SOME GOOD (CLIMATE) NEWS TO FINISH THE YEAR

AUSTRALIA CAN MEET ITS 2030 PARIS CLIMATE PLEDGE FOR FREE

Australia made a bold pledge when it signed the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement -- to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 - 28 percent by 3030. A new study by the Australian National University (ANU) shows that because of the rapidly falling cost of renewable energy, Australia can meet that goal at zero net cost.

 Sundrop Farms, Port Augusta, South Australia

Credit: Sundrop Farms

As anyone who has spent time in Australia knows, the country has abundant solar and wind potential. The ANU researchers note that these renewable energy sources will reach grid parity -- that is, they'll be no more costly than electricity on Australia's current national grid -- by 2020 (and cheaper soon after that). As a result, phasing out existing coal- and gas-fired generating plants and replacing them with renewable sources will actually save money.

Even when the researchers added in the costs of new pumped hydro storage and new long-distance power lines to ensure adequate electricity at night or during low-wind periods, the net cost still turns out to be zero.

Lower level of Tumut 3 Pumped Hydropower Station, NSW, Australia/Credit: CMH at English Wikipedia

“The cost of renewables includes stabilising the electricity grid with energy storage and stronger interstate powerlines to ensure that the grid continues to be reliable,” says Andrew Blakers, at the ANU Research School of Engineering. "Our study shows that we can make the switch to affordable and reliable clean power."

Kudos to Australia for its vision and willingness to move rapidly in this vitally necessary direction. With the cost of renewable energy plummeting worldwide, Australia can serve as a bellwether for the rest of the world.

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FRENCH PRESIDENT MACRON--"MAKE OUR PLANET GREAT AGAIN!"

Macron invites American scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs concerned about climate change to "come and work with us."

The youthful and forward-looking President of France, Emmanuel Macron, hit the nail on the head with his comments in response to President Trump's decision to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on climate.

French President Emmanuel Macron

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

“To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision of the president of the United States, I want to say that they will find in France a second homeland,” he said. “I call on them: come and work here with us. To work together on concrete solutions for our climate, our environment. I can assure you, France will not give up the fight.”
. . .

"We will succeed because we are fully committed," he said. "Because wherever we live, whoever we are, we all share the same responsibility. Make our planet great again!"

You can see Macron's comments on YouTube (in English) here.

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TRUMP PULLS US OUT OF PARIS CLIMATE ACCORD--WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

I just watched the White House Rose Garden presentation in which Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Accord.

Trump cast the withdrawal from the long-sought and almost universally applauded international climate agreement as saving the United States, its economy and its workers from an unfair, costly, "draconian" and "onerous" compact that would give away our money, our sovereignty and our potential for economic growth to greedy foreign countries that consistently out-bargain us, exploit us and laugh at us at the same time.

"We want fair treatment," Trump declared. "We don't want other countries and their leaders laughing at us, and they won't be." 

A lot of people may be crying over the repercussions of this decision, now and far into the future. But way to go, Mr. President; nobody is laughing.*

Trump withdraws US from Paris Accord, 6/1/17
Credit: UPI

*Except perhaps Steve Bannon, Scott Pruitt and Vladimir Putin.

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SYRIA, NICARAGUA AND US--CLIMATE-CHANGE BUDDIES

The company we keep

If Donald Trump follows through on his threats to take the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, it will put the US in the same basket as just two other countries. On the issue of saving the world from anthropogenic climate disruption, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Syria and Nicaragua versus 194 other nations--the rest of the world.

Syria is a fractured, war-torn country of 17 million people with a per-capita GDP somewhere between $2800 and $5000 per year, led by its dictatorial president, Bashar al-Assad. More than 6 million of its citizens have been internally displaced or have fled as refugees. Because of its ongoing civil war and international sanctions, Syria was "in no position" to commit to climate-related goals.

Bashar al-Assad

Credit: Wikipedia

Nicaragua is an equally impoverished country, one of the poorest in the Americas, whose 6 million citizens generate somewhere between $2200 and $5700 per year in GDP, and are led by dictatorial president Daniel Ortega. Due to instability, poverty and crime, it's also the source of thousands of refugees, most of whom flee south to Costa Rica. Ortega refused to sign the Paris Accord because he wanted it to be binding and enforceable.

Daniel Ortega

Credit: Wikipedia

And then there's us, and our president.

Donald Trump

Credit: Wikipedia

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