Global Warming

Dear Friends,

The human and economic costs of global warming are already immense and will continue to grow even if we take aggressive action to slow global warming.  While the estimates vary, 400,000 people currently die each year from the impact of global warming.  Projections indicate that number will at least double by 2030.  In fact, it is projected that 500,000 people will die from global warming's impact on agriculture alone each year by 2030.  The economic cost of global warming is also staggering and increasing.  Global warming is reducing worldwide GDP by about 1.6%.  By 2030, it will reduce US GDP by 2% and worldwide the projections of the negative impact of global warming on worldwide GDP by the end of the century will be 20-23%.  One cost benefit analysis indicates that the impact of global warming is reduced by $5 for every dollar invested in reducing it.

I cannot support a candidate for public office who does not acknowledge that human activity is causing global warming and who does not vigorously support aggressive actions to reduce it.  What can we do?

The cost of wind and solar power (unsubsidized) is now less than all kinds of fossil fuels.  Capital investment in renewable fuels has exceeded that for fossil fuels in each of the last five years.  Last year investment in renewable fuel power generation was 50% more than that in fossil fuels.  California hit a record one day last March when it generated over 50% of its electricity by renewable energy.  California currently has committed to providing 50% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. There are efforts underway to move that date to 2025 and to provide 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2050.

The efficiency of batteries and their cost are dropping rapidly as is the installed cost of solar panels.  The cost of electric cars is also dropping rapidly.  A dramatic switch to electric cars would have a significant impact on emissions.  India has committed that only electric cars will be sold there by 2030.  France will ban the sale of fossil fuel cars by 2040.  Britain will ban the sale of new fossil fuel cars by 2040, and all cars on the road will be emission free by 2050.  In Norway all new passenger cars and vans will be emission free by 2025.  Other countries are moving toward similar goals.  Volvo has indicated that as of 2019, it will only produce cars that are either all electric or hybrid.  The United States has done nothing of substance.

The biggest drawback to fully utilizing renewable energy sources is the state of the electric grid in the  United States.  Fortunately, fixing and upgrading the electric grid would have two great results.  First, it would allow for a more rapid expansion of electric generation by renewables.  Second, it would provide a lot of good paying jobs that cannot be shipped overseas.

It is estimated that 80% of all electricity could be produced by renewables by 2050 based on the technology available today.  But the technology is improving and becoming cheaper dramatically every year.  If you want to read one article about the future of renewables, I recommend "Can the World Run on Renewable Energy".  It is published by knowledge@wharton here.

All we are missing to quickly move to producing virtually all our electricity and much of our energy needs is the political will to do so.  Politicians must stand up to the fossil fuel industry and move us to all renewable energy.  I will not support any politician who is not committed to eliminating the use of fossil fuels in the next two decades.

Thanks for reading and please comment,
The Unabashed Liberal