Exploring Global Climate Change

Posted: December 15, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Environmental Science | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

• Politician: What are the odds that human behavior is causing climate change?

• Scientist: Highly likely.

• Politician: So you are saying it might not be us?

Global climate change is perhaps the most complex challenge ever to face humanity. It remains to be seen whether humanity is up to the challenge and can frame a global response to mitigate the risk to the planet and human society, because there is significant debate on the issue and policymakers around the globe appear to disagree on the science and the response because of political, social, and economic reasons. The public debate leaves concerned individuals confused about whether and how to take action and with more questions than answers: Is climate change real? Is climate change a result of human activity? What impact will climate change have? What needs to change? In their book, The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate, Dessler and Larson (2006), provide a definitive guide that summarizes both the science and the political dynamics of climate change, and includes recommendations for policymakers. Through Dessler and Larson’s treatment of the issue, this author learned that the climate is definitely getting warmer, that human activity is probably responsible, and more importantly, that inaction is irresponsible, given the possible outcomes.

Climate change may ultimately affect the lives of every person on the planet; therefore, individuals need to understand the science of climate change and the dynamics of the debate in order to make informed personal and political choices. Often, information on climate change contains bias for or against a particular position. Dressler and Larson are surprisingly effective at maintaining a detached, rational, and unbiased perspective, clarifying the differentiated roles between scientists and policymakers and separating positive and normative arguments to provide the reader clarity on the climate change science. After providing background on the inherent skepticism of the scientific community, the author’s then summarize the overwhelming, peer-reviewed, consistent, evidence of the warming of Earth’s surface temperature; including direct surface air temperature, glacier data, sea-level change data, sea ice data, ocean temperature, satellite measurements, and data from a variety of climate proxies. The earth is getting warmer, but is it a result of human activity? The author’s conclude that human activity is likely the cause of increased warming, because of the measureable increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and their basic physics. In addition, the rise of CO2 correlates very closely, in both magnitude and frequency, with the rise of the surface temperature. Again, the author’s do an excellent job separating the positive and normative arguments, while summarizing the science of climate change. However, when discussing the potential impact of climate change, there was far more uncertainty, but informative descriptions of promising efforts to reduce uncertainty through computerized climate models. Of course, the primary argument for change was one of risk; given climate change is happening, is probably caused by greenhouse gas emission, and is likely to have far reaching and perhaps devastating consequences for human society, inaction is responsible.

When the discussion turned to potential solutions, post-Kyoto political and economic solutions to reduce emissions occupied most of the dialogue, giving adaption and geo-engineering strategies short treatment. In addition, the potential solutions did not incorporate enough perspective from social sciences that might offer benefits to those seeking to address the need for change. For instance: What leadership lessons can environmental scientist draw from other fields? What is the psychology of climate change? What mass communication phenomenon is at work in the public debate and who are the gatekeepers? How can digital media reshape the debate?

In the end, this author found Dessler and Larson’s work to be an excellent guide to understand the science and politics of global climate change. Before reading this book, this author was like many, who allow the misleading public debate to legitimize inaction. The earth is warming because of human activity and if emissions are not reduced right away, the consequences will likely be disastrous. Inaction is simply irresponsible.

Free Market Energy: Advantage Renewables

Posted: December 11, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Environmental Science | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The United States requires access to a consistent, low cost, stable, supply of energy to meet the needs of citizens, business, the military, and government; relying primarily on fossil fuels to meet the growing energy needs of the country (Miller & Spoolman, 2010).  Yet, fossil fuels are problematic for a number of reasons, including a dwindling supply (Webster, 2011), harmful environmental effects (Miller & Spoolman, 2010), and international price shocks created by nation-states that control oil production (Allaire & Brown, 2009).  Therefore, to enhance U.S. energy security and economic interests, while reducing environmental harm, the country needs to wean itself from fossil fuels and invest in domestic production of alternative, yet reliable forms of energy.  However, U.S. government energy policy favors the production of fossil fuels through a variety of tax breaks, subsidies, and other government interference.  Some energy analysts believe that fossil fuels should continue to receive subsidies and tax breaks, while private industry develops renewable energy sources (Needham, 2011).  Others, including this author, recommend phasing out tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuel production, in favor of subsidies and tax breaks for renewable energy alternatives (Miller & Spoolman, 2010).  However, a more reasonable, achievable, approach is to phase out all government energy subsidies and let energy companies compete with the best available technology.

The energy industry receives roughly $20 billion in subsidies and tax breaks every year, with the lion’s share going to fossil fuel industries (Leonard, 2011).  Not only does renewable energy receive far less subsidies annually, but especially when viewed from a historical perspective.  Fund and Healey (2011) found that inflation-adjusted, average annual subsidies for fossil fuels were 5 times that of renewables, while nuclear power was subsidized at a rate of 10 times that of renewables.  In the final analysis, the federal government are underwriting the energy sector unevenly, put renewable energy development at a significant disadvantage, given both the high startup costs of innovation and competition from large, entrenched, subsidized, organizations; hardly a level playing field.

Despite the inherent challenges faced by those committed to renewable energy development, renewables have a distinct advantage; namely, they are renewable.  While coal and natural gas remain plentiful in the United States, concerns over reaching peak oil, coupled with growing demand in the both the developed and developing world, have driven oil prices to record highs, making the development of renewable alternatives feasible despite the high cost of capitalization in the energy industry.  Even the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has invested in renewables, developing an algae-based biofuel alternative for jet fuel (Goldenberg, 2010).   In a free market system, devoid of subsidies for either fossil fuel or renewable energy development and production, the advantage goes to renewable energy; it is simply a matter of time and the laws of supply and demand.

More importantly, it may be possible, given the country’s financial woes, to drop energy subsidies entirely.  In a year when four energy companies are in the top ten of the Global 500 Most Profitable Companies, collectively earning more than $90 billion annually (CNNMoney, 2011), while the country is facing massive debt problems, and taxpayers are being squeezed, it would seem the time might be right to level the playing field.  Leonard (Leonard, 2011) believes the time may be right politically as well, given the rise of the Tea Party on the right and a disaffection with ethanol on the left.

U.S. dependence on fossil fuels has become increasingly problematic with the implications felt in the economy, military, industry, politics, and the environment.  In an ideal world, the federal government would subsidize the development and production of renewable energy, minimally, at the same level as fossil fuels.  Unfortunately, the U.S. government uses energy policy to pick winners and losers in the energy sector and provides fossil fuel producers a distinct market advantage.  It is time to phase out all government subsidies in the energy sector and let the most efficient technologies compete in the open market; with the advantages inherent in renewable energy, the shift away from fossil fuels is simply a matter of time.

References

Allaire, M., & Brown, S. (2009). Eliminating subsidies for fossil fuel production: Implications for U.S. oil and natural gas markets (pp. 1-19). Washington DC: Resources for the Future.

CNNMoney. (2011). Global 500 2011: Most profitable companies  Retrieved December 9, 2011, from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2011/performers/companies/profits/

Goldenberg, S. (2010). Algae to solve the Pentagon’s jet fuel problem  Retrieved December 9, 2011, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/13/algae-solve-pentagon-fuel-problem

Leonard, J. (2011, February 2011). Get the energy sector off the dole  Retrieved December 9, 2011, from http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2011/1101.leonard-2.html

Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, S. (2010). Environmental science (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

Needham, M. (2011, November 8). Time to eliminate wasteful energy subsidies  Retrieved December 9, 2011, from http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/07/time-to-eliminate-wasteful-energy-subsidies/

Pfund, N., & Healey, B. (2011). What would Jefferson do?: The historical role of federal subsidies in shaping America’s energy future. San Francisco, CA: DBL Investors.

Webster, S. C. (2011, February 9). Peak oil now? Leaked cables show concerns that Saudis running low. The Raw Story  Retrieved December 9, 2011, from http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/09/peak-oil-wikileaks-cables-show-concerns-saudis-running/

Communications 305: A Digital Media Journey

Posted: September 12, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Communications | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Life often dishes out irony as if humans required it for sustenance.  I began this class thinking myself a digital native, although I had yet to hear the term.  Working for major software corporation for many years, I ran successful Content Management and Collaboration technology consulting practices that helped our customers take advantage of web technologies and thought myself well-versed in the implications of digital communication on things like security, identity, brand, presence, and other dimensions of the implementation discussion.  I expected to come into this class and excel simply based on the fact that this was a realm I understood and I couldn’t have been farther from the truth.  For while my understanding was perhaps sufficient to help a customer address a need, I missed the big picture that a solid theoretical foundation provides.  In addition, I could have likely added far more value to my customers by helping them think through the implications of digital media on their business, relationships with customers, relationships with partners, and opportunities and risk to their brand reputation.  Life is full of ironies.

             During the course, I started a blog to chronicle my personal journey to graduate with honors, but more importantly as a personal exploration of digital media, and found myself grappling with issues I had previously only encountered as a thought experiment during the class; a powerful way to learn, indeed (Rock, 2011a).

There are a number of perspectives that have influenced my thinking during the course.  I was struck by the simplicity and elegance of Symbolic Interactionism as a theoretical framework, and because it leads to an important philosophical question about the growth of meaning; how will humanity transform as the volume of interactions grow exponentially as the rest of the world joins the network?  In the past, interactions tended largely to be bound in both time and space and now neither is true, there are very few boundaries in the virtual world.

Social shaping of technology is another theoretical perspective that influenced me during the course.  I believe there are deterministic elements of technology that ties to the capabilities that technology affords, and yet observe that often people use technology in ways that designers never envisioned.  Who would have thought during design that Twitter could help overturn an authoritarian regime?  From a purely business point of view, social shaping theory means that we in the software engineering business need to pay close attention to how our products are used.

Of course, the question that most dominated my thoughts during the course was the democratic nature of the medium.  The Arab Spring opened my eyes to the fact that something very different was happening in the world and digital media was at the center of it.  I realized very quickly, that digital media was having profound implications on humanity and wondered at the implications for family, my business, nations, and myself.  It appears to me that Internet and the World Wide Web are significantly shifting the balance of power between individuals, minorities, and dominant hierarchies and believe that humanity may be on the cusp of a new understanding of what it means to be human.  Long have our differences been used as a means of controlling access to resources and our entire system of economics is based on that idea.  I think that the Web is going to give us an opportunity to rethink what it means to be human and how to share.  I know that others see the Web as simply a reflection of humanity, but I do not ascribe to that view because the balance of power is changing, myths are being exposed for what they are, and once dominant entities have given way, while others continue to fight.  It may sound like I am subscribing to some utopian view, and in the end, perhaps I am.  However, throughout history, most power struggles have been violent, and if we look to the example of Libya, this power struggle between Netizens and the dominant hierarchies that control them has the same potential.  I am a firm believer that the natural state of humanity is freedom and so the idea of such a powerful equalizing force appeals strongly to my ideals.

← Older Entries