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IPCC WG1 report: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis

Summary for Policymakers available here [2.2MB pdf]. Full report will be available May 2007. Much of the conclusions prefigured here.
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Too much to pay

From the Sydney Morning Herald 31.01.2007:

Prime Minister John Howard has backed a new energy report which supports his push for nuclear power as a way to combat climate change.

The Energy Supply Association of Australia (ESAA) said that substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions were possible by the year 2030 but it would cost $75 billion.

It also says nuclear power, cleaner coal and gas would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but renewable energy such as wind and solar power would not be cost effective.

"The answer is a greater emphasis on clean coal and nuclear power," Mr Howard told reporters.

Even if we accept these figures at face value, $75 billion spent over the next 23 years (to bring us to 2030) translates to $163 per capita per year. That Howard should find this a prohibitive cost for saving the planet beggars belief. (Though he does commute a lot, mainly in his taxpayer-funded CO2-spewing personal jet, between Canberra and Kirribilli.)

CO2 Spewing

Ian MacDougall, could you please inform me what type of plane does Kevin Rudd use when flying between home and Canberra? 

You obviously think that he flies in a plane that does not spew out CO2 and that he pays for the trip out of his own pocket.

WE GIVE YOU US$10,000, YOU BUCKET THE REPORT, OK?

“Mr Green [American Enterprise Institute] denied sending letters to Australian scientists, economists or policy analysts.” (Incentives to attack warming study denied, The Australian, 3/2,) see also “Scientists offered cash to dispute climate study”, the Guardian, 2/2, )

That’s small change for an Exxon neoCon front like American Enterprise Institute. Their Iraq war (and it is theis bloody war, and they profit hugely from it) is currently calculated at US$10,000/second. That’s a lot of humidicribs, ICUs, dialysis and heart-lung machines, or operating theatres. Otherwise available to folks with health insurance only.

And they’re sending D*ck Cheney Downunder this month to twang Mr Kirribilli’s sad old pantaloons, and perhaps even snap a wedgie in Alexander’s fishnets. I don’t expect David Hicks will be on the luxurious US Air Force 2 when it touches down at RAAF Fairbairn, which has been massively refurbished at Oz taxpayer expence (along with the local Liberal Party branch’s Canberra Airport) for just such an honour.

I intend to whack Cheney’s massive armoured vehicle en route to Yarralumla/Barton with my trusty old .50 cal Barrett rifle, loaded with depleted uranium projectiles. You read it here first. The massive flame-out should be visible from outer space. I will be ultra-safe in my WWII Pialligo orchard bunker, which even has a complimentary mini-bar and home theatre with cableTV and surroundsound (one doesn't want to miss the news that night). When it's late, if there's no dogs, I might nip out and scrump a few Pink Ladies.

But back to the non–offer to Australians of Exxon’s science bribe. Gee, US$10,000. I bet that’s one mighty sore Director of the Australian Environment Foundation, Jennifer Marohasy. But one expects she’s quite adequately funded for the same stuff at our own far-Right Institute of Public Affairs.

Frère Jihad Jacques OAM née Woodforde of the Persian Overseas Secret Service, still in the Bekaa Valley orchards, defusing the American Enterprise Institute’s playground and olive grove cluster bomblets (and you wonder why I want to knock over Exxon creeps like Cheney).

Does it have to be Environment v. Economy?

Is there an economist among our ranks who could give some advice regarding the likely costing - across Australia - of the following:

1. Installation of solar panels on all buildings in all major and provincial cities, and linking them to the national grid;

2. Installation in all buildings in all major and provincial cities of grey water recycling;

3. Installation in all major and provincial cities of water recycling units, (a) to potable water quality, and (b) to garden/agricultural use quality;

4. Tax breaks for (1) and (2) for the full cost.

Note to the coal companies – what about getting into the retrofitting business? Could be a nice little earner.

My dream is for cities and towns to be self-sustaining with respect to power, and close to self-sustaining with respect to water.

More on transport, health, education, and justice later.

OUT THE BACK, OR GIVING WEE MALCOLM THE NO-FLUSH …

then lay on Macduff … there’s a Turnbull skulking.

Fiona R: and close to self-sustaining with respect to water </i>

Aye, wee lassie, but ye ken, water has its price …

There’s another retro fit with which many of us are familiar, and those who tread the road from, inter alia,  Goondiwindi to Warwick, and the sands from Cylinder to Amity the more so.  The dry composting, or non-flushing lavatory.

Mind you, it’s espoused by the Reds under the bedpan at the Australia Institute, so it’s probably a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

So much so, that The Canberra Times on Sunday (4/2/07) carried the following foaming, wild, red-eyed gibberish (not avail online):

“WHAT A WASTE OF SPACE    Professor Patrick Troy’s extremist left wing ideals suggesting Canberrans dispose of the traditional toilet in favour of a dry compost system is so bizarre it borders on ludicrous (‘Treated sewage not the answer’, Feb 2 p.1

“Yes, all Canberrans realise there has to be a balance between supply and demand of this limited resource, even to the point we are considering using recycled water.

“However, is Patrick delusional enough to believe that Australia is some kind of Third World Country and not the modern civilised version we have all become accustomed to?

“While we are at it, let’s turn off the electricity, as the way we consume this could only be considered as bizarre also.’

I couldna have put it better meself, but then, I do satire quite a bit, when the mood takes  me.  But you could try a wee backyard privy, and do as ye would be done by.  Cover the thing in blackberries, a great shadecloth, and good for the birds, who may peck at the flies.

Frère Jihad Jacques OAM née Woodforde, still in the Bekaa Valley orchards, defusing playground and olive grove cluster bomlets …but coming back for D*ck (who should kiss his ass [or donkey, or onager] goodbye).

Solar = $10 per watt (roughly)

See eg here.

So, Q1 in round terms: say 10 x 120W panels per household at $1000 each (discount for bulk) - some will be able to put more up, but many wouldn't have space for 10. No need to worry about connecting to the grid - they won't be generating enough to be exporting power. But you do need other stuff to connect it all up.

The last bid we had for this house was to put up 23 panels at a total cost of $35,000 (after subsidy), which would last 10 years and save $1000 a year off our electricity bill (not economic), but gives an estimate for the "other stuff" of a 50% uplift on the panel-only cost, though it would be more than that on a smaller installation.

8 million households => 120 billion dollars or around that.

Then there's industry ...

Fiona: David R, I'm sorry - I'm v tired, does that mean it's economically impracticable? I've heard contra stories, like someone up on the Central Coast of NSW who powers their home (aircon included) from solar, and puts stuff back into the grid on high sunshine days.

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