Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumWorld headed for irreversible climate change in five years, IEA warns
The world is likely to build so many fossil-fuelled power stations, energy-guzzling factories and inefficient buildings in the next five years that it will become impossible to hold global warming to safe levels, and the last chance of combating dangerous climate change will be "lost for ever", according to the most thorough analysis yet of world energy infrastructure.
Anything built from now on that produces carbon will do so for decades, and this "lock-in" effect will be the single factor most likely to produce irreversible climate change, the world's foremost authority on energy economics has found. If this is not rapidly changed within the next five years, the results are likely to be disastrous.
If the world is to stay below 2C of warming, which scientists regard as the limit of safety, then emissions must be held to no more than 450 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; the level is currently around 390ppm. But the world's existing infrastructure is already producing 80% of that "carbon budget", according to the IEA's analysis, published on Wednesday. This gives an ever-narrowing gap in which to reform the global economy on to a low-carbon footing.
One close observer of the climate talks said the $400bn subsidies devoted to fossil fuels, uncovered by the IEA, were "staggering", and the way in which these subsidies distort the market presented a massive problem in encouraging the move to renewables. He added that Birol's comments, though urgent and timely, were unlikely to galvanise China and the US the world's two biggest emittters into action on the international stage.
And this is all predicated on the idea that +2C is "safe"...
GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)Oopsie!
CrispyQ
(36,457 posts)So maybe even though it's four years old . . .
We're gonna be so fucked.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)We have a well developed Planting Calendar that takes into account last/first Frost of Winter.
As crazy as our weather has been the last two years (West-Central Arkansas), we've had to toss out the calendar.
Auggie
(31,163 posts)dembotoz
(16,799 posts)Had read seed pack directions were changing as temp change
Folks do not trust university but they do trust seed catalogs
OKIsItJustMe
(19,938 posts)Here, you can view the maps from 1960, 1990 and 2012.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2012/120125.htm
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Systematic Chaos
(8,601 posts)Probably Death Valley and the like, too.
Las Vegas will fare just a touch better, with average summer days hitting about 125, and heat waves shooting up to maybe 140.
At any rate, you won't survive that shit no matter how fancy your hotel's swimming pool.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)We may be heading back into the caves.
Systematic Chaos
(8,601 posts)I guess those people aren't quite "real" enough yet, or something.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)They MUST have done something to piss off God who is now punishing them with poverty.
Loose morals would be my guess.
world wide wally
(21,740 posts)thinks or believes.
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)jalan48
(13,859 posts)mountain grammy
(26,619 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)Last one to die, turn off the lights, please.