Bret Stephens from the Wall Street Journal reports that the developed countries no longer have the appetite to transfer money to developing countries to prevent climate change. The global economic downturn has made the transfer of wealth from formerly wealthy countries to even less wealthy countries a non starter.
Ira Kalb from the Business Insider suggests that renewable energy investment has finally
turned the corner. In 2011, for the first time the amount of money invested in renewable energy exceeded the amount invested in traditional energy sources. The technical issues of getting the cost of solar energy which is currently at 11 to 14 cents per kilowatt down to the cost of coal at 5 cents per kilowatt is a major hurdle. He was optimistic that it could be achieved. He also suggested that proper marketing of renewable energy is also part of the solution.
Supporters in the climate community have suggested that carbon credits is a way of solving the cheap as coal problem. I have a preference for forcing the solar panel manufactures to find ways of making the technology cost effective. This includes some government funding of basic research and quickly transferring this basic research to engineers who can work on process efficiency.
AP reports that UN Climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri says the cost for controlling climate change which he estimates at 0.12% of GDP is worth it because it will reduce droughts, minimize heat waves and mitigate damage to coastal development.
Don Shelby from MinnPost reports on the climate change conference in Durban, South Africa. At the conference, World Meteorlogical Association Deputy Secretary General, Jerry Lengoasa stated that 2010 was the warmest year on record and that 2011 will go down as one of the warmest years since records have been kept. He also claimed unequivocal proof that human activities were causing global warming. On a happier note for 2011, stations in Siberia reported temperature increases of 7 degress F (4 degrees C).
Don Shelby also included information from University of Minnesota Climatologist, Mark Seeley. Mark noted that Minnesota set an unofficial record for the highest dewpoint of 82 degrees F on July 19, 2011.
For those of you in more tropical climates you may be used to the high dewpoints. In Minnesota, spending time outdoors from the middle of July through the first part of August of 2011 was a miserable experience unless you were in a swimming pool.
Ira Kalb from the Business Insider suggests that renewable energy investment has finally
turned the corner. In 2011, for the first time the amount of money invested in renewable energy exceeded the amount invested in traditional energy sources. The technical issues of getting the cost of solar energy which is currently at 11 to 14 cents per kilowatt down to the cost of coal at 5 cents per kilowatt is a major hurdle. He was optimistic that it could be achieved. He also suggested that proper marketing of renewable energy is also part of the solution.
Supporters in the climate community have suggested that carbon credits is a way of solving the cheap as coal problem. I have a preference for forcing the solar panel manufactures to find ways of making the technology cost effective. This includes some government funding of basic research and quickly transferring this basic research to engineers who can work on process efficiency.
AP reports that UN Climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri says the cost for controlling climate change which he estimates at 0.12% of GDP is worth it because it will reduce droughts, minimize heat waves and mitigate damage to coastal development.
Don Shelby from MinnPost reports on the climate change conference in Durban, South Africa. At the conference, World Meteorlogical Association Deputy Secretary General, Jerry Lengoasa stated that 2010 was the warmest year on record and that 2011 will go down as one of the warmest years since records have been kept. He also claimed unequivocal proof that human activities were causing global warming. On a happier note for 2011, stations in Siberia reported temperature increases of 7 degress F (4 degrees C).
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| Mark Seeley - MPR news photo |
Don Shelby also included information from University of Minnesota Climatologist, Mark Seeley. Mark noted that Minnesota set an unofficial record for the highest dewpoint of 82 degrees F on July 19, 2011.
For those of you in more tropical climates you may be used to the high dewpoints. In Minnesota, spending time outdoors from the middle of July through the first part of August of 2011 was a miserable experience unless you were in a swimming pool.
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