Caroline Calais -- Democracy in Americas

2009/2/16

Green initiatives in stimulus not enough

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@ 08:22 PM (9 months, 9 days ago)

Green initiatives in stimulus act not enough

February 16, 6:38 PM

by Caroline Calais, Dallas Environmental Policy Examiner

 

Environmentalists have a great deal to be happy about when President Obama, tomorrow, signs the single most expensive economic legislation in U.S history into law. Of the stimulus act’s $789 billion, about $60 billion will be spent on alternative energy, scientific research and diverse environmental projects.


“For years US policymakers’ support for clean energy has been uneven”, said Michael Liebreich, chairman and CEO of the London based research firm New Energy Finance. “There have been successes such as the fast growth of wind power capacity in Texas, but there has also been a lack of consistency compared to leading European countries in providing the necessary national support for wind, solar, geothermal, and other new energy technologies”.


But even if environmentalists are jubilant about the green initiatives included in the bill, the investments might not be enough. Projections from the U.S Department of Energy show, for example, that worldwide energy demand will grow 50 percent between 2005- 2030. And since natural gas supplies seem to be stagnant, global availability of oil in decline, the result is a greater reliance on CO2 intensive coal.


“Even with a huge increase in spending on energy alternatives it is highly unlikely that renewable, advanced biofuels, and climate-safe coal will be available on large enough scale in 2030 to make up for what is likely to be an inadequate supply of oil and natural gas”, says Michael T. Klare, professor at Hampshire College and author of
Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy, in this article Navigating the Energy Transition.


The consequence not only an increased geopolitical competition for energy supplies, but also a deteriorating environment. Participants in January’s World Economic Forum in Davos, concluded that clean energy investments of $515 billion per year is needed between now and 2030 for carbon emissions not to reach levels deemed unsustainable by scientists.

 

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Comment(s) »

  1. Did I tell you you're hot and even hotter on your own page?

    Seriously, this is all starting to add up in some bad directions. $700 B TARP fund - blown. $50 M Automaker bailout - blown. $80 M AIG bailout - blown.

    They haven't even trotted out the $2 T plus needed for the bank, lender and mortgage bailout which based on the track record will be - blown.

    When it's all added up it is close to $1 M per US citizen. Ridiculous. Added to everyone's own personal debt.

    What is now $1 M per US citizen should be GIVEN to each US citizen in percentages based on social security contributions over each person's lifetime. That way, I wouldn't be paying for a crack whore.

    Do you know the government in Iceland has been OVERTHROWN because of the same thing.

    The US government is throwing this money around to prevent us from taking to the streets and throwing their theiving asses out.

    Who besides me has had enough?

    Comment by Ed— 2009/02/16 @ 08:35 PM — (Reply)

  2. I "KNOW" I HAVE HAD ENOUGH !!!!!!

    Comment by aza spade— 2009/02/17 @ 02:51 AM — (Reply)

  3. "YAY" ....HOT INDEED !!!!!!!! SAY CAROLINE ????????

    Comment by aza spade— 2009/02/17 @ 03:01 AM — (Reply)

  4. crack whores Ed?....I thought you would at least rate the Chateau Briande type of whores....rofl......yep I have had it too, thats why I am slowly trying to make my own electricity....but dang it is expensive to get started...lol...riff

    Comment by riffran— 2009/02/17 @ 03:33 AM — (Reply)

  5. oops forgot...a bit on the smoking side there Mrs. C....lol...riff:mrgreen:

    Comment by riffran— 2009/02/17 @ 03:35 AM — (Reply)

  6. yes,its not enough.i completely agree with u.
    notebook batteries

    Comment by Siladitya Banerjee— 2009/03/29 @ 02:54 AM — (Reply)

  7. Does that mean that those people who get a loan and prove that those money will be spent in environmental standards will find it easier to handle payday loans?

    Comment by Ed— 2009/11/03 @ 10:07 AM — (Reply)

  8. Looks like some stinking spammer is trying to steal Ed's identity.

    BG

    Comment by Barry G.— 2009/11/03 @ 06:35 PM — (Reply)

  9. Wholesale Ugg Boots

    Comment by wholesale ugg boots— 2009/11/23 @ 07:23 AM — (Reply)

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