How To Stop Global Warming

12 Dec 2005

Introduction

British Prime-Minister Tony Blair has said he believes global warming is 'the biggest single threat we face today'. Most scientists would concur. Global warming will impose huge costs, hardship and poverty on a grand scale on future generations across the entire planet if left unchecked.

Even if we're not sure global warming exists, or is caused by our activities, it's still something that we, as an intelligent species, could and should monitor and address. Even if it were part of a natural cycle, it's in our interest and capabilities to manage it.

Global warming due to emissions is easy to prevent... There have been simple, cheap, non-polluting ways of generating energy available for decades.

If we had spent half of what has been spent on nuclear fission research on hydroelectric, geothermal, biofuel and other renewable power sources - there would quite simply be no global warming.

If taxes were dropped from renewable energy sources then, even now, it's reasonable to estimate that 90% of energy production would be non-polluting within 10 years. The consumer cannot do this - only the government can...

Global Warming Is Not The Consumer's Responsibility

It has been made incumbent on the consumer to choose an 'environmentally-friendly' lifestyle. People are considered either 'part of the solution, or part of the problem', but this is not a reasonable, practical or effective attitude to the problems faced by our planet. It's more akin to slight-of-hand by the governments (and to a lesser extent industries) whose responsibility it actually is...

It is lamentable that the environmental agencies and charities seem to have unthinkingly supported this unhelpful view. By placing the blame for environmental damage upon the consumer, little if any progress has been made in the last 30 years in preventing environmental damage.

To blame the consumer is wrong, and a dangerous diversion. Partly because of this, the environmental degradation of our planet has been perpetuated for decades longer than it need have.

It is solely government's responsibility to handle environmental issues. Not least because the majority of the population would not hesitate to vote for sensible, effective, green legislation.

We Must Stop Burning All Fossil Fuels

There is only one way to stop global warming. That is to stop burning fossil fuels. They are the sole source of the extra CO2 that causes it.

While technological fixes like carbon sequestration may or may not work, one has to ask whether this is the best way to spend money to fix the problem... After all - if you're burning biofuels you can keep the level of technology, and costs right down because emissions are not an issue.

`Carbon Taxes` Will Not Work Alone

Prohibition is not the only way to tackle emissions. While it is right to tax fossil fuels, when there is no alternative, it cannot result in reduced consumption. High UK fuel taxes have not reduced consumption one bit, why should any further carbon taxation be any different?

Again, it's the usual approach of government to tax people as a disincentive, then use a lot of that money to administer the tax itself. This just increases the size of government, makes the consumer poorer, and does not have the desired effect.

The prohibitive approach has been well demonstrated to not work. What does work is incentives…

Encouraging the renewable energy industry through tax-incentives

Despite Mr Blair's assertion that global warming is 'the biggest single threat we face today', recently (Nov 2005) the UK treasury has decided that used vegetable oil as a fuel should attract the highest level of tax - 47.1p/litre - the same as diesel. In one statement they have killed a new green industry that would have hugely benefitted the country's economy and ecology.

Dropping taxes on renewable energy sources is the most effective way to combat global warming... It may, in fact, be the only way.

2 Items Of Environmental Legislation That Would Stop Most Global Warming Within 10 Years

The enactment of these 2 laws - one encouraging, one prohibitive, would provide an economic environment in which it would be posssible to choose a non-polluting lifestyle within a few years.

1) Remove all taxes and duties on renewable fuels, renewable energy machines & suppliers.

It would probably take 5-10 years for the infrastructure to be built to provide large-scale renewable energy, but the economic burden would be on business, not taxes.

2) Ensure all new housing is built with renewable energy sources providing at least 50% of the houses' required energy.

(the average house uses 2.6Kw )

The increased cost of constructing the average home is estimated at 15%. The average build-cost is £100,000. The extra £15,000 would be paid off within a 3-5 years at current electricity costs. The average home will last 100 years.

Further Environmental Legislation

• 1) Reversible electricity meters to be made standard – so houses can sell energy back to the national grid if available.

Comments

This is a sporadically moderated blog. I am not responsible for anything below!

Global Warming

Whilst I agree with a lot of what you have written here I do think that there are things that the consumer can do and that the blame does not lie entirely with the government and industries. What you don\'t mention here is what we the consumer can do. Okay, agreed don\'t hike up the prices on fossil fuels without offering an alternative, but what about cutting down your usage? 1. Do we really need to have the heating on all the time, are their times when you can turn it off and put a jumper on? 2. Take a shower not a bath 3. Turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth. It doesn\'t really need to be running pointlessly away down the plug-hole. 4. Do we have to flush the toliet every time we go? 5. Insulate your loft and walls 6. Turn lights off when not in use 7. Does your TV really need to be left on standby all the time Not much I know, but something I wanted to say nevertheless....

By Jo Hearn on 04 June 2007

To add your own comments, click here to login or register