Posted on 09/22/2018 7:35:10 PM PDT by texas booster
The latest in a string of monster storms of recent years, Hurricane Florence punctuates the fact that the cost of climate pollution is accelerating.
Duke Energy executives bear much of the blame for Hurricane Florences devastation. The Charlotte-based corporation is one of the worlds largest climate polluters, its been aggressively expanding its use of climate-wrecking fracked gas (methane), opposing requirements to curb methane venting and leakage, impeding the cheaper, clean-energy solutions that are ready to replace fossil-fueled electricity, and suppressing attention to these interrelated factors.
In short, Dukes Energys natural gas expansion is amplifying global heating at the worst possible time:
There is scientific consensus that global emissions of methane which is 100 times stronger than carbon dioxide at trapping atmospheric heat in the critical short term have soared for 12 years and become a key driver of global heating. NASA scientists recently confirmed that the methane increase is mostly from fossil fuels. The 12-year time period corresponds with the U.S. fracking boom, which spews unburned methane into the air, needlessly. Due to its potency, methane begins trapping heat immediately, spreads quickly across Earths atmosphere, and has helped produce record-breaking global temperatures since 2014. Rising global heat is changing the jet stream and weather systems, which amplifies tropical storms and slows them down for prolonged destruction.
Hurricanes arent new, but as UNC-CHs Dr. Jason West recently wrote, climate change is like putting our weather on steroids making events like Hurricane Florence more likely or severe the media need to report that.
While science cant prove Florence was worsened by Duke Energy decision-makers, a reasonable, conservative approach to the crisis demands extreme caution regarding this known hazard: methane. Plus, since fossil fueled electricity can be phased out quickly while avoiding billions of dollars in unneeded fracked gas investments, shouldnt we at least be openly discussing our energy options?
The gas-climate connection also increases hazards for thousands of dedicated Duke Energy workers who leave their families to restore power even as storms roar.
Is NC WARN exploiting misery by calling out Duke Energy leaders? No. Millions of people and animals are already being devastated each year by climate disasters disproportionately low-income and communities of color such as those in the eastern Carolinas that Florence has hammered yet again. Were trying to avoid having these disasters keep worsening forever.
United Nations chief António Guterres recently emphasized that If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change.
Scientists from NOAA, Cornell and other institutions say curbing methane leakage and venting from the gas-to-power system which is cost-effective according to the Rocky Mountain Institute and others can have immediate, positive impacts, while buying time to phase out CO2 emissions.
Indeed, if we dont begin slowing methane emissions, its game over. Humanity will soon cross the threshold toward runaway climate, social and economic chaos.
No wonder indigenous Arctic groups and others already suffering from climate disruption are demanding immediate methane reductions.
Fortunately, we dont need the gas. Proven solutions for phasing out all coal- and gas-fired power such as local solar-with-storage and energy-balancing programs are surging in free markets. Theyre cheaper, can be deployed immediately, and they create resiliency against grid outages (see our NC Clean Path 2025).
By contrast, Duke Energys new 15-year plan dismisses battery storage while projecting construction of 24 large gas-fired plants in the Carolinas and the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline. As other utilities and states are moving to go all-renewable, Duke plans to be only 7% renewable by 2033 despite all the slick advertising.
Reasonable people need to connect the dots and demand accountability, such as truly open discussion and evidentiary hearings regarding Dukes 15-year plan.
Making climate change controversial, thus stifling media attention, was a greedy corporate strategy that has threatened literally all life on Earth.
The people of North Carolina and the executives of Duke Energy one of the worlds largest utilities must finally begin an open, democratic discussion of how the Charlotte-based corporation could use its enormous resources to help avert runaway climate chaos instead of blocking climate solutions and selling its clean natural gas propaganda.
Media executives must step up and foster that discussion, especially because corporate giants have bought the silence and support of most of our alleged leaders.
Jim Warren is executive director of Durham-based NC WARN
Climate change is very close to moving past a point of no return, accelerating under its own momentum no matter what humans do.
It is already devastating millions of people, especially low-wealth communities who are least responsible for causing it. NC WARN tackles this crisis by vigorously pressing Duke Energy to join or at least stop impeding the clean energy revolution. Because North Carolina deserves better than pollution and cronyism.
All of the above is a lie and fraud. Nothing but a PR stunt.
This Op ED has been forwarded to dozens of news outlets, and published by about a dozen.
Another example of advocacy journalism by the left, to advance their agenda - communism.
You know who pic here
Duke Energy must curb its use of methane. Its fueling hurricanes.
And they posted the advocacy op ed from Warren with nary a change.
PEGGED my BS meter!
PEGGED my BS meter!
Who “pic” there?
Help please.
Idiot didn’t even bother to re-write his fake news when the ‘devastating hurricane’ turned out to be a 1 instead of the 5 that the Goreites were praying to Satan for?
Need that pic!
I blanked out on Goering completely.
Time for bed.
They walk among us. Kinda scary, isnt it??? To believe such a load of horse manure after 40 years of laughably wrong predictions.
Florence was a category ONE hurricane...
*****
The latest in a string of monster storms of recent years, Hurricane Florence punctuates the fact that the cost of climate pollution is accelerating.
Al “Blowhard” Gore pic would have worked as well. Quite the climate forecaster he is (though all have been wrong).
WHAT?? No LGBTQs? How exclusionary and bigoted of NC WARN! The entire editorial staff should resign. And go drown themselves in the flood waters of Florence.
You can live in temperate areas and live with a storm occasionally or move to higher ground. Your choice. The native Americans (Indians where I am from). Told the French dont live here it floods all the time. Oh and the skeeters are big as Red tailed hawks. The French laughed built levees and drank enough wine to cause skeeters to fly into trees headon. Welcome to New Orleans.
Consensus is NOT scientific conclusion or proof of anything.
Thanks for posting The Picture.
You keep posting like that and you will offend the keeper of the hanging chad, the inspiration for love story, the sultan of the I grabbed my ankles a lot to get here, inventor of a the internet algore. The most likely suspect in Ms Fords fairly tail. Where was he when the party went down?
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