{"id":253515,"date":"2023-04-18T17:32:30","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T15:32:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253515"},"modified":"2023-04-18T17:32:41","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T15:32:41","slug":"net-zero-not-rational","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253515","title":{"rendered":"Net Zero Not Rational"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Science Matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0Ron Clutz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jonathan Lesser explains in his Real Clear Energy article Why \u201cNet Zero\u201d Is Not a Rational U.S. Energy Policy.<\/strong><\/a>  Excerpts in italics with my bolds and added images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost of achieving net-zero carbon emissions would be staggering for neglible climate impact.<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite Germany\u2019s last-ditch attempt at realism,<\/strong>\u00a0the\u00a0European Union<\/strong>\u00a0recently\u00a0approved<\/a>\u00a0a 2035 ban on gas-powered cars,\u00a0moving ahead with its\u00a0\u201cnet zero\u201d emissions agenda<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0In the U.S., the\u00a0cost<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0of achieving net-zero carbon emissions would be staggering \u2013\u00a0$50 trillion<\/strong>\u00a0if the goal is reached by 2050 \u2013 as would the\u00a0demand for raw materials<\/strong>, which in most cases\u00a0would exceed current annual worldwide production.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Global critical metal demand for wind and PV<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact on world climate, however, would be negligible.\u00a0Emissions in developing countries will continue to increase as those countries\u2019 focus is economic growth<\/strong>\u00a0for their citizens, not permanent economic misery to \u201csave\u201d the climate. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although a recent\u00a0Washington Post\u00a0article<\/a>\u00a0suggests that wealth be viewed in terms of \u201cjoy, beauty, friendship, community, [and] closeness to flourishing nature,\u201d impoverished individuals who cook with animal dung \u2013 such as 80% of the population in the African nation of Burkina-Fasso \u2013\u00a0aren\u2019t likely to find much joy and beauty in economic misery.<\/strong>\u00a0Granted, having to cook with animal dung ensures \u201ccloseness to nature,\u201d although probably not the one the article\u2019s author envisions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rather than approaching energy policy clearly, the U.S. (and most of the western world) is pursuing so-called \u201cnet zero\u201d energy\u00a0policies aiming to fully electrify western economies, while relying almost entirely on wind and solar power.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The additional required electricity \u2013 after all, the wind doesn\u2019t always blow, and the sun sets nightly \u2013 would supposedly be supplied by energy storage batteries or hydrogen-powered generators.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two factors drive these policies. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, there is climate hysteria,<\/strong>\u00a0which promotes claims that have either proven to be false (the \u201cend of snow<\/a>\u201d in Great Britain, the\u00a0disappearance of glaciers<\/a>\u00a0in Glacier National Park) or posit\u00a0extreme<\/a>\u00a0scenarios (complete agricultural collapse<\/a>, massive\u00a0sea level increases<\/a>, more frequent\u00a0hurricanes<\/a>). The actual evidence is to the contrary, including\u00a0increased<\/a>\u00a0agricultural yields,\u00a0minimal<\/a>\u00a0sea level rise, and\u00a0no increases<\/a>\u00a0in observed hurricane frequency.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Second, these policies are driven by old-fashioned greed.<\/strong>\u00a0Green energy subsidies, which were already large, have been hugely expanded under the Biden Administration\u2019s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IRA is a virtual smorgasbord of green energy subsidies for offshore wind, solar power, electric vehicles, and charging infrastructure. The green energy\u00a0pork<\/a>, which relies on climate alarmism for its justification, is\u00a0increasing electricity costs<\/a>\u00a0and reducing standards of living, such as in Europe, where\u00a0deindustrialization<\/a>\u00a0is taking place because of unaffordable energy costs. Even progressive California\u00a0admits<\/a>\u00a0its zero-emissions goals primarily will benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although the author of the\u00a0Washington\u00a0Post\u00a0article may think differently,\u00a0modern society requires ample supplies of reliable and affordable energy<\/strong>. A modern society that runs solely on electricity must have a foundation built upon\u00a0three key pillars.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0First, it must provide lots of electricity,<\/strong>\u00a0far more than is generated today, because U.S. electricity consumption accounts for only about one-fifth of total energy consumption.\u00a0Second, all of that electricity must be available 24-7. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, it must be affordable.<\/strong>\u00a0Those pillars\u00a0cannot be supported<\/a>\u00a0by reliance on intermittent wind and solar power and huge banks of batteries to store electricity when the wind doesn\u2019t blow and the sun doesn\u2019t shine.\u00a0Nor will those pillars be based on\u00a0technologies that don\u2019t even exist<\/a>, such as generators that run on pure hydrogen.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Even if one believes that addressing climate change is crucial and
that low- or zero-emissions technology will yield worldwide benefits,
the current approach is the most expensive way to achieve it.\u00a0<\/mark><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the hyperventilation of some politicians, such as Senator Sheldon Whitehouse\u2019s predictions of doom<\/a>, climate change need not entail economic suicide. A far better approach is adaptation to and mitigation of potential future damages that may be caused by a changing climate,<\/strong> such as gradual sea level rise and slightly warmer temperatures.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is doubtful the U.S. will adopt this approach in the near future, because\u00a0political expediency nearly always beats rational economics<\/strong>. But as economist Herb Stein said long ago, something that cannot go on forever, won\u2019t. The\u00a0unrealistic energy policies in place today eventually will collapse under their own weight. The resulting costs to U.S. consumers and businesses will be staggering.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See also Series of Four Posts\u2013 World of Hurt from Climate Policies<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Part 1<\/strong><\/a>, Zero Carbon Means Killing Real Jobs with Promises of Green Jobs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 2<\/strong><\/a>, Reducing Carbon Emissions Means High Cost Energy Imports and Social Degradation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 3<\/strong><\/a>, 100% Renewable Energy Means Sourcing Rare Metals Off-Planet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part 4<\/strong><\/a>, Leave it in the Ground Means Perpetual Poverty<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cost of achieving net-zero carbon emissions would be staggering for neglible climate impact.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":253534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818336,691818272,691818370,691818154,691818662,691818624],"class_list":{"0":"post-253515","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-biden-administration","9":"tag-climate-hysteria","10":"tag-hydrogen","11":"tag-net-zero","12":"tag-pv","13":"tag-wind-and-sun","15":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0Co20open.jpg?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-13WX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":310978,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=310978","url_meta":{"origin":253515,"position":0},"title":"SNP retreat is \u201chigh water\u201d for Net Zero","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/03\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Net Zero Watch welcomes Scottish Government\u2019s new-found realism on climate.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate Change Committee\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate Change Committee","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change-committee"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0GJL7pH7XIAMoM4e.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0GJL7pH7XIAMoM4e.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0GJL7pH7XIAMoM4e.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0GJL7pH7XIAMoM4e.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0GJL7pH7XIAMoM4e.jpeg?fit=1200%2C632&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":319451,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=319451","url_meta":{"origin":253515,"position":1},"title":"Canadians Not Warming to Zero\u00a0Carbon","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"22\/04\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This report is produced by re.Climate, who are disappointed in Canadians weakening support for Net Zero alarm and expensive emissions initiatives. 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