Climate Change/ Global Warming (2 Viewers)

[hazaar]

Thank god finally the issue has risen to somewhere near the top of the minds of politicians! Now, let's just hope they do something worthwhile about it!

What are people's views/ ideas about what should be done to help reduce emissions?

It may not be now, but i believe come the federal election the issue will be an election-turner!

Post your thoughts...

 

[onebytwo]

the future of our planet is going to depend on nuclear generated electricity and hydrogen celled vehciles - whether we like it or not.
and i cant see australia ever signing kyoto simply because we know it'd screw up our exports...

 

[daledugahole]

I definately think global warming is going to be a big issue in coming elections. Especially since the world is now facing thousands of environmental refugees. I wonder if these talks within the pacific region will come to conclusions about the eventual displacement of the people of Kirribati.

Australia would be in a good position if nuclear power was the way the country was going in terms of the large amounts of uranium we have access to but I think it's a dangerous alturnative that the Australian public will be very sceptical about. Also if we did resort to nuclear power would it effect the amount exported?

 

[hazaar]

I am still not convinced by nuclear power. It may be incredibly useful as an alternative energy source, however the possibility for environmental and humanitarian catastrophy from any related problems remains.
For the moment anyway why not put money into the wind/solar/hydroelectric industries which are already up and running in Australia.

And as the australian government begins to introduce initiatives for cleaner energy, I fear there will be an 'out of sight, out of mind' inbalance in that we will continue to export huge amounts of coal to Asia. I know this is good for the economy, bla bla bla but i think the environment should come first. In China, five coal powered energy plants are being built every day. Perhaps we could put money into custom fitting the plants so that they trap the carbon emissions before they enter the atmosphere. If something along these lines was not done in tandem with any new inititives it would be a huge policy inbalance. What kind of message would that be sending to the biggest offenders in the world, i.e India, China. That Global Warming isn't an issue?!?! We have to involve the world in any decisions we make, it is a global problem and not something that can be fixed by any one country. That is where signing the Kyoto protocol would be a good step.
We should also introduce a carbon trading scheme.

 

[Captain Obvious 1]

I was listening to an interesting radio discussion about this the other day.

You can listen to it here:

http://www.abc.net.au/science/podcast/triplej/drkarl_20061019.mp3


Its Dr Karl and David Suzuki speaking about this issue.

 

[banco55]

I am still not convinced by nuclear power. It may be incredibly useful as an alternative energy source, however the possibility for environmental and humanitarian catastrophy from any related problems remains.
For the moment anyway why not put money into the wind/solar/hydroelectric industries which are already up and running in Australia.

And as the australian government begins to introduce initiatives for cleaner energy, I fear there will be an 'out of sight, out of mind' inbalance in that we will continue to export huge amounts of coal to Asia. I know this is good for the economy, bla bla bla but i think the environment should come first. In China, five coal powered energy plants are being built every day. Perhaps we could put money into custom fitting the plants so that they trap the carbon emissions before they enter the atmosphere. If something along these lines was not done in tandem with any new inititives it would be a huge policy inbalance. What kind of message would that be sending to the biggest offenders in the world, i.e India, China. That Global Warming isn't an issue?!?! We have to involve the world in any decisions we make, it is a global problem and not something that can be fixed by any one country. That is where signing the Kyoto protocol would be a good step.
We should also introduce a carbon trading scheme.

I think the wind farms are a bit of a con. They look like shit and they don't generate enough power to have anything more than a marginal effect on total energy production.

 

[hazaar]

I think the wind farms are a bit of a con. They look like shit and they don't generate enough power to have anything more than a marginal effect on total energy production.

For some reason i don't think 'looking like shit' should stop us from using wind trubines.
They actually do generate quite a lot of power, it is just that there are not enough of them.

 

[HotShot]

For some reason i don't think 'looking like shit' should stop us from using wind trubines.
They actually do generate quite a lot of power, it is just that there are not enough of them.

Using wind turbines requires a lot of space - i suggest u play simcity 4 u can pretty much simulate pollution and its effect on it and then try to come about it whilst maintaining population growth and economy.

to be honest global warming wont be issue for sometime. there are more important issues at the moment. as humans we will adapt to the environment.

as for nuclear government it seems to be best the option - but i dont believe its necessary. Australia is lucku in the sense we have a lot of land - the government has planned to put solar cells - i dont how reliable they are and i dont know with changing climate if they are the best option - but it is an option. LOL we dont want to see another stuff up like the dams in NSW.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

I am a firm believer that there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop or reverse global warming. The best we can do is prepare for the effects.

As for the future of energy nuclear power is the only feasible option. You can argue for wind, solar and hydroelectric all you like but they are simply not efficient enough

You mentions nuclear and people automatically think Chernobyl, radiation/radiation poisoning, nuclear waste and nuclear bombs. Obviously not a true picture. There are no emissions, no pollution and the risks are manageable. Having some nuclear waste to deal with is a reasonable trade off for such a useful energy source.

We've come along way in nuclear technology, modern reactors are pretty much the safest form of power generation. Apart from some economic barriers there is absolutely no reason not to implement it now. We certainly shouldn't be wasting more money on inefficient wind, solar and hydro.

 

[bshoc]

Plus climate change could a bane to solar, wind and hydro. Solar works where sunny days are a high % of total year, wind works in high % windy day area, and hydro needs rivers that maintain a resonably constant flow and dont dry up, things climate change could easily mess with in the long term.

Also lets not be too quick to jump on the CO2 bandwagon, our planet has happily cooled and warmed (such as the medieval warm period) without us doing anything.

 

[HotShot]

I am a firm believer that there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop or reverse global warming. The best we can do is prepare for the effects.

As for the future of energy nuclear power is the only feasible option. You can argue for wind, solar and hydroelectric all you like but they are simply not efficient enough

You mentions nuclear and people automatically think Chernobyl, radiation/radiation poisoning, nuclear waste and nuclear bombs. Obviously not a true picture. There are no emissions, no pollution and the risks are manageable. Having some nuclear waste to deal with is a reasonable trade off for such a useful energy source.

We've come along way in nuclear technology, modern reactors are pretty much the safest form of power generation. Apart from some economic barriers there is absolutely no reason not to implement it now. We certainly shouldn't be wasting more money on inefficient wind, solar and hydro.

personally i dont feel nuclear is the answer in Australia anyway. We have a lot of land - perhaps solar is the way to go to maximise - very expensive but low maintenance costs as compared to nuclear. uranium can be valuable export commodity - like how oil is now it will be like that in the future.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Also lets not be too quick to jump on the CO2 bandwagon, our planet has happily cooled and warmed (such as the medieval warm period) without us doing anything.

Global warming used to mean the natural warming cycle of the Earth. Now it has been hijacked to mean the warming of the Earth caused by our emissions.

personally i dont feel nuclear is the answer in Australia anyway. We have a lot of land - perhaps solar is the way to go to maximise - very expensive but low maintenance costs as compared to nuclear. uranium can be valuable export commodity - like how oil is now it will be like that in the future.

Solar isn't efficient enough. You'd need to have these ridiculously huge solar power stations everywhere. It's good for making up a small percentage of power generation but would never work as the main provider.

 

[HotShot]

Global warming used to mean the natural warming cycle of the Earth. Now it has been hijacked to mean the warming of the Earth caused by our emissions.



Solar isn't efficient enough. You'd need to have these ridiculously huge solar power stations everywhere. It's good for making up a small percentage of power generation but would never work as the main provider.

development in solar technology i think we could see improvements. lets use up all the coal first though before we move on.

 

[banco55]

For some reason i don't think 'looking like shit' should stop us from using wind trubines.
They actually do generate quite a lot of power, it is just that there are not enough of them.

Depends where they are built. They tend to ruin the look of the natural landscape so I wouldnt' want to see them built anywhere near where I lived. It's a bit easier in Australia because we have so much land but in the UK they've made a few typical swathes of the english countryside look horrible. I believe there was a proposal at one stage to build the largest wind power farm in the world on desolate land in northern south australia. That could be a good idea.

 

[Silver Persian]

Last night on Lateline they were talking about this, and the journalist guy was saying that 178 solar power stations like the one the government is planning to build would supply the country with enough power. I can't remember the exact investment that would be required, but it wasn't unimaginably huge or anything. And also, you'd expect that as more were built, ways would be found to make solar energy plants more efficient and cheaper to build.

 

[hazaar]

Plus climate change could a bane to solar, wind and hydro. Solar works where sunny days are a high % of total year, wind works in high % windy day area, and hydro needs rivers that maintain a resonably constant flow and dont dry up, things climate change could easily mess with in the long term.

Also lets not be too quick to jump on the CO2 bandwagon, our planet has happily cooled and warmed (such as the medieval warm period) without us doing anything.

There is actually a huge consensus amongst scientists that the effects of C02 and other emissions is having a real and lasting effect on the climate of the world. However what has stopped this scientific fact from dominating global enviconmental policy is that politicians have been unwilling to accept it. Hence the public has not been made aware of the issue to the fullest extent. Politicians have vested interests in oil and coal companies because they provide short-term economic gain. But at what cost? We have to have the foresight to look at what our world will be like in 50-100 years if we continue the current trends.

Why not put money into installing solar panels on every household roof in australia.
I believe that would go a long way to solving the problem!
Last night's Lateline suggested that in order to provide Australia's base power with power from solar power sources, the governement would need to spend 13 billion dollars.
Over a decade or so that sounds like a pretty good investment!
In a time where we spend billions on our defence budget, the howard Government's policy to provide half a billion on research and solar for greener energy sounds and looks like a policy of smoke and mirrors. Half a billion is merely a drop in the ocean of what is needed to solve the problem. If the government doesn't get serious we have to make sure we do. This is a global issue which will and is already starting to effect all of us in our everyday lives.

There shouldn't have to be a cost.

 

[hazaar]

development in solar technology i think we could see improvements. lets use up all the coal first though before we move on.

I agree, improvements in the efficiency of the technology are and will continue to be made.
However, 'use up all the coal first before we move on' ?!?!
So you propose we continue to use energy which is known to be dirty and the biggest pollutant. Sounds like a good, logical way to save the planet!

 

[hazaar]

Last night on Lateline they were talking about this, and the journalist guy was saying that 178 solar power stations like the one the government is planning to build would supply the country with enough power. I can't remember the exact investment that would be required, but it wasn't unimaginably huge or anything. And also, you'd expect that as more were built, ways would be found to make solar energy plants more efficient and cheaper to build.

I couldn't agree with you more!

I reccomend that everyone see 'An Inconvenient Truth.' It highlights the frightening nature of our predicament, whilst providing practical ways in which we can all, in our own way, help to reduce emissions.

 

[HotShot]

I agree, improvements in the efficiency of the technology are and will continue to be made.
However, 'use up all the coal first before we move on' ?!?!
So you propose we continue to use energy which is known to be dirty and the biggest pollutant. Sounds like a good, logical way to save the planet!

what why u want to save the planet? you have to be kidding me?

To save the planet:

- Stop all investment into space exploration - to much energy wasted there. lot pollution from materials, fuel etc etc.
- Stop playing around with nature - dont chop trees, stop making tyres and stop using cars
- um get rid of these dirty chemicals - paints, grease oils etc
- stop making plastic material of all sorts
- stop using detergents, soap etc etc
- stop making condoms - latex? bad for the environment isnt it?

Might - installing a few solar panels here and there is not going to save the planet, maybe it might help destroy it.

Firstly installing solar panels - will basically hurt the suppliers of coal - miners, the coal plant etc. by the time we use up all the coal? (it wont happen) then our solar cells will technologically and economically efficient.

installing solar panels at the moment is very expensive. most people live for only around 80 years in that time it probably wont pay off the initial investment in solar panels (havent done the calcualtion though).

 

[Not-That-Bright]

IMO...

- Nuclear power.
- More money into alternative(s) research.
- Government incentives to develop a hybrid car australians will buy (say a holden or ford).
- Government incentives to develop a hybrid work van.