Reality check: Without carbon taxes we'll never stop

[pscot]

In recent years, proponents of clean energy have taken heart in the falling prices of solar and wind power, hoping they will drive an energy revolution. But a new study co-authored by an MIT professor suggests otherwise: Technology-driven cost reductions in fossil fuels will lead us to continue using all the oil, gas, and coal we can, unless governments pass new taxes on carbon emissions.

“If we don’t adopt new policies, we’re not going to be leaving fossil fuels in the ground,” says Christopher Knittel, an energy economist at the MIT Sloan School of Management. “We need both a policy like a carbon tax and to put more R&D money into renewables.”

While renewable energy has made promising gains in just the last few years — the cost of solar dropped by about two-thirds from 2009 to 2014 — new drilling and extraction techniques have made fossil fuels cheaper and markedly increased the amount of oil and gas we can tap into. In the U.S. alone, oil reserves have expanded 59 percent between 2000 and 2014, and natural gas reserves have expanded 94 percent in the same time.

http://news.mit.edu/2016/carbon-tax-stop-using-fossil-fuels-0224

[Kelvin Mace]

1. This is why this election is crucial

Radical change is needed. Not incremental change, not compromises, not modest proposals or trial balloons. We need to make carbon based energy expensive, and green power cheap. Anything less, and the game is over.

I only know one candidate who will make radical change.

[elleng]

3. Yes, only one, but unfortunately he's no longer running.

https://martinomalley.com/climate/agenda/

[elleng]

2. 1. A COMPLETE TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY—AND AN END TO OUR RELIANCE ON FOSSIL

FUELS BY 2050
We can’t address our climate challenge without ending our reliance on fossil fuels — full stop. I would take aggressive executive action and fight for legislation to slash emissions and put our nation on track to be powered by 100% renewable energy within 35 years.

2. AN AGGRESSIVE AGENDA TO DOUBLE ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITHIN 15 YEARS TO WASTE LESS ENERGY AND CREATE MORE JOBS
If we waste less energy, we can create more jobs — while saving Americans real money on energy costs and protecting our environment. Maximizing energy efficiency in buildings alone could eliminate the need to increase our national electricity generation capacity.

3. RENEWED INVESTMENT IN THE PHYSICAL—AND INTELLECTUAL—INFRASTRUCTURE TO POWER A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY
New technologies have put a clean energy, energy independent future within reach. It is up to us to develop and deploy the technologies we’ll need to get there.>>>

https://martinomalley.com/climate/agenda/

[pscot]

4. If we quit burning coal

our CO2 output would fall 30%. So we know where to start.