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Green New Deal Bill Aims To Move US To 100 Percent Renewable Energy, Net-Zero Emissions (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: On Thursday morning, NPR posted a bill drafted by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) advocating for a Green New Deal -- that is, a public works bill aimed at employing Americans and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the face of climate change. A similar version of the bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate by Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.). The House bill opens by citing two recent climate change reports: an October 2018 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a heavily peer-reviewed report released in November 2018 by a group of U.S. scientists from federal energy and environment departments. Both reports were unequivocal about the role that humans play in climate change and the dire consequences humans stand to face if climate change continues unchecked.
The bill lists some of these consequences: $500 billion in lost annual economic output for the U.S. by 2100, mass migration, bigger and more ferocious wildfires, and risk of more than $1 trillion in damage to U.S. infrastructure and coastal property. To stop this, the bill says, the global greenhouse gas emissions from human sources must be reduced by 40 to 60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and we must reach net-zero emissions by 2050. [...] The Green New Deal specifically calls for a 10-year mobilization plan that would "achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers" by creating "millions" of high-paying jobs through investment in U.S. infrastructure. Specific kinds of infrastructure aren't listed, but general categories or works projects are outlined. Adaptive infrastructure tailored to communities, like higher sea walls and new drainage systems, would be included. NPR notes that the language is classified as a non-binding resolution, "meaning that even if it were to pass... it wouldn't itself create any new programs. Instead, it would potentially affirm the sense of the House that these things should be done in the coming years."
Surprisingly, the bill doesn't mention fossil fuels at all. "In a draft version of the Green New Deal that had been circulated in December, a Frequently Asked Questions section did not preclude eventually calling for a tax or a ban on fossil fuels, but it noted that this was not what the bill was about," notes Ars Technica. "Simply put, we don't need to just stop doing some things we are doing (like using fossil fuels for energy needs)," the FAQ notes under the Green New Deal draft language. "We also need to start doing new things (like overhauling whole industries or retrofitting all buildings to be energy efficient). Starting to do new things requires some upfront investment."
The bill lists some of these consequences: $500 billion in lost annual economic output for the U.S. by 2100, mass migration, bigger and more ferocious wildfires, and risk of more than $1 trillion in damage to U.S. infrastructure and coastal property. To stop this, the bill says, the global greenhouse gas emissions from human sources must be reduced by 40 to 60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and we must reach net-zero emissions by 2050. [...] The Green New Deal specifically calls for a 10-year mobilization plan that would "achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers" by creating "millions" of high-paying jobs through investment in U.S. infrastructure. Specific kinds of infrastructure aren't listed, but general categories or works projects are outlined. Adaptive infrastructure tailored to communities, like higher sea walls and new drainage systems, would be included. NPR notes that the language is classified as a non-binding resolution, "meaning that even if it were to pass... it wouldn't itself create any new programs. Instead, it would potentially affirm the sense of the House that these things should be done in the coming years."
Surprisingly, the bill doesn't mention fossil fuels at all. "In a draft version of the Green New Deal that had been circulated in December, a Frequently Asked Questions section did not preclude eventually calling for a tax or a ban on fossil fuels, but it noted that this was not what the bill was about," notes Ars Technica. "Simply put, we don't need to just stop doing some things we are doing (like using fossil fuels for energy needs)," the FAQ notes under the Green New Deal draft language. "We also need to start doing new things (like overhauling whole industries or retrofitting all buildings to be energy efficient). Starting to do new things requires some upfront investment."
Wind turbines and solar panels have to be manufactured, and that takes emissions.
Employ out of work Coal Minors making parts for wind and solar plants (lord knows they've got the skills), prevent Trump & the GOP from using them as a prop in elections, boost the economy when we're going into a recession and clean the air. Four birds, one stone.
Seriously folks, we're all huddling down bracing for a recession like a bunch of cats in a thunderstorm. Why the hell don't we actually do something about it for a change? This isn't hard. We know exactly what to do. Regulate Wall Street to prevent them from gambling with our cash, do a big stimulus with a big payoff (like when we built the highways) and maybe throw in Medicare for All and the $5 trilling in savings every 10 years that comes from that. It's not Rocket Surgery.
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Nuclear energy is a requirement of renewables because renewables are high risk with regard to extreme events,
The Fukushima Nuclear power plant was overwhelmed by an extreme natural event due to criminal negligence of the TEPCO board. We have seen that Nuclear power cannot be operated in very hot environments in France's heatwaves, floods for example and in the US. Pleanty of examples with a quick web search.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
Looks like I pissed a bunch of dingbat lovers off. Oh well, her supporters tend to be just as dumb as she is.
I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
I asked this elsewhere in the thread, but like I said, gaffs are gaffs. People make them. Hers are magnified by a powerful right wing press desperate to shut down talks of higher taxes on the wealthy (their bosses) and higher wages for workers (their bosses employees).
You should be more suspicious of the constant bad press. I watched a CNN anchor spend 15 minutes with her fishing for negative soundbites. You shoulda seen the look of frustration on his face when she was too smart to give him one. She knows what she's doing and she knows how the game is played. She's not 100%, but unless the right wing can find something that sticks hard she's going to usher in the next New Deal.
And we _need_ a New New Deal. I don't know about you but inflation is higher than any pay raise I've seen in my lifetime. I've got a few promotions that just barely kept my head above water but I'm honest enough to admit I'm probably at the apex of my career. And those promotions mighta brought a bit of cash for me but they brought a _ton_ of cash for my company. Meanwhile I've got unreliable access to healthcare for my family and I'm paying $16k/yr in tuition for a bloody public University for my kid. That's because we cut funding to schools to cut taxes, btw. Google "538 tuition" and read their (well researched) article on the subject.
The rich are fighting a class war and the working class isn't just losing, they're not even bothering to fight. AOC is fighting, so you've had a multi-billion dollar engine dog pile not just on her but on _you_ to get you to turn against her. You're being manipulated by propaganda my friend. Ask yourself, are you better off than you were 4 years ago? 8? 10? Statistically the answer is no. Even if you are, the other's reading this are not.
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