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John Carlos Baez's posts Post Back to profile
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John Carlos Baez

@kevinrns - I agree with you. When I talk about the collapse of civilization I'm talking about climate change. But if we could break free from the grip of the super-rich we could tackle that. Already last year we added 50% more renewable energy last year than the year before. China added enough solar to power more than 50 million homes.

What's that country smaller than Cuba?

27 January at 19:22 | Open on mathstodon.xyz
13 comments
Kevin Russell

@johncarlosbaez

Its also the largest exporter of flowers in the world, it has schools, theatres, railways, universities, ports, warehouses, manufacturing, daycares, shipping, literature, homes, shipbuilding and it uses less electricity than the crypto scam which produces nothing but crime.

It is 25% switched to wind and sun, so far.

27 January at 21:41 | Open on mstdn.social
steev hise

@johncarlosbaez @kevinrns but that’s not replacing fossil fuels, just adding to them. That wont save us.

28 January at 14:29 | Open on todon.eu
Kevin Russell

@detritus@todon.eu @johncarlosbaez

What is adding?

The problem is carbon. Burning carbon adds two atoms, oxygen. Making the new carbon molecule MUCH heavier, and able to hold more heat.

Adding CO2 is like rolling the windows up on a car in the parking lot.

It gets HOT. Then hotter, rising past death. We must end carbon.

Quickly. The faster the cheaper, the sooner the cheaper.

#Climate #klima
28 January at 17:01 | Open on mstdn.social
steev hise

@kevinrns that’s my point exactly. If renewables just add to enegy total but dont actually replace fossil fuels then we’re still not decreasing carbon emissions. We could add 30000000% renewables but if we’re still using all the oil and coal as before then we’re still fucked. @johncarlosbaez

28 January at 20:54 | Open on todon.eu
John Carlos Baez

@detritus - it's true that *more energy* won't save, only *less carbon emitted*. But the revolution in solar power is having some effects. Carbon emissions are dropping in the US and EU, as even this somewhat old chart shows (that trend is continuing). Unfortunately that trend was overshadowed by China's skyrocketing emissions. So I'd say our future depends a lot on what the Chinese and Indians do.

@kevinrns
28 January at 17:42 | Open on mathstodon.xyz
Kevin Russell

@johncarlosbaez @detritus

Multiple US states still use coal as the primary source of power for electricity, as do countries like India 75% coal burning, China massive.

Shipping coal almost doubles its Climate cost.

Hospitals need electricity to save children's lives, schools warm enough.

REPLACE, build all the sun and wind needed to make carbon fuels redundant.

You want to audit when its possible to close carbon facilities? To be replaced?

Like Biden Has

Great, no objection.
#Climate

@johncarlosbaez @detritus

Multiple US states still use coal as the primary source of power for electricity, as do countries like India 75% coal burning, China massive.

Shipping coal almost doubles its Climate cost.

Hospitals need electricity to save children's lives, schools warm enough.

REPLACE, build all the sun and wind needed to make carbon fuels redundant.
28 January at 18:06 | Open on mstdn.social
Kevin Russell

@johncarlosbaez @detritus

India has cancelled new coal development, dropping all new coal plants from their 5 Year Plan. It's spending that money almost entirely on batteries, and some generation.

China has just completed it's largest wind and sun project 5 years early, making the Chinese sector bigger than "the rest of the world" combined.

NOT ENOUGH, but happening. DEMAND THE REPLACEMENT of carbon fuels, faster, not sooner, BUT NOW!

Not soon, now.

#Climate #klima

cnn.com/2023/06/29/asia/china-

@johncarlosbaez @detritus

India has cancelled new coal development, dropping all new coal plants from their 5 Year Plan. It's spending that money almost entirely on batteries, and some generation.

China has just completed it's largest wind and sun project 5 years early, making the Chinese sector bigger than "the rest of the world" combined.
28 January at 18:14 | Open on mstdn.social
Kevin Russell

@johncarlosbaez @detritus@todon.eu

Biden cancelled coal. India cancelled coal, China builds to be bigger in 🌬🌞 than rest of world combined.

Who isnt? Canada. Canada is spending 25 billion in a disgusting, needing to be broken up pipeline to triple the export speed of its oil.

25 billion Trudeau (resign! so new leader can be picked before next election) is spending twenty five billion to increase burning oil.

Ironically? 25 Billion would build enough wind energy for 12 million homes.

#climate #klima

@johncarlosbaez @detritus@todon.eu

Biden cancelled coal. India cancelled coal, China builds to be bigger in 🌬🌞 than rest of world combined.

Who isnt? Canada. Canada is spending 25 billion in a disgusting, needing to be broken up pipeline to triple the export speed of its oil.

25 billion Trudeau (resign! so new leader can be picked before next election) is spending twenty five billion to increase burning oil.

28 January at 19:26 | Open on mstdn.social
LillyLyle/Count Melancholia
Kevin Russell

@johncarlosbaez @detritus@todon.eu

Sun and wind are a small fraction of power delivered now. Power that heats enough to keep from freezing, cools enough to keep from literally cooking, making food, homes, medicines and care.

The ONLY way to safety, to saving the life envelope, is BUILDING many terawatts of non carbon energy.

Its not growth, its not people, its not modern life, its carbon. We cannot move forward until we BUILD THE REPLACEMENT for carbon fueled energy.

#climate #klima

28 January at 19:35 | Open on mstdn.social
steev hise

@johncarlosbaez @kevinrns the little dip in your graph even for US alone is due to covid, most likely. Overall there’s no slowdown in our march toward global doom.

28 January at 20:50 | Open on todon.eu
Kevin Russell

@detritus @johncarlosbaez

Thanks for blah blah blah exxon, and bye.

28 January at 21:09 | Open on mstdn.social
John Carlos Baez

@detritus - No, the decline in US carbon dioxide emissions is not due to COVID. If you actually look at the graph you'll see US carbon emissions have been dropping since 2007, with little wiggles. They've dropped 20% since 2007 - and we expect them to keep dropping!

There was indeed a plunge during COVID, and it bounced back in 2023. But US carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 were 4,778 megatonnes, down 20% from the peak in 2007, namely 6016 megatonnes. Carbon emissions are expected to drop in 2024.

Too bad this information isn't more widely known! For data up to 2022 go here:

statista.com/statistics/183943

and for more recent data go here:

eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/t

@kevinrns

@detritus - No, the decline in US carbon dioxide emissions is not due to COVID. If you actually look at the graph you'll see US carbon emissions have been dropping since 2007, with little wiggles. They've dropped 20% since 2007 - and we expect them to keep dropping!

There was indeed a plunge during COVID, and it bounced back in 2023. But US carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 were 4,778 megatonnes, down 20% from the peak in 2007, namely 6016 megatonnes. Carbon emissions are expected to drop in 2024.

29 January at 3:23 | Open on mathstodon.xyz
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