A CRITIQUE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE By Norman Harris
INTRODUCTION I believe that engineering and science are mitigating climate change and that it should be more recognised and encouraged. I have been banging the drum for more than 2 years with examples of Engineering & Science mitigating climate change, which is much better than banning normal human activities. So far I have posted 265 examples, now a group of scientists are calling for a steering body to prioritise the cost/ benefits of such research. GREAT!!
BE IN THE LEAD BUT NOT TOO FAR AHEAD. It is great that the UK can be leader in this subject, but we must be sure that the economic gains are realised and not sacrifice the economy on the altar of climate change. We produce about 1% of the world output of
Green House Gases (GHG). The US and China dwarf our output in the range of 35% each and whilst the US under President Biden will now be active in the quest for reductions, China has stated that they will lag 20 or 30 years behind the West. India’s GHG output is still growing, and they have just recently rebuffed Biden and
As the recent, but temporary, drop in atmospheric CO2 content during the first pandemic lockdown shows, climate change may not be such an intractable problem as its protagonists claim. Fuel changes to surface transport (e.g., hybrid, electric, a different petrol mix available in September and hydrogen) are already gaining pace and will keep the growth in UK CO2 output lower than in the past. But note the electric power still has to be generated by one means or the other. I am not convinced that we need high speed trains to take 15/20 minutes of the journey to Birmingham or Manchester. As we are always told for cars, higher speed means more fuel used. Believe it or not the same is true for trains. Like electric cars they transfer the carbon emitted into the atmosphere to nonrenewable power station sites. Even the big polluter of marine transport is also addressing the issue of their emissions, long thought improbable as it is largely out of the sight and control of individual Governments. 48
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