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The fecklessness of most AGW "solutions" was first pointed out long ago in Bjorn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist. Now Judith Curry spotlights the little-to-no impact of BHO's actions.
King Canute versus the climate planners
Posted on December 20, 2016 | 109 comments
by Judith Curry
On sea level rise, President Obama and King Canute.
Continue reading →
. . . This essay provides a good starting point for evaluating the legacy of President Obama’s climate policies. Even if they aren’t overturned by the Trump administration, there is little to no impact on the global climate to be expected from planned U.S. emissions reductions. But . . . the rest of the globe has signed onto the Paris agreement. Even in the unlikely event that each of these countries actually manages to meet the obligations that they have already made, the amount of warming prevented by the end of the 21st century will be a few tenths of a degree (and that is if you believe the climate models).
As Hayek points out, the potential for overall harm of such policies is substantial. The counter argument is that we are facing global ruin from AGW and that therefore we must act with comprehensive global policies. I have debunked the ‘ruin’ argument in a previous post Is climate change a ruin problem?
Humility in the face of the unknowns of the complex climate system, not to mention global human societies, seems in short supply in the hyperconfidence of the Obama administration in dealing with climate change. We can anticipate a change in the Trump administration; here’s to hoping for a dose of sanity in dealing with energy policy, the environment and reducing vulnerability to extreme weather events.
King Canute versus the climate planners
Posted on December 20, 2016 | 109 comments
by Judith Curry
On sea level rise, President Obama and King Canute.
Continue reading →
. . . This essay provides a good starting point for evaluating the legacy of President Obama’s climate policies. Even if they aren’t overturned by the Trump administration, there is little to no impact on the global climate to be expected from planned U.S. emissions reductions. But . . . the rest of the globe has signed onto the Paris agreement. Even in the unlikely event that each of these countries actually manages to meet the obligations that they have already made, the amount of warming prevented by the end of the 21st century will be a few tenths of a degree (and that is if you believe the climate models).
As Hayek points out, the potential for overall harm of such policies is substantial. The counter argument is that we are facing global ruin from AGW and that therefore we must act with comprehensive global policies. I have debunked the ‘ruin’ argument in a previous post Is climate change a ruin problem?
Humility in the face of the unknowns of the complex climate system, not to mention global human societies, seems in short supply in the hyperconfidence of the Obama administration in dealing with climate change. We can anticipate a change in the Trump administration; here’s to hoping for a dose of sanity in dealing with energy policy, the environment and reducing vulnerability to extreme weather events.
