The Green Web

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The Green Web

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The Green Web is an independent environmental research group and network with a left biocentric perspective.

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Left Biocentrism Primer

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Left Biocentrism Primer

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Left biocentrism is a left focus or theoretical tendency within the deep ecology movement, which is subversive of the existing industrial society. Left biocentrism accepts the view that the Earth belongs to no one.

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The Daily Climate

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The Daily Climate

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Works to increase public understanding of climate disruption, including its scope and scale, potential solutions and the political processes that impede or advance them. Creates, publishes and distributes content of the highest possible quality and integrity, offering enterprise reporting on relevant topics alongside a unique daily aggregation of global journalism on climate science.

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Implications of “peak oil” for atmospheric CO2 and climate

Some people think the problems of 'peak oil' and 'climate change' are in conflict with one another. If we run out of oil then that means, whew, we'll dodge the climate change problem, right? Uh... What about the coal?

Implications of “peak oil” for atmospheric CO2 and climate: by Pushker A. Kharecha and James E. Hansen, both of NASA Goddard. Unconstrained CO2 emission from fossil fuel burning has been the dominant cause of observed anthropogenic global warming. The amounts of “proven” and potential fossil fuel reserves are uncertain and debated. Regardless of the true values, society has flexibility in the degree to which it chooses to exploit these reserves, especially unconventional fossil fuels and those located in extreme or pristine environments. If conventional oil production peaks within the next few decades, it may have a large effect on future atmospheric CO2 and climate change, depending upon subsequent energy choices. Assuming that proven oil and gas reserves do not greatly exceed estimates of the Energy Information Administration, and recent trends are toward lower estimates, we show that it is feasible to keep atmospheric CO2 from exceeding about 450 ppm by 2100, provided that emissions from coal, unconventional fossil fuels, and land use are constrained. Coal-fired power plants without sequestration must be phased out before midcentury to achieve this CO2 limit. It is also important to “stretch” conventional oil reserves via energy conservation and efficiency, thus averting strong pressures to extract liquid fuels from coal or unconventional fossil fuels while clean technologies are being developed for the era “beyond fossil fuels”. We argue that a rising price on carbon emissions is needed to discourage conversion of the vast fossil resources into usable reserves, and to keep CO2 beneath the 450 ppm ceiling.

Peak oil to worsen climate change Replacing oil with coal-derived liquid fuels is one of the scenarios for dealing with peak oil. It's a folly of a scenario because of the poor energy return-on-investment but that doesn't stop the drill-here-drill-now crowd from saying it's what we must do. The problem causing climate change is the addition of carbon and other chemicals into the atmosphere, much of which is coming from ever increasing use of fossil fuels.

While "Most future climate change will be a result of burning coal," replacing oil with other resources such as wind power or even nuclear power would push back the climate change for many more years.

Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, is far more plentiful than oil is or ever will be. Turning to coal as a replacement transportation fuel would lead to an even greater amount of greenhouse-gas emissions, and thus a greater threat of global climate change.

The burning of fossil fuels accounts for about 80 percent of the rise of atmospheric CO2 since the pre-industrial era, to its current level of 385 parts per million. CO2, which accounts for about half of the human-caused greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, concerns scientists because it can remain for centuries. Hansen’s previous research suggests that a dangerous level of global warming may occur if CO2 exceeds a concentration of about 450 parts per million.

In the rush to solve for peak oil we must not lose site of the other challenges facing us.

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Implications of “peak oil” for atmospheric CO2 and climate

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NASA Science on Display at American Geophysical Union Conference

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Peak oil to worsen climate change

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Plentiful Coal, Not Peak Oil, Is Greatest Global Warming Threat

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Coal Poses Climate Catastrophe as "Peak Oil" Approaches

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Curbing Coal Emissions Alone Might Avert Climate Danger, Say Researchers

External Media

Be The Change

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Be The Change

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The Be The Change campaign aims to encourage people like you to take action on climate change and to make those actions even more effective by inspiring others to take action and demonstrating to political leaders that New Zealanders care about climate change. Climate change does not respect boundaries or borders and we need to work together if we are going to keep rising global temperatures in check. As individuals, there are many things we can do to reduce our contribution to climate change - from changing our light-bulbs to reducing our air travel. Many of us are already taking action.

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Global Change Associates

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Global Change Associates

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Global Change Associates Inc. (GCA) was founded in 1991 by Peter C. Fusaro to focus on the convergence of energy and environmental financial markets. Peter is a recognized "thought leader" on energy and environmental markets, and he provides advisory to many companies on dealing with the impacts of climate change, clean technology and renewable energy for his clients. GCA's focus is on recognizing opportunities in both sustainable energy and environmental projects for financial services companies such as hedge funds and investment banks and for venture capital in cleantech and renewable energy. Peter published the first studies on green trading markets, energy hedge funds, Enron and energy e-commerce. His intellectual curiosity and market intelligence is second to none due to his extensive global network of energy and environmental industry experts. Peter believes in the concept of "high tech, high touch" which encompasses the capabilities of the Internet coupled with the importance of personal human contact. His live presentations are both insightful and passionate.

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Reducing carbon emissions 75% by 2050 is like...

Reducing carbon emissions 75% by 2050 is like agreeing to stop smoking by the time your lung cancer becomes inoperable...

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