Dickinson to Durban » Archive
“You have to celebrate nothing happening.” – Vajjhala
By Emily Bowie ’14 This past week the Global Mosaic students had the valuable opportunity to talk to government officials and scientists from Washington, DC about their jobs, experiences and their perspectives on both Climate Change and December’s COP 17. One of these delegates was Shalili Vajjhala, the Deputy Assistant Administrator to the Office of International & Tribal Affairs in the EPA. Vajjhala was one of the few women we heard from over the two days, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics, Featured, Key COP17 Issues
Renewable Responsibility
by Emily Bowie ’14 The World Watch Report, “Renewable Revolution: Low-Carbon Energy by 2030,” develops important aspects of a transition to a low-carbon economy as well as illustrates potential scenarios for this transition. Carbon efficiency and renewable energy are the celebrated strategies for this transition. Explanations of the potential for certain renewable energy sources are provided and analyzed, as well as useful strategies for increasing current and future efficiencies (1). First, I found it interesting how often the report praised the accomplishments and potential of energy intensive renewables, mainly solar power. Graphs are presented that show solar as the fastest emerging renewable as well as the renewable with the most potential (see below). The facts that solar power does not require transmission and is well suited for distribution are repeated several times (1). … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Key COP17 Issues, Summer Reading Responses
Cap or Tax?
In 2009 the House of Representatives did an astounding thing: they passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This bill had four major components (1): It set new standards for power generation and accelerated development of cleaner, more efficient technologies. Provides funding for energy efficiency programs and sets higher efficiency standards. Creates a Cap and Trade program over 87% of US greenhouse gas emissions. Spells out measures for easing the economy into a low carbon state. Whether or not this was a great piece of legislation was made irrelevant when the Senate killed it, however, as a progressive move towards lowering US greenhouse gas emissions it has implications for what future legislation might look like. While watching the Clean Energy Works video “The Facts of Cap and Trade” I came to the conclusion that cap and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Summer Reading Responses
Just a bunch of fluff.
The Copenhagen Accord reads like a Disney version of a classic fairytale. You know, the fairytales where they leave all the “bad stuff” out, the scary stuff that actually make the stories real classic fairytales, just so that everyone can enjoy them. The Copenhagen Accord is the treaty that Obama, as well as the “leaders of China, India, Brazil South Africa and about 20 other countries” were able to cooperate and agree upon that last Saturday night of the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen at 3am with all the pressure of the conference on them to come up with something (1). First they acknoweldge that climate change is occurring. Then they explain how all countries are going to have to adapt and respond in different manners because each country … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Key COP17 Issues
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