Are The Climate Alarmists Giving Up On CO2?

The Washington Post highlights the potential change in tactics by the alarmists (in order to continue on the path for more control of people and economies, along with redistribution of wealth, especially to their own pockets, ala Al Gore)

Many policymakers and business leaders have come to see the most basic method of slowing global warming – cutting carbon dioxide emissions through a binding treaty – as elusive for now. They are turning their attention instead toward a more achievable goal: curbing other greenhouse gases that are warming the planet.

As the annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change kicked off Monday in Cancun, Mexico, with the aim of laying the groundwork for a future pact, many experts focused on more immediate cuts in industrial chemicals, soot and methane, all of which contribute to short-term warming.

Rafe Pomerance, a senior fellow at Clean Air-Cool Planet, said a campaign to reduce these non-carbon dioxide emissions “can provide momentum that the world needs on significant greenhouse gas cuts.”

Interestingly, this article follows on the heels of a NY Times op-ed on November 27th laying out the same notion. Now, granted, methane is certainly a more potent GHG than CO2, considered to be anywhere from 25-60% more potent, with an average lifespan in the atmosphere of 12 years. Yet, what would we do? The primary big sources are landfills and agriculture. While we can certainly work towards limiting the methane from landfills, and private companies are, in fact, working towards that (many are looking to capture it and use it for fuel), will we destroy the agricultural industry? Some of the more extremist alarmists say “yes.” They want a much lower human population on the planet, though, they never themselves walk the talk. Shame.

Going organic is not the solution, either, since all those farms that use modern methods produce far more food.

The United States, Canada and Mexico will launch as early as this week a North American initiative to curb hydrofluorocarbons, which are used as industrial refrigerants, along with methane and the black carbon that comes from some diesel engines and wood-fired stoves. And U.N. negotiators in Cancun will press for the adoption of language next week that would ease the way for phasing out HFCs under a separate climate treaty.

HFCs? Interestingly, what do you think is providing the air conditioning at the Cancun conference, not too mention the United Nations building, and on all the hundreds of airplanes these folks took to the conference? And the cars and limos they drive in? Anyone think people will give up their A/C without riots? Yes, there are alternatives, ones that are more “natural,” but, while Coca Cola can afford to install them (and charge more for their product), the average Joe doesn’t have the same luxury.

Black carbon, ie, soot? Yes, it is a danger for warming, but, the release of black carbon has plunged of the years for many reasons, including regulation and better technology.

Wood-fired stoves? Will the UN and 1st world countries tell all the little people they can no longer cook and keep warm? Will they mandate that sporting goods stores can no longer sell them for camping? Maybe they will deem your fireplace criminal, and slap you with a big fine.

Daniel A. Reifsnyder, deputy assistant secretary of state for environment, said he and other senior U.S. officials think they can reduce these greenhouse gases – which do not remain in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide – even as they continue to chip away at the larger problem of emissions from factories and vehicles.

“We think we have a huge potential to do something about this very quickly,” Reifsnyder said in an interview. “If we act today, we could head off a problem that will be 20 percent of the greenhouse gas problem by 2050.”

Ah! And there we have it. This is a way of slapping lots of fees and restrictions on people and companies quickly, to obtain massive control before their pet cult has died out and they are left with nothing.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach. sit back and Relax. we’ll dRive!

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