Is "decarbonization" the new catch-all phrase to improve the environment?

Question

What have you done on a personal level to improve the environment?

Do you agree with the IPCC Report that basically says...?

One Fight In Bangkok

Scientists, others gather in Thailand to finalize third IPCC report

One Fight In Bangkok

Scientists, others gather in Thailand to finalize third IPCC report

In its third report of the year, due out Friday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will recommend climate solutions. (The first report confirmed the existence and science of our collective mess, and the second outlined its likely effects.) So what will save us? A draft released this weekend suggests nuclear power, genetically modified crops, and carbon burial as leading options. Uh, awesome? We feel so much better? "Simply replacing one set of technologies with another set of technologies won't work, especially when there are such big downsides with some of them," says Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth. "Structural change to the economy, behavior change, and culture change -- those have to be elements in a world of decarbonization." At least 400 experts from some 120 countries are meeting in Bangkok this week to go over the fine print before the final draft is released -- and, says a U.N. Environment Program spokesperson, the whole thing could be "completely rewritten."

Answer 1

The focus is on decarbonization because carbon dioxide causes about 90% of global warming.

I drive a Prius, which gets about 2.5x better mileage than my old car. Over the last 125,000 miles I have driven it that has saved about 3,700 gallons of gas and avoided 37 tons of CO2 emissions.

I installed solar panels on my house 3 1/2 years ago. My solar panels produce about 75% of my electricity. Since I installed my system my panels have generated over 21 megawatt-hours of electricity and thus avoided about 18 tons of CO2 emissions.

These are the two most consequential things I have done.

I do agree with the IPCC report in general, although I do think for political reasons, primarily pressure from the United States and China, it understates the anticipated consequences of global warming.