JAC Greenhouse Gas / Climate Change GHG

Through the UNFCCC, 192 countries have joined an international treaty that sets general goals and rules for confronting greenhouse gases (GHG) and climate change (CC). Goals of the UNFCCC include preventing "dangerous" human interference with the climate system.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the prime authority of the Convention. It is an association of all member countries (or "Parties"), usually meets annually for about two weeks, and is attended by several thousand government delegates, observer organizations, and journalists. The COP evaluates the status of climate change and the effectiveness of the treaty. It examines the activities of member countries particularly by reviewing national communications and emissions inventories. The COP considers new scientific findings and tries to capitalize on experience as efforts to address climate change proceed. The functioning of the Convention depends on a series of groups and agencies operating as the hub of lively debate. More information on the COP is found here.

Rio Earth Summit

The UNFCCC was one of three conventions adopted at the 1992 "Rio Earth Summit". The others -- the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification -- involve environmental issues strongly affected by climate change. Further reading on the Rio Earth Summit can be found here.

Parties to the biodiversity treaty undertake to conserve species, transfer technology, and share in a fair way the benefits arising from the commercial use of genetic resources.
Parties to the desertification agreement carry out national, sub-regional, and regional action programs and seek to address causes of land degradation ranging from international trade patterns to unsustainable land management.

The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit was the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the UNFCCC and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to Kyoto.

The Copenhagen Accord was drafted by the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa and judged a "meaningful agreement" by the U.S. It was "recognized", but not "agreed upon", in a debate of all the participating countries and did not pass by unanimous consent since a vast majority of delegates to COP 15 did not review the document. Many would argue the Accord lacks chutzpah; others may argue it waters down Kyoto.

The COP 15 Accord recognizes that CC is one of the greatest challenges of the present and actions should be taken to keep any temperature increases to below 2°C. How or when is written in the disintegrating glaciers and ice shelves melting into the great oceans of our planet. The document is not legally binding and does not contain any legally binding commitments for reducing GHG emissions.

CC and GHG may be the most contentious environmetnal issues of recent years. The controversy in the U.S. may stem from see-sawing policies espoused by the administration de jour at the federal, state and local levels.

Just about every country in the world except the U.S. has ratified Kyoto. The U.S. Senate will not ratify Kyoto given this agreement does not appear in the economic interest of the U.S. Gamblers have a simple rule, don't bet on anything unless you're almost completely sure you're going to win. The U.S. will not ratify Kyoto or any CC or GHG agreement unless an economic advantage will absolutely be gained.

Similarly, the U.S. is intent on finger-pointing at India and China as major contributors to GHG. China and India argue they're developing countries whose economy cannot be stifled by limitations in GHG expected by Kyoto. Regardless of all this stone-walling those dogs won't hunt. Lack of leadership previously exhibited by those 3 economic powerhouses prevented major reductions in GHG over the past 2 decades.

In this case, until the U.S. automotive sector builds a 100+ MPG motor vehicle engine there's nothing to discuss. Similarly, the manufacturing sector will undergo an employment mega-boom when the auto industry finally builds a 100+ MPG motor vehicle engine given decades will pass before supply for high-efficiency engines meets demand. Witness the backlog in demand for the Honda Prius which is halfway there. So all those brilliant politicians who say controlling GHG emissions will cost jobs are busy suppressing an otherwise lucrative economic opportunity for our country or any other country with an automotive industry.

The Obama administration, rather than stick its head in the sand and deny the relationship between GHG & CC, like previous administrations, has ordered the EPA to develop rules and regulations to address GHG. While regulating GHG and developing GHG-control rules may not stop CC, controlling GHG through energy efficiency is a step in the right direction. CC occurs regardless of anything humanity emits into the atmosphere.

Common sense dictates that exponentially improving energy efficiency is the best method of reducing GHG, but you can't stop CC. They dynamic motion of the Earth around the Sun and obliquity (or axial tilt) of this planet plus millions of years of data indicate CC is inevitable. CC is a natural process that cycles between ice-ages and periods of warming. Polar ice caps melt, ice shelves calve, glaciers are disintegrating, and ocean levels rise. Some deserts experience greater precipitation while Europe experiences longer periods of freezing. Climate changes!!

So what does one do?? Over the next 15 years you give the auto industry a pass on taxes if they deploy a 100+ MPG engine within the next 5 years in at least 50% of the fleet they manufacture. Obtaining the most work from the least energy inputs is the most certain method of consuming less BTUs and reducing motor vehicle and accompanying GHG emissions. Don't believe a 100 MPG engine is possible? Read up on the "Oglemobile".

This isn't a the cure-all for CC, but mobile sources account for at least 80% of all air pollution emissions, and you gotta start somewhere.

As always, comments and additional content are welcome.