Posted on 02/16/2020 3:22:19 PM PST by Enlightened1
The United States led the entire world in reducing CO2 emissions last year while also experiencing solid economic growth, according to a newly released report.
“The United States saw the largest decline in energy-related CO2 emissions in 2019 on a country basis – a fall of 140 Mt, or 2.9%, to 4.8 Gt,” The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported on Tuesday. “US emissions are now down almost 1 Gt from their peak in the year 2000, the largest absolute decline by any country over that period.”
“A 15% reduction in the use of coal for power generation underpinned the decline in overall US emissions in 2019,” the IEA continued. “Coal-fired power plants faced even stronger competition from natural gas-fired generation, with benchmark gas prices an average of 45% lower than 2018 levels. As a result, gas increased its share in electricity generation to a record high of 37%. Overall electricity demand declined because demand for air-conditioning and heating was lower as a result of milder summer and winter weather.
The IEA noted that 80% of the increase in CO2 emissions came from Asia and that China and India both contributed significantly to the increase.
“In China, emissions rose but were tempered by slower economic growth and higher output from low-carbon sources of electricity,” the IEA reported. “Renewables continued to expand in China, and 2019 was also the first full year of operation for seven large-scale nuclear reactors in the country.”
“Emissions growth in India was moderate in 2019, with CO2 emissions from the power sector declining slightly as electricity demand was broadly stable and strong renewables growth prompted coal-fired electricity generation to fall for the first time since 1973,” the IEA concluded. “Continued growth in...
(Excerpt) Read more at dailywire.com ...
We aren't lowering CO2, not even close. Nor is anyone else. Nor are we going to. Ok, maybe in 2200 when we have unlimited free energy to do so.
Some plant life. But C4 won't die because it evolved specifically due to low CO2. A well-watered field of corn in full sun can lower ambient CO2 to 150. It doesn't die.
We were below 200 ppm back then, probably about 190. But your two points are very valid. It is unique in earth's history to have CO2 that low. It is CO2 starvation and a very dangerous condition.
If true, that's a good thing. Alaska is much too cold.
They want to reduce the rate of increase. They fail to consider the 1100 new coal plants being constructed,. A small amount of reduction here makes no difference. If they actually cared about CO2 they would figure out a way to lift up the world's poor cheaper than coal. But they don't give a crap about the poor.
That's what it is all about. They forget (or have no clue) that we invented the semiconductor and semiconductor photocell. That's really the only viable renewable over the long run. Wind sucks for many reasons. Our capitalism still funds the world's most advanced research into alternative energy. But they just see the goose as dinner, ignoring the eggs.
Lowering US national emissions is one thing, lowering global atmospheric concentration is quite another. Insofar as the US is only one emitter among several, the most likely effect of the first thing on the second thing, is perhaps a slower rate of CO2 concentration growth.
Greta is a kook
Not really. The Democrats would reply with ads showing Trump's pledge to increase coal fired plants and his weakening EPA regulations to allow for it.
This is due to market forces alone. Natural gas is cheaper than coal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.