HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD
Evidence of Climate Change
Melting Arctic, global temperature rises, melting glaciers, sea level rise.
Impacts Seen Today
An increase in the frequency of extreme weather, like droughts and floods, leading to huge reductions in crop yields resulting in large increases in food prices.
The Cause of Climate Change
Oil, Coal and gas emit billions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. This CO2 absorbs energy in the form of heat, which then goes on to heat the other gases making up our atmosphere. To stop this atmospheric warming we must stop emitting CO2.
Future Impacts
The increase in CO2 content of the atmosphere will stay with us for thousands of years and continue to cause warming resulting in disastrous impacts for future generations and eventual runaway climate change, where the warming will become out of our control. We must stop emitting CO2 NOW.
Getting off Fossil Fuels
For clean forms of energy to become sustainable and embedded in our economy they must start making a profit without subsidies. Renewable energy will never compete with fossil fuels as long as fossil fuels are cheaper.
Cap & Trade
The idea of linking stock markets to CO2 emissions reduction has proved a total disaster in europe, resulting in a collapse in the price of carbon, huge profits for traders paid for by huge increases in energy costs to consumers. It’s time to dump Cap & Trade.
Making Alternative Forms of Energy Affordable
This can easily be achieved by simultaneously imposing a fee on oil, coal and gas producing companies and paying an equal rebate to each and every member of the public.
This fee on fossil fuels will be imposed as soon as the oil and gas enter the economy, for example at the oil well, or port of entry. The fee will be $15 per ton of potential carbon emissions.
This rebate to the public will enable the public to pay for the inevitable fuel price increases passed on by the fossil fuel companies.
The fee imposed on fossil fuels and the rebate to consumers will steadily increase year on year until alternative forms of energy become cheaper than fossil fuels. Only then, will alternative energy sources become truly sustainable.
As more money starts to get spent on alternative forms of energy, more clean energy companies will start to compete on the market resulting in lower prices for consumers. More money directed at this market will also mean more research, enabling important scientific breakthroughs in low carbon technology.
The End of an Era
Big dirty energy companies will either have to close up shop or join the clean energy revolution, bringing an end to this now outdated era of fossil fuels.
Younger and future generations will be able to rest assured in a stable climate knowing that the most serious threat to mankind was averted.
What You Can Do:
For more information google “Citizens Climate Lobby” and get involved.
