11/12/12, “The moral logic of climate communication,” Grist, David Roberts
(6th parag. from end): “The facts and science of the disaster (Superstorm Sandy) underdetermine what sociocultural meaning it takes on. But that does not mean that Andy Revkin, or you, or I, or anyone, should be neutral about which meaning it takes on. Because it will take on a meaning. And if Andy Revkin doesn’t take a hand in shaping that meaning — if you don’t, if I don’t, if those who understand climate change don’t — someone else will.
We should not be neutral in this matter:
We should prefer the meaning that conveys the gravity of climate change.
All those involved in communicating climate should take a hand in
claiming the storm for that narrative. It is,
ultimately, immoral not to.
That is an active role, a participant’s role…And I know lots of folks in the science, wonk, and journalistic communities are uncomfortable with that. But honestly I think people just need to get over it.
Humanity is at stake.… To pretend otherwise is no virtue.”
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“Prof. Pielke Jr. rips Roberts: ‘Strike Two! Not satisfied with his first rationale for why it is OK for enviros to ignore science, [Roberts] tries again,’” via Climate Depot
11/13/12, Roger Pielke, Jr. Twitter: “Strike Two! Not satisfied with his first rationale for
why it is OK for enviros to ignore science,
@drgrist tries again http://grist.org/article/the-moral-logic-of-climate-communication/ …” via Tom Nelson
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Excess CO2 is the alleged reason Grist thinks “humanity is at stake.” Since US CO2 has plunged over many years and is heading lower, humanity is no longer at stake because of US CO2:
6/4/12, “Climate change stunner: USA leads world in CO2 cuts since 2006,” Vancouver Observer, Saxifrage
“Not only that, but as my top chart shows, US CO2 emissions are falling even faster than what President Obama pledged in the global Copenhagen Accord.”…
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US CO2 has dropped steadily over the past 20 years, a change scientists say “could have major long-term implications for U.S. energy policy:”
8/16/12, “AP IMPACT: CO2 emissions in US drop to 20-year low,” AP, Kevin Begos
“In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from dirtier-burning coal.
Many of the world’s leading climate scientists didn’t see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as a result of market forces rather than direct government action against carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.
Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, said the shift away from coal is reason for “cautious optimism” about potential ways to deal with climate change….
In a little-noticed technical report, the U.S. Energy Information Agency, a part of the Energy Department, said this month that energy related U.S. CO2 emissions for the first four months of this year fell to about 1992 levels. Energy emissions make up about 98 percent of the total. The
Associated Press contacted environmental experts, scientists and utility companies and learned that
virtually everyone believes the shift could have major long-term implications for U.S. energy policy.”…
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The article notes “major implications for US energy policy” meaning policy makers in 2012 face a different set of facts than Grist and others may long have been assuming.
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Pres. Obama referenced the 20 year drop in US CO2 emissions in a speech on Aug. 28. In the speech he used the term ‘greenhouse gases‘ though the recent AP report
about the 20 year drop specifically cited CO2. Following is excerpt from AP report:
8/16/12, AP: “In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years.“…
Following from Pres. Obama’s speech:
8/28/12, at Iowa State: “We’re on track to emit fewer greenhouse gases this year than we have in nearly 20 years. You can keep those trends going.”
The NY Times noted Obama avoided connecting the meaning of these scientific findings to ordinary Americans on whose backs they were obtained.
The NY Times says:
8/28/12, “He did not note the role of the recession, with its attendant drop in manufacturing and car and truck trips.”
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US CO2 emissions are expected to go even lower.
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1/15/11, “Recession Special: Cleaner Air,“ NY Times, Matthew Wald
“What the government has not mandated, the economy is doing on its own: emissions of global warming gases in the United States are down.
According to the Energy Department, carbon dioxide emissions peaked in this country in 2005 and will not reach that level again until the early 2020s.”…
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Other countries’ CO2 hasn’t dropped despite hundreds of billions spent on cap and trade and extra taxes. This isn’t to say the US hasn’t become partners with the ‘climate’ industry.
Trillions have been taken from US taxpayers for climate expenses via agency budget allocations, tax subsidies, diversion of US military to climate or green projects, countless federal regulations, vast sums shipped out in foreign aid for ‘climate’ endeavors, etc. Devoting 13 federal agencies to climate matters is hardly failing to take ‘action.’
Global Warming ‘action’ was institutionalized in US government in 1990 by George Bush the 1st in the “U.S. Global Change Research Act of 1990.” (He cites CO2 near the end).
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Why the stunning US CO2 drop is spoken of quietly or not at all:
Those invested in CO2 endangerment have been caught by surprise. No one expected the US to turn around it’s CO2 emissions as quickly and steadily as it has (whether they needed to be turned around or not).
Trillions have been gambled in the CO2 terror industry against the likelihood of this happening in the US. Fortunes have been made. Now technically other fortunes have been lost. The news is being ignored or glossed over as it was with Mr. Obama.
Media outlets, academia and climate advocacy groups face a professional and financial loss.
But they should be rejoicing since they achieved their goal of US CO2 reduction. They also changed the US economy into something different.
Whatever weather the US had this year, human beings in the US today can’t possibly be the cause of it.
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The UK has been at the center of the CO2 industry’s engine. As a point of cultural interest, the UK monarchy’s financial survival reportedly depends on the world believing in man-caused CO2 terror.
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