Background
December 2009 Copenhagen
UN Climate Change Summit Conference
A new UN treatyunder the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC)
will replace the Kyoto Protocol expiring 2012
There
no proposal for a target of Zero fossil fuel emissions - or anything even close - any time soon.
The
absence of any zero C02 policy is a policy for global climate catastrophe and the end of most life on Earth.
No nation and no NGO has
proposed a zero or virtual zero CO2 emissions policy
Why should this
site be so important to you?
Today's atmospheric GHGas levels are higher than ever and they are accelerating.
Today's fossil
fuel carbon dioxide (C02) and methane emissions are higher than ever and still accelerating.
Un-checked this can only
lead to catastrophic runaway global heating.
That would mean the end of civilization, of humanity and of most all
life on Earth .
It is a scientific fact that global warming cannot be stopped without stopping carbon dioxide emissions
- which means stopping burning fossil fuels for energy (which the world has been able to do for years).
If the world continues
on today's business as usual economy (which is the plan of the fossil fuel industries, the investment industry and
world government leaders) the latest projections have the planet heated up 7oC by 2100 (Hadley & MIT).
That is
not survivable by our species and most all others.
It would last for over a 1000 years, and it is past
the latest estimate of global warming limit for the survival of humanity.
This site explains why ONLY ZERO
CO2 emissions starting NOW can offer any hope of any future for humanity and life on planet Earth, and that this is doable- if we
have the time and the will.
The ONLY way for all of us is an ONLY ZERO CO2 future- starting NOW.
Today`s best policy proposals delay
any reduction of emissions even approaching zero to 2050.
That is a policy allowing the development of new fossil fuel
energy sources and burning more fossil fuels for decades.
It is a policy of allowing the further acceleration
of GHGas emissions resulting from carbon feedbacks and carbon sink failure
It is a policy that will be the death us all.
Economic Stimulus
Call for conversion to
a Zero CO2 emissions (Zero Carbon) economy,
by a
massive economic stimulus to renewable energy development
and the termination of all economic incentives to fossil
fuel energy production
The environmental movement's position to the UN is a 40% cut on 1990 and at least an 80% cut on 1990 emissions
by 2050
applied to Annex 1 nations (=G8). (Climate Action Network April 2009).
This is supposed to give a 50% reduction on global emissions
by 2050.
The policy proposal of the climate change scientists is - at least 50% cut on 1990 levels by 2050 (Bali scientists
statement 2007).
Why isn't this good enough?
The 40% cut restricted to Annex 1 nations ignores the scientific
reality of having to get to zero CO2 emissions.
It canmake little if any difference to atmospheric GHGas levels and
no big difference to global emissions.
The contribution of the increase in global emissions is almost all coming from from
the coal based industrializing Asian economies that are manufacturing with the most polluting energy there is- for the global
economy.
It's true that a global 80% on 1990 levels (2050) is getting close to zero, but it is a delay of 40
years to even be getting close to zero !
It's also obviously true that the fastest we get global GHGas emissions falling the less is the risk
of global climate catastrophe.
We are in a planetary emergency but there is there is no thought of a global emergency response!
Obviously
the world has to start planning right now to:
o make virtual zero CO2 a policy target;
o phase out the fossil fuel industry;
o invest massive amounts of public money into building the world's renewable energy infrastructure and further development
of renewables;
o tax carbon heavily;
o develop urgently artificial carbon sinks (taking C02 out of the air); and
o
act on a global emergency basis to have a chance of avoiding catastrophic carbon feedbacks and carbon sink failure;
None of these are happening !
Instread the world is today turning to coal for energy (even Germany) on the pretext of carbon
capture and storage (CCS) of fossil fuel carbon.
Even if this worked it would not result in virtual zero CO2 emissions.
No
proposals for saving the planet
Stop putting CO2 into the air
Two things have to happen to get to Zero CO2 Emissions
Take some CO2
out of the air
Arctic Climate Feedbacks
Global Carbon Sink Failure
Runaway Global Heating
The survival of our species and most others depends on bringing atmospheric GHGas levels down fast enough
and far enough to prevent carbon sink failure and to prevent Arctic carbon feedbacks from triggering catastrophic
runaway global heating. It may be too late already.
Carbon sink failure is starting (Global Carbon Project 08) which means
faster acceleration in atmospheric levels.
Arctic permafrost holds 2 to 3 times the carbon in the atmosphere and the
thawing permafrost has started releasing this additional carbon to the atmosphere.
Un- checked this
will lead to runaway global heating which could possibly be the end of most all life.
Start taking CO2 out of the air
The Only Way to get to ZERO
To get to zero CO2 emissions two things have to be done
1. Virtual zero CO2 emissions,
2. Negative emissions
- some CO2 has to be taken out of the atmosphere.
All the published climate science papers on the issue agree that
only these two measures can stop global warming.
Obviously the fossil fuel industry must be phased out and rapidly.
As that
would result in virtual zero emissions - some CO2 has to be taken out of the atmosphere as well to get to ONLY ZERO.
Trouble
is- no one in charge of the planet and the future of humanity is calling for either!
' History is a race between education and catastrophe'
- HG Wells, author and futurist, circa 1866-1946
.
This is an educational site
using long pages.
Please scroll way down
'To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, world carbon emissions will have to drop to near zero.. and
"go negative" after that.'
State of the World 2009
Stop emitting CO2
= Stop burning fossil fuels
So how do you reverse global warming ?
Is that possible?
'Theoretically yes. You really have to bring down your
emissions below zero and find ways by which you can absorb existing carbon dioxide. Technically logically that's entirely possible'.
Dr. R. Pachauri. Chair Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Interviewed by The Readers Digest April 2009
N.B. It
is too late now to avoid levels of global warming that will be very damaging to the planet and a huge threat to civilization
and humanity.
ONLY ZERO
This means
total global economic conversion
from
fossil fuels
to
conservation
and renewable energy
The
trouble is no one
in charge of the planet
is calling for
ONLY ZERO
ONLY ZERO
carbon dioxide emissions
can stop
global warming
and prevent
global climate catastrophe
On course for catastrophe
Global fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions
Global Carbon Project 2008
In theory and technologically both are possible.
But there are no policy proposals from any party
to even plan to
do either.
They are not even being discussed !
Why no zero CO2 policy proposal?
The World's nations are not converting the fossil fuel economy to renewable
energy.
They are supporting the continued global growth of the fossil fuel industry.
.
1992 UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change
UNITED NATIONS
CLIMATE CHANGE
CONFERENCE
DEC 7 - DEC 18
2009
Not making Only Zero
the only policy and only target
is allowing the continuing and increasing use
of coal (and other
fossil fuels)
and is preventing any serious plans
to avoid global climate catastrophe.
Global fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions