Bernie was right, the climate accord in Paris didn't go near far enough

[peacebird]

Last month was the warmest November on record by an incredible margin, according to NASA measurements. The global average temperature for the month was 1.05 degrees Celsius, or about 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than the 1951 to 1980 average. It’s also the second month in a row that Earth’s temperature exceeded 1 degree Celsius above average.

It was just in October that our planet first exceeded the 1-degree benchmark in NASA’s records, dating to 1880. Prior to that, the largest anomaly was 0.97 degrees Celsius in January 2007.

The recent measurements become even more significant in light of the recent Paris accord, in which 196 countries boldly agreed to limit the planet’s warming to “well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degree Celsius.” The extraordinary warmth of October and November helped push this year well-past the 1-degree benchmark.

We have known that 2015 is all but certain to be the warmest year on record, though we did not know by how much it would be. Given the November report, 2015 will eclipse last year as the warmest year on record by a huge margin.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/12/15/november-2015-was-earths-hottest-such-month-on-record-by-a-huge-margin/

[Skinner]

1. I wish he told President Obama his plan to get other countries to agree to a stronger agreement.

[reddread]

10. maybe leading by example?

Last edited Wed Dec 16, 2015, 12:45 PM - Edit history (1)

pushing fracking (keystone XL) as far as they could until backing down after the fact?
not the right direction, but exactly indicative of the real trajectory.
you might believe in Santa Claus, but dont fall for
sugar free confections,
fat free salad dressing,
last minute objections to unrestrained, destructive, insane modern day fracking.
Jerry Brown is the poster child for the practice (offshore fracking in marine sanctuaries? Family tradition. Fracking inland, fracking in a drought, fracking with gumbo shrimp, fracking and pancakes, fracking in a drought, not the prohibition. What comes out of
his mouth has little bearing on what is in his heart or mind about the industry and practice.
i think we have had enough lies circulated for the sake of petrodollars by pocket pets.
Its too late anyway, lets just face reality and name the culprits who pulled this caper off.
It wasnt Exxon.

[daleanime]

31. Would be nice.

[tk2kewl]

35. it's amazing how doing what's right actually changes everything

while doing what's half right changes almost nothing

[JonLeibowitz]

23. The reason certain parts of the agreement were not binding were because of the USA.

Because we wouldn't be able to pass certain things as a treaty.

Let's not jump to blame other countries so fast..

[treestar]

28. I'm open to hearing that Bernie criticized Republicans

for this very reason. They are the deniers.

[yeoman6987]

30. They are deniers, but they were not in Paris

What ever deal was made was due to the president good and bad.

[Tommy2Tone]

2. So it didn't go far enough,

Are Bernie and you suggesting we should not have done the deal?

[peacebird]

4. Nope, merely stating we need to do a lot more

[treestar]

27. we know that already

[daleanime]

33. And apparently do like it....

[Historic NY]

32. Any specifics??

I didn't think so.

[stonecutter357]

3. yes more could have been done.

[beam me up scottie]

5. That's a disturbing article.

I don't understand why what Bernie said was so upsetting.

Considering what's happening to our planet I think I prefer honesty to mindless cheerleading.

After reading that article I don't think I could gin up outrage against him if I tried.

[peacebird]

8. The final graphic is somewhat terrifying. We need to be actively working on alternative energy

And carbon sequestration at a minimum. That and coming up with viable cost effective means of producing (or purifying) water for use in food production and for drinking. I read an article last week about how slowly our underground resevoirs actually refill - and it is *much* more slowly than we pull the water out

[beam me up scottie]

9. Thanks for posting it.

They also criticised Bernie when he linked climate change to the increase in terrorism.

He's never been the kind of politician who cares about getting flak for saying what needs to be said, the issues are too important.

[global1]

13. Agreed - Other Posts Here This A.M. Already Are Pointing To Countries That Aren't Going To Abide....

by this agreement. Japan, South Korea and India are all stepping up to using more coal.

Bernie was right - it didn't go far enough.

[beam me up scottie]

14. He did say it was a step forward but I really can't fault him for being honest about the reality.

Last edited Wed Dec 16, 2015, 11:02 AM - Edit history (1)

I think people are manufacturing reasons to be outraged.

If Bernie said water was wet we'd be subjected to a dozen ops explaining why he was wrong about that too.

[treestar]

26. It is mindful cheerleading because they are getting somewhere

You can bet most people will cheer that on. Well, except the deniers.

[beam me up scottie]

39. It doesn't go far enough, listen to the scientists not the cheerleaders.

[yeoman6987]

34. The issue is Bernie believes he could convince 196 country leaders better then the president could

How does he know that? Each of the 196 leaders has their own mind and limitations on what they accept. Bernie could have turned away some support if he demanded to much and possibly come away with no deal.

[beam me up scottie]

38. Where did he say that? Link please. Tia!

[JaneyVee]

6. We can only go as far as technology allows...

We are not at the point yet where we could transition from oil completely. And we have to take into account other countries who lag behind in technology. I am confident we will get there.

[Agony]

16. not a technology or economic problem. it is a political problem.

http://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/WWS-50-USState-plans.html

The authors make the case that the resultant total-system costs would be lower than the business-as-usual scenario. Which is great, since BAU sucks, as most everyone agrees (except the people profiting from BAU). What they don't try to show is that the resultant system is the optimal system, i.e., the optimal balance of costs and benefits.

Insisting on 100 percent WWS — excluding nuclear, biomass, cogeneration, natural gas, etc. — almost certainly raises the total-system costs relative to a broader portfolio of low-carbon options. Just a little bit of nuclear or biomass power, for instance, would reduce the amount of power-plant overbuild necessary.

Lots of people are extremely skeptical of Jacobson's work for just this reason. They say, Why not accept a little bit of asthma, or some nuclear waste, in exchange for a cheaper system?

But I think that misses the point. Jacobson has set out to create a benchmark: this is what we could do if we aimed to create an entirely sustainable, pollution-free energy system. After all, the cost-benefit trade-offs of less sustainable systems almost always mean higher benefits for the already privileged and more costs for the already less privileged.

Jacobson's approach is more like political philosopher John Rawls's famous "veil of ignorance" approach. What kind of power system would you choose for society if you had no idea where you might be placed in that society? If you didn't know whether you'd be rich or poor, living in a gated suburb or right next to a power plant or waste dump? You'd probably design a system that is equitable and healthy for everyone.

That's our highest aspiration, and the one Jacobson's work speaks to. Whether we pursue our highest aspirations is up to us.

[jeff47]

37. We have the technology for 100% carbon-free energy, everywhere.

We even have the technology to literally pull the CO2 from the atmosphere.

What we don't have is the political will to do it. Instead, we have the economic dominance that keeps spewing out more CO2.

[drray23]

7. this in a nutshell is why bernie will never get anything done.

He is very good at pointing out what he sees a problems, but never at coming up with realistic concrete solutions. Its his way or the highway. The cop21 agreement may not be perfect but its still a huge step forward. Thats how you solve big problems. You move forward as fast as you can get others to agree with. Better than complaining its no good because it did not go far enough abd end up with no agreement and zero done.

[hill2016]

11. where is he going to get the $100/b a year

to pay the developing countries in climate change aid?

[peacebird]

12. Where are you going to find another planet to live on?

[Blue_Adept]

15. The First Rule Of Primary Fight Club: Bernie Is Always Right

[peacebird]

18. Well, not always BUT often enough that Hillary is adopting his positions......

[Blue_Adept]

20. no no, I've heard it here enough

Bernie is always right. Hillary is Her Royal Highness that is responsible for every ill in the world. I've gotten the message loud and clear.

[peacebird]

21. I won't attempt to dissuade you. 'We came, we saw, he died' has plenty to atone for

[Blue_Adept]

22. We all have plenty to atone for

[Cali_Democrat]

25. OK....then name things Bernie has been wrong about. nt

[Scuba]

17. What the hell is Bernie talking about? Obama put a HALT to climate change. Stopped it cold!

Read it right here on DU.

[peacebird]

19. Love it!

[MisterP]

40. they always complain about cult comparisons, and then go full Juche

[treestar]

24. Any agreement between sovereign nations

is a good thing. None of them are under any political pressure to agree to anything. Criticizing such an agreement as not going far enough is simply ungrateful. Any progress is progress between sovereign nations.

The people using against President Obama that he can't get Congress to go along are golden in comparison to this. President Obama is just another national President - this "leader of the free world" crap gets people believing it literally.

[AgingAmerican]

29. The US needs to lead by example

Which ain't happening under corporate leadership

[Betty Karlson]

36. K&R for truth.