Joint US – China agreement announced to tackle CO2 emissions
Who should be embarrassed, Tony Abbott or The Greens?
Together, the US & China emit almost half of worlds CO2 emissions (42%)
China’s yearly increase in emitted CO2 is greater than Australia’s total output.
The US
Target of 28 per cent reductions by 2025 compared to 2005
No binding agreement,
No carbon tax,
No emissions trading scheme,
Never signed the Kyoto agreement.
Methods to reduce CO2 emissions –
• Continued expansion of the switch from coal to natural gas (fracked) to power electricity plants
(Between 2005 and 2012, America reduced energy-related emissions by 12 per cent through greater reliance on gas.)
• Expansion of nuclear energy (presently over 100 nuclear reactors generating 20% of present electricity)
• Vehicle emission standards
>>> Direct Action anyone ???
China
(Currently on average building a new coal fired power plant every 10 days)
Intends to peak emissions by 2030 and increase non-fossil fuel energy to 20 per cent of its total.
No binding agreement,
No carbon tax
No emissions trading scheme,
Never required to reduce emissions as part of the Kyoto agreement.
Plus, the year 2030 coincides with their peak population projection,, how convenient http://jo.nova.s3.amazonaws.com/graph/country/china/wpp2010_poptot_prob_china.gif).
Methods to reduce CO2 emissions –
• 22 nuclear reactors, 26 more under construction & more planned. Plans to be a leader in nuclear power by 2020
• Presently developing its own gas industry and increasing imports. In May, 2014, China signed a $400 billion gas import deal.
• Hydro electricity; currently provides 15% of electricity
• Clean Coal Technology
>>> Direct Action anyone ???
In the US, wind currently accounts for less than 2 % of power generation & solar no more than 0.1 %
In China, wind less than 2% & solar on par with the US.
Two-thirds of the electricity generated from renewables in OECD countries comes from hydro-electricity & 90 % in non-OECD countries.
So; the methods chosen by the US & China to reduce CO2 emissions are -
Nuclear power … (Australia has the world’s largest uranium deposits)
Natural Gas … (APPEA, the peak body for Australia’s oil and gas industry, estimates Australia has enough gas to power a city of 1 million people for 16,000 years.)
Hydro-electricity … (think Franklin Dam)
Clean Coal Technology… (“Australia’s coal industry has a “big future, as well as a big past”)
CHRISTINE Milne, Greens Leader: “What it (the US/China announcement on emissions) shows is that Tony Abbott is completely out of step with the rest of the world.”
Question; Which of the above methods would the Greens approve of?
No need to answer, that was a rhetorical question!