I manage two other blogs in which, as a scientist and engineer, I try to focus on measurement, facts and solutions. (Refs 1 & 2 below) This does not exclude opinion and is certainly open to free speech comment, questions and/or suggestions.
I believe this page is best place to further comment on CO2 count and GHGs and CC, in the first instance, such is the magnitude of work to be done (WTBD) in order to adequately tackle, what many consider to be the most important issue facing humanity today.
WORK
I deliberately chose to use the word "work" in opposition to "effort", since some prominent commentators here in France where at least one in particular Mr. C. Allègre ex-Gov minister for education (and employment?) and a prominent geophysicist appears to me to be involved in "pulling the cover to himself and perhaps to his recent publications on CO2, it'spredicted effects while stigmatising others. He has recently strongly criticised what he considers exaggerated modelled levels of global warming (GW), (due perhaps to efforts of simplification for wider understanding?) as well as sea level rising as priorities to be tackled, as if they can be separated! While Mr C Allègre in verbal presentations on radio or TV appears to quibble "re-inventing the wheel" if I may say so, in pin-pointing Jobs as the main issue to solve - I know of no one who would argue with that, as the number one societal need, and I have a lot more experience than he especially the wrong side of the great divide or of the barrier reef...(Jobs ref. poem 1). Reef.., cast your minds eye owe'r that last word as my favourite poet Hugh MacDiarmid -would say. Yes, Claude is most worried about the consequences CO2 acidification of the oceans. He could well be right and probably is . That's my reading also, CO2 +H2O=>H2CO3, a serious danger to coral reef barriers, (Calcium Carbonate, CO2 sinks-"The rain forests of the seas" and ecosystem protectors) Fortunately he is concerned for the role of CO2 and likes to mention his practical participation (if any?) in CO2 sequestration, but avoids mentioning the dearth of sites of significant size. Others too work and work hard on this theme (hence my knowledge as a member of the UK, Royal Chartered professional Institute The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3). For example, IOM3, mining colleagues are currently involved in assisting China find suitable sequestration sites for their frightening capacity to generated massive amounts CO2. That China is concerned is some slight consolation. Only slight, given their main-stream intentions, to use coal powered electricity generation, (to be on par or to beat their great neighbour across the Pacific slowly acidifying Ocean?) I do indeed hope our colleagues may find many, many suitable sequestration sites. For the time being, I believe they have ear marked only 6 sites to-date. I am also a motivated amateur and follow such news and materials related requirements since I and my relatively close neighbours are sitting on a coal reserve, reputed to be the largest in Europe, here in France (58) cf. my poem 2.
Globally there are insufficient geological sites to store and sequester the volumes of CO2 involved. But I agree it is a step in the correct direction a Wedge. [Comments welcome]. It is one of the few geoengineering projects to be currently under large scale pilot testing. cf. ref1.
Deforestation (cf.my poem 3) is low on M. Alègres list-the main rain forests are not in France, still Mr Allègre and perhaps even more so the journalists who invite him are usually (always) pleased to tell us of his international reputation (clout?) cf. my poem4 entitled "Global Reach". below.
Questions: So is CO2 and Co. (the GHGs) wedging important or not?
Where is the supposed conflict between jobs and environment and lets face it long-term profit?
-Should we "work" for more security in the face of "natural" more and more costly disaster".
_An engineer would certainly say, yes we should;
_I believe the economist-account would probably say yes cf. the famous Stern Report. It is globally accepted that Stern did his job properly and set the stage for the correct Options for the Future.
_In fact in France the administration plan to alleviate the high probability of a massive flooding of Paris, so the Administration say yes (at least for Paris where 80% of the top Admin and managerial jobs-people live.)
-Should we work to improve health-care, alleviate disease and illness, of which many remaining health problems are strongly related to environment?
_The doctor, the environmental and ecological scientist and engineers certainly say yes and they do, although in pre-Barck Obama USA, I have some doubts.
The Industrial R&D Scientist and Engineer?
I am biased as a student of the 'The A.J. Cronin School of Medicine', A.J. Cronin doctor and novelist did much to publicize industrial-work related disease in his novel, The Citadel, notably lung related disease notably, silicosis among miners. This type of "anti-industrial"work still meets strong resistance in application due to what is seen as economic and financial conflicts of interests, especially in underdeveloped and fast developing nations.
A SIMPLE MODEL
1.Human related activity (anthropological) effect on the CC-Energy issue is a well established fact, as we say "for all intents and purposes"
2 It is better to be safe than sorry (the story told to children of the 3 little pigs who had to choose how and where to build their house. Adults take heed!
3. It gives directions. It focuses humanity on practical, important, issues whereby their individual and more so their collective action counts and can be measured - recognition.
4. It is in the class of millennium-world class endeavours such as it's predecessors "The infamous Cold-War and the Enlightened Moon Challenge. Indeed many observers consider that important measurable progress should be made in mush the same timeline as J.K.Kennedy' Moon-landing programme ie. 10 years! Hence CC milestones of 2015, 2020 etc?
Some further thoughts-Notes to share comment and criticize.
Demographic increase will continue to increase considerably before natural causes interrupt the present trend. The current 6 billion, 6x10^9 people on earth is predicted to peak at 9billion, 9x10^9 people. As with climate skeptics and the misled, demographic predictions may also be considered with a wise dose of precaution and preparation to ensure manageable worst scenarios
A fundamental question is what increases fastest? Demography or Scientific Technological and Engineering (applications) I suspect, that human activity left to it's own devices (vices) weak focus, and direction and even modern developed world birth-control extension world wide, can only get, demographically speaking, worse since even at modern rates of scientific and technological progress; (References? Pacalow cf ref 1 or 2 speaking about his work with Socolow on Wedges ref1 or 2 to master CO2 emissions.)
To the point.
To the point.
Humanity, either on the individual level or as communities; local, regional, national and international, needs a sense of purpose, long before "www", which we can expect to both define difference more acutely and also to increase shared value systems among greater numbers. For good or bad they will reach some sort of equilibrium. (We see, as usual, a majority of humanity tries to make the best of things by peaceful means while a minority tend to take more extreme views and actions. Can it change through improved knowledge and more so through improved understanding?)
Since WWII Two major paradigms galvanised peoples.
1. The rather depressing but efficient Cold-War shaped the world in an East-West divide.
2. The adventurously, enlightening Moon Challenged announced by Pres. J.F. Kennedy in 25 May 1961 and in his Rousing speech at Rice Univ in 1962 quote: 'Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, "Because it is there." 'Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked."We_choose_to_go_to_the_moon LINK, His goal was achieved 1969, when Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module's ladder and onto the Moon's surface.
Various Space related programmes have fuelled youth's imagination and motivation to better achievement and fulfillment in favour of International co-operation for Peaceful applications of science and technology, notably The International Space Station. into the 1990's
"Dale Carnegie, Maslow, and others have documanted intrinsic factors that motivate human beings to achieve and to "work hopefully for the better". ref TBD
Arguably, today's developed society requires challenges on par with the indubitable scientific and technological prowess (if not progress?) Such 'power' and power and wealth differentials and discrepancies appears to me to put our Western (Anglo-Saxon) value system, and work-ethic, on trial. (Obama wins US Presidential elections and is attributes the Nobel Peace-Hope prize on such issues)
Today and for some time to come it is more than conceivable that the Climate -Energy issue can fulfill this role.
Disadvantages:
In spite of it's current lack of luster; Worse or is it better, it calls for courage from all especially developed nations and not just the brave few, an elite such as John Glen, and Yuri Gargarin.
On many occasion many unknown heroes have come to the fore. WWII has seen much abnegation and proud and profitable resistance against tyranny. (this must not be forgotten in current conflicts of interest).
It is not a "Business -as-usual (BAU)" proposition for all our call, it calls for important changes, such are the magnitude of indicator warnings, and the inertia, or more accurately competitive balancing of efforts (1s Law thermodynamics) of competitive societies and governments in any attempt to impliment changes. Hopefully it can be evolutive (more peaceful & comfortable) and not disruptive (painful),
Advantages are many:
-Massive co-ordination in an attempt to avoid near certain destruction of one sort or another. JOBS, security justice and ethics
-It is a focus just as the previous post-World Wars programmes I and II were. JOBS, security justice and ethics.
-It is a Marshal Plan ++ programme, (Stern Report) We have such previous experience. JOBS financed. Wonderful, Security, Justice, Ethics...
-Most actions required immediately are practicable with current technology ( Socolow) by simple common sense, although much perverted by modern consumerism as a substitute for health, equilibrium and simple happiness.
- Could James Cameron's film Avatar- the stuff dreams are made from, have scientific, technological, psychological and philosophical background one day? Anyway it is a most impressive work and touches human cord, as did Luc Besson's film "Le Grand Bleu".
Many Technical References:
1. My blog Conversations-on-Innovations My Blog Search: Wedge-a-War.
2.Materials Science and Engineering Defined My Blog Search: Wedge-a-War.
RELATED POSTS
eg.
Putting the Heat on Coal-Fired Power Generation_ Materials, Steels, Superalloys, Coatings to fight GHG Emissions? Information overload assistanceRead more: http://materialsscienceengineeringdefined.blogspot.com/search?q=Wedge-a-War#ixzz0k3ebAmNd Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Share Alike
A task of terawatts- Editorial from Nature looks at Renewable Energy Policy and criticises "The Traditional Fossile Fuel Dependency Read more: http://management-related-bsc-mba.blogspot.com/#ixzz0kKeDuMCR
Some of My Heart felt Peoms on No_Holds_Bard
1. "LE TRAVAIL C’EST LA SANTE…" (a damned good job too!)
2. Open Cast Coal Mining
3. Deforestation
4. Global Reach
5.Newton is Dead March 2008 On systems.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments, questions and/or suggestions welcome. If I can be of further, more focused assistance, do not hesitate-ask. Comments are moderated to assist further enquiry and assistance.