Links tagged “coal”

Climate Depot’s Marc Morano, who plans to attend the Madrid summit, accused China of leveraging the global-warming issue to hobble its international competition while boosting its own image. “China is at it again, posing as a ‘climate’ concerned country while building seemingly endless new coal mines,” Mr. Morano said. “China’s false image as some kind of climate champion is aided and abetted by the media and climate activists. China is enjoying condemning the U.S. while also demanding a piece of the U.N. climate slush fund to developing nations.”

The Chinese government increased fivefold its approvals for coal-mine construction this year, according to a Reuters analysis, even as it seeks to reduce its coal consumption and increase its green-energy mix to 20% by 2030.

Professor Kelly has said: “For the world to reverse two centuries of industrial development in a few decades would require the efforts of herds of unicorns.”

According to Kelly, one of the few serious thinkers to have considered the practical implications of taking an economy ‘Net Zero’, decarbonisation is neither desirable nor possible – at least not outside a 400-year time frame.

Even reaching the old target of an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions would be miraculous; this is a level of emissions not seen since 1880. I assert that a herd of unicorns will be needed to deliver this target, let alone full decarbonisation. I also point out the utter nonsense of Extinction Rebellion’s demands to complete the task by 2025.

We have not had an ‘energy transition’: fossil fuels have continued to grow steadily at a rate about 7–8 times that of renewable technologies over the last 20 years.

Deregulatory accomplishments spotlighted by the president included:

—Withdrawing the United States from the “fraudulent, ineffective and one-sided Paris climate accord.”

—Ending the Obama war on energy, especially policies designed to kill coal miner jobs including the Clean Power Plan, stream (over)-protection rule.

—Opening up federally owned lands and offshore areas to energy exploration and production, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which Republicans have been trying to open up since at least President Reagan’s administration.

—Greenlighting vital pipeline projects such as the Keystone XL and Dakota Access.

Pielke Jr. Key Points: "The U.S. has not yet begun its journey towards net-zero carbon dioxide, whether by 2050 or any other year. None of the proposals put forward by Democratic candidates for president are plausible. This battle has yet to be joined."

"Carbon dioxide emissions reductions in the United States since 2005 are largely the result of the displacement of coal, which is very carbon intensive, by natural gas. Consider that U.S. fossil fuel consumption was just about the same in 1999 and 2018, but carbon dioxide emissions were about 550 million metric tonnes more in 1999 than in 2018. This decrease represents the effects of natural gas displacing coal, but not any less reliance on fossil fuels."

"The evidence indicates that none of the increase in renewables deployment has actually replaced any fossil fuel consumption. U.S. fossil fuel consumption has continued to increase. In the decade following the 2009 financial crisis, carbon-free consumption increased by about 75 mtoe, but fossil fuel consumption also increased by about 75 mtoe. The notable addition of renewables to the U.S. energy mix has all been additive – it has not displaced any fossil fuels."

"The United States saw its carbon dioxide emissions drop by almost 14% from 2005 to 2018, as you can see in the figure below, according to data from BP.  As a base year for comparison, 2005 is often selected because it was the year in which U.S. carbon dioxide emissions peaked. Over that same time period carbon-free energy– from nuclear, hydro and renewables – increased its role in energy consumption from 11.6% to 15.7%."

"The U.S. experience shows how a focus on emissions can mislead. Even though emissions dropped from 1999 to 2018, the U.S. is no closer to net-zero carbon dioxide because total fossil fuel consumption is unchanged."

"During the Obama administration, fossil fuel consumption dropped by about 100 mtoe, while renewables increased by about 60 mtoe. It might have seemed that carbon-free energy displaced fossil fuels during this period, but again, the overwhelming factor influencing energy outcomes appears to be the 2009 financial crisis."

Climate Depot's Marc Morano: "Jane Fonda moved to DC so she could get arrested every Friday at the U.S. Capitol to protest U.S. energy policy and lobby for the Green New Deal. The question looms: Will Jane Fonda return to Hanoi to protest Vietnam's rapid acceleration of coal and oil to cloth and feed its population?! If coal and oil use allegedly threaten a 'climate emergency', why isn't Fonda heading back to Hanoi to protest the Vietnamese government's fossil fuel use?"

Steve Milloy of JunkScience.com: "Vietnam can't build enough coal plants soon enough to keep pace with its booming economy. Now that Hanoi Jane has become Climate Calamity Jane, her presence in Vietnam is probably no longer welcome."

Reuters: Vietnam's coal, crude oil imports surge on rising energy demand - November 12, 2019

Flashback 1972: 'Traitor': 'Hanoi Jane' Fonda visits Vietnam - Patriot Post

2019: Jane Fonda, Ted Danson Arrested in DC Climate Change Protest

Jane Fonda supports ‘Nuremberg trials’ for ‘climate criminal’ energy executives & politicians

America’s status as the world’s leading energy superpower was just elevated to an even more impressive level as 12 new all-time monthly production records for crude oil and natural gas output were established during August.