Climate change and covid-19

[muhammad_isa]

It seems that China is almost back to pre-epidemic levels of pollution.
They've decided its time to go "back to the grindstone".

What remains to be seen, is how long it takes GLOBALLY to recover.
It might well be that growth will be difficult for all of us including China.
..in which case we would expect to see a fall in fossil fuel consumption.
..even in China in the coming years.

..and G-d knows best.

 

[Thomas]

..in which case we would expect to see a fall in fossil fuel consumption.
..even in China in the coming years.

I hope so, but I fear the opposite is also a possibility, as govts throw everything behind the 'same old, same old' to get their economies going. I can't see Trump siding with green industries when fossil fuels is such a quick win.

It'll be a race by the big players to win top position in terms of recovery, and the emerging players are India, China and the Asia-Pacific region, and I don't really see anything like the environmental awareness of the west as to the seriousness of the situation.

 

[muhammad_isa]

..It'll be a race by the big players to win top position in terms of recovery, and the emerging players are India, China and the Asia-Pacific region, and I don't really see anything like the environmental awareness of the west as to the seriousness of the situation.

Yes, I know that economic prosperity is uppermost in most countries.
However, there are still many questions atm..

Will aviation recover quickly as it did in the 2008 recession?
Will govt.s around the world "bail them out", or will they even be able to afford to?

I envisage a 'slow down' personally.
Unfortunately, the world's war zones can only get bigger

 

[Thomas]

However, there are still many questions atm..

Oh, agreed. Many.

Will aviation recover quickly as it did in the 2008 recession?
Will govt.s around the world "bail them out", or will they even be able to afford to?

It's a good question, and I would hope we realise we do not need to fly anywhere near as much as we do?

In world aviation figures, USA and China are the top places, and the UK third!

Unfortunately, the world's war zones can only get bigger

You said it! God forbid the big players enter a conflict so they can take possession of resources ...

 

[wil]

There was a meme to the effect of:

Humanity: "There is no way we can cut fossil fuel use enough to save the planet."

Mother Nature, "Are you certain?"

 

[Thomas]

From opendemocracy.net:

According to figures, deforestation in the Colombian Amazon in March showed an increase of 276% over the same period last year.

In Brazil, deforestation in the first quarter of 2020 is up by 51% over the same time period as last year.

And this is telling:
"The triumph of neoliberalism has led to the greatest inequality in history, where (according to the latest statistics) the twenty-six richest people in the world own as much wealth as half the world's population. It has allowed the largest transnational companies to establish dominance over other forms of organization, with the result that, of the hundred largest economies in the world, sixty-nine are companies."

Sadly, China and the USA total over 42% of greenhouse gas emissions. India and Russia bring the figure up to 53%. None show any inclination to combat global warming nor a shift to a new way of living as we emerge from the Pandemic.

 

[Thomas]

Just to add in, the countries of the European Union (if we include the UK) ranks third in emission tables. Germany, the highest of the EU, is 7th in terms of country placing.

 

[wil]

germany is high on emmissions?

 

[Thomas]

Well it's around 2%, whereas UK, France and others are 1%.

But in terms of reduction, the European Union is reduced, whereas the big players are increasing. Historically, the US is the leader in total emissions calculated over a long period, understandable as China, India and Russia were so far behind the Industrial Revolution. By that score Europe was, i think, the 2nd biggest contributor.

I tried to find the links, but just got bewildering arrays of stats ...

 

[wil]

Yeah, we know the biggest problem countries, but I thought germany was on the rise in solar...

 

[muhammad_isa]

..of the hundred largest economies in the world, sixty-nine are companies."

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em..
..on a more optimistic note, the planet still has 'the golden age' [1000years] to come,
due to the appearance of the Messiah, peace be with him.

 

[Cino]

Yeah, we know the biggest problem countries, but I thought germany was on the rise in solar...

Complicated story. Solar and wind power were subsidized for years, but this program is ending. There are a lot of solar power plants and wind farms, and on a good day, they provide excess energy. But there were no investments or subsidies in technology to buffer these power sources, so the big players just sat it out, and continue to use gas, coal, and nuclear power (the Green Party actually prevented a shutdown of nuclear power a few years ago - no joke)

Ex-federal chancellor Schröder is nowadays on the boards of Rosneft and Nordstream (Gas pipeline). Ex-Green Party leader and former foreign minister Fischer is another lobbyist for fossil fuels (no joke) and snother gas pipeline project.

Germany is actually going to put a new coal power plant in service this year, ffs.

So, the situation is messy and complex, and includes solar power being on the rise, among many other things going on...

 

[wil]

Sheesh, and have you seen Michael Moore's latest? Planet of Humans?