Ready for some good environmental news?

[wtmusic]

"EIA Stunner: Energy-related CO2 emissions are now down nearly 10% from 2005 levels.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) just issued its must-read report on U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions in 2009. It turns out energy-related CO2 emissions have dropped faster than EIA had expected just a few months ago (see my September post, “EIA stunner: By year’s end, we’ll be 8.5% below 2005 levels of CO2 — halfway to climate bill’s 2020 target“).

Surely this country could reduce CO2 emissions a little more than 7% in 10 years and meet the modest target set out in the Senate climate bill, which appears likely to be introduced next week. It really isn’t bloody hard (see Game changer part 2: Unconventional gas makes the 2020 Waxman-Markey target so damn easy and cheap to meet).

Yes, a part of the recent drop in CO2 is due to the recession, but actually that was only just a piece. Other key factors including low natural gas prices, gains in efficiency, state renewable energy standards, and a clean-energy-friendly stimulus (see “EIA projects wind at 5% of U.S. electricity in 2012, all renewables at 14%, thanks to Obama stimulus!“)."

http://climateprogress.org/2010/05/05/eia-energy-related-co2-emissions-energy-climate-bill/

Rain-on-parade alert: actually mitigating global warming - having a positive social influence on our surroundings - also puts food on the plate of deniers.

The job is never done.

[DarthDem]

1. I Was Ready

Thanks.

There will be some hysterical people along shortly, but I appreciated the link.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Well, the world-wide recession helped

But ... I'd like to think that some of the first small steps we're taking are having a beneficial effect, too.

It will become clearer in a year or two, when we are in the up-phase of the business cycle.

--d!

[bananas]

4. Recession only accounts for about 1/3 of the drop in emissions

Yes, a part of the recent drop in CO2 is due to the recession, but actually that was only just a piece. Other key factors including low natural gas prices, gains in efficiency, state renewable energy standards, and a clean-energy-friendly stimulus (see “EIA projects wind at 5% of U.S. electricity in 2012, all renewables at 14%, thanks to Obama stimulus!“).

The EIA has a very interesting figure that examines all the key factors and shows GDP drop is only about a third of the reason:

[NickB79]

3. Yet atmospheric CO2 levels continue to climb, to almost 400 ppm now

Without a global agreement on emissions reductions, any mitigation the US puts forth will be offset by developing nations and their reliance on cheap coal for power.