands was one, Lake Pedder was another, it was never built but one of the nuclear proposals 50 years ago was in a shockingly bad location too, thank heavens it wasn't built. Not sure how public that one was so I won't identify the location - let's just say it's appropriately named but not smart, oh no it wasn't.

So on occasion activists have had a point, no argument there. The problem however is that the whole thing has run off the rails and we've got a situation where calm, rational evaluation of the options just isn't happening.

We've come to a point now, and I can state this with certainty, that potential developers just won't even take some things through to the point of a serious proposal because they know full well it'll end up with a battle that drags the company's name through the mud, costs a fortune, ties up staff who could instead be applied to other matters and ends up not building it anyway. And so they go for the easy option of gas or diesel, and as of a month ago there were 24 new fossil fuel generating units under active consideration within the NEM not including Kurri Kurri or Tallawarra B.

Even wind farms are facing that problem. Opposition to offshore wind in NSW, Victoria and SA, opposition to onshore wind, uncertainty about transmission and so on is scaring off investors. Hence there's only 8 committed new wind farms in the NEM as of a month ago (counting single projects split into stages as 1 wind farm) and not a single one in Tasmania following the Robbins Island debacle which has sent investors running.

Then there's the issue that we've still got gas being installed into practically every new home built in several states.

Against that backdrop are the real scientists along with the engineers and so on shaking their heads. Politics has turned the whole situation into a fiasco where not enough is being built and the public's confused as to what's true and what's not both with climate science itself and the energy supply responses to it.

What did that? Well it wasn't real science of any sort and it wasn't engineering. Nor was it legitimate management and nor was it trades and construction workers. No, it was politics and game playing and that goes for both sides.

One one hand are the conservatives who seem to think doing nothing at all is the way to run a country. That there's a need to renew energy infrastructure regardless seems to have completely escaped them.

On the other hand are the activists who downplay the scale of what's required and who've convinced the public that it's all far easier than it is. Rather than softening the public up to accept what needs to happen, they've done the opposite and convinced the masses that all we need is a few solar panels and batteries and we're done. Nothing could be further from the truth.

On the climate science well I'm not the right person for that. But if it's anywhere near the truth then Australia's not even remotely on track to do it's part in fixing it and nor are most.

Now if I point that out to those I'll classify as activists, well I know what happens. Outright denial that we're not on track and that it's not all going perfectly to plan. Push the point and here come the personal insults, accusations and so on.

On the other hand, if we take people who aren't political activists of any sort then even among those who don't consider climate change to be a problem, who see no need to shift away from fossil fuels at all, I doubt they'd disagree with the statement that we're not actually moving away from them at any sort of decent pace. They might not agree on the need, but they can see what is and isn't happening.

So overall I don't hate anyone, I'll actually agree with the activists on a few points, but overall the politics needs to stop and that goes for all sides. Regardless of whether your perspective is climate, energy supply or the economy, it's not doing anyone any good to be blunt.

As for fossil fuel use and emissions, well I think the trend's pretty clear:

View attachment 171707

View attachment 171706

The scale of the task is immense. Hence my point that if there's to be any chance of doing it then politics, from all sides, needs to get out of the way and leave the scientists, engineers and construction workers to get on with it. If there's a genuine concern about something then refer that to the environmental scientists to evaluate but there isn't time to spend a decade on each and every project going through objections based on visual amenity, who'll own it, who might or might not have walked there, that there's some pretty rocks lying on the ground or the loss of some generic bushland.

But sure, if there really is an endangered species that lives there or the Flying Doctor really does use the road as an airstrip where the transmission line is planned to cross well that's a real problem yes. :2twocents

Great analysis Smurf. I was very surprised with your initial comment about climate activists wanting to stop big concerts ...but it was just an analogy.

I was going to mention the Lake Pedder/ Franklin Dam/ mining the Barrier Reef proposals that were so wrong and so dangerous but still strongly supported by "the usual suspects". Glad you highlighted those.

The issue of how far and how quickly we have to move on CC ? I have banged on about this for 30 years. At that stage we required a change of society direction with a new set of goals and policies to make these changes. That however required broad political agreement that there was a problem that needed such a response. If that had been gained, societies over a 30 year period could have made a clear but measured transition to a carbon free renewable energy sources and a range of other changes that would avert the problems CC would bring.

In 2024 we have moved only a (small) part of the way to that goal. Unfortunately in far too many ways we went backwards in terms of producing far more GG than can be recycled in the environment. Your graphs make that clear.

In terms of what to do ? Since about 2006 when the Stern report came out the necessity to take a far more determined approach to changing how we lived became apparent. A few solar panels, a worm farm and recycling cans wasn't going to cut it. That reality is now painfully clear in 2024.

Frankly I think everyone is now thinking in terms of damage control. Triage. How likely is that to work ? The refusal of so many people to even acknowledge there is a problem let alone taking drastic action to survive the outcomes doesn't bode well. The observations that "the world hasn't ended yet . Whats the problem ?" reflect comments from a person falling out of plane without a parachute and noting at 10,000 feet that there is no problem.

It's worth considering the Stern report in that context. This was a conservative economist analysis of what consequences of unrestrained global warming would have on our collective future. It was hoped this would be a turning point in political/community discussion on the topic. It was powerful but even then underestimated the consequences of allowing continued increases in human produced greenhouse gases.

 
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