Dubya Doesn’t Believe Climate Change, But Look Who Does.
From EB comes this interesting bit. Click on the link to read the entire article.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 16, 2007) Global climate change presents a serious national security threat that could affect Americans at home, impact U.S. military operations and heighten global tensions, according to a study released today by a blue-ribbon panel of retired admirals and generals.

The study, “National Security and the Threat of Climate Change,” explores ways projected climate change is a “threat multiplier” in already fragile regions of the world, exacerbating conditions that lead to failed states—the breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism.

The CNA Corporation, a nonprofit research and analysis organization, brought together eleven retired four-star and three-star admirals and generals to provide advice, expertise and perspective on the impact of climate change on national security. CNA writers and researchers compiled the report under the board’s direction and review. The full report will be available at SecurityAndClimate.cna.org.

Fast Trains
For those who think New York to Portland during daylight in a single day might be pushing things a little to far – France just set a new train speed record of 357 mph. Special case, of course. They’d have walked the track for sure before they tried it. But quick coast-to-coast by rail is possible (the French just increased TGV speeds to 250 mph).

Ethanol
George Seldes has set me to thinking more deeply about ethanol, that and the news that Lane County is trying to establish an ethanol plant using cellulosic products – unwanted grass straw and that sort of non-food thing. Using petroleum to produce ethanol is one objection to the process, the other objection is the risk of inducing starvation in poorer regions of the world, if not our own. A cellulosic plant would seem to threaten food supplies less, and raising grass seed I think requires less petroleum (and its products) than maize.

But in the U.S. and the rest of the world vast new areas being planted in maize, all bespoken by the burgeoning ethanol industry. People are quite likely to die, as many in countries like Mexico rely on maize as a necessary part of their diet. What might be done?

Not much, I’m afraid. If fuel can command higher prices than food, what can stop corporations from purchasing food and turning it into fuel? There are no mechanisms in the free world that would permit intervention in a matter such as that, short of making it a criminal act to produce ethanol. Could you possibly enact such a law? Against the fervent wishes of drivers everywhere, against the determined resistance of corporations? Against the fears of those who appreciate their booze? I really doubt it.

So another concern is piled on top of the threat of peak oil. Dubya’s desire for an ethanol future will probably be met. With that, the driver is faced with the grisly choice of not going to work or starving a child.

The happiest news I can see is pricing. Ethanol is and always will be an expensive form of fuel. It takes a lot of liquid fuel to produce ethanol As the price of petroleum rises so does the cost of ethanol production. As the price of driving increases, perhaps exponentially, the attractiveness of public transit will grow, especially if powered by renewable electricity which avoids the whole fossil fuel mess.

I’ve mentioned my recent trip to Atlanta. Their public transportation is called ‘MARTA’, an acronym for which I haven’t seen a Rosetta Stone. Some of the natives down there have come up with their own translation, referring to it as a way for black folks to get around. Prepare yourselves, guys. Those twelve lane freeways piercing the heart of the city may go quiet soon. So what are you going to do then, stay home and sulk? You may have to. MARTA isn’t much in the first place, and handling a rapid escalation of demand will almost certainly prove beyond its capability.

Peak Oil
As Tom Whipple points out, when last we saw three buck gas we could point a finger at Katrina. We’re back to three bucks and the price continues to rise without Katrina or any other clear factor. Other than the fact that gasoline stocks in this country are at historic lows and declining sharply. Refineries are operating at over ninety percent capacity and other than Iraq there are no serious geopolitical supply interruptions. Was Ken Deffeyes correct in predicting Thanksgiving, 2005, as the advent of peak oil? Too soon to tell whether he was bang on, close, or a clean miss. In any case, Oh boy, do we need options in transportation. We may need them right away.

Public Buying Habits
Ford and GM nearly went out of business after Katrina because of the cost of gas. Like the administration, though, they stayed the course. They cut the price of their low mpg models. In Oregon buyers responding on the ground that a bargain on an SUV would buy a lot of gas.

According to the newspaper, Oregonians are buying more gas than ever while driving fewer miles. I’ve been concerned about a future in which less and less costs more and more. And here are people embracing the idea. Makes a fellow think.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 at 8:22 am and is filed under Energy Future, Environment, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.