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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Climate change

Lord Sheldon doubts the dangers of climate change hence his initial question. I used the opportunity to draw attention to the need for more research and development on bio fuels.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that at Silverstone race track they are using bioethanol. We need to do much more but it is a small indication that we can crack this problem.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199697/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds06/text/61016-0001.htm#0610163000006

I would like to know why aviation fuel is not subject to the same taxes as petrol and diesel. Regardless of the promise of some "green fuel" in the far-flung future, the problem of rising carbon emissions needs to be dealt with promptly - and aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions. If road vehicle fuel is subject to high taxes to deter us from using our cars more than needed, then aviation fuel should also be subject to high taxes with the costs passed onto the consumers to deter them from making too many visits abroad (this would also help the domestic tourist industry). Half-empty flights should also be heavily penalised.

I agree that landscape modification and overpopulating the planet are causes for the climate change, but still, if we imagine that is the only action we did to provoque climate change, we are having an ireallistic start. It is not the land, which determines the fate of the climate. It is the ocean that does it. Multiple naval war from the last century modified the climate so much.

Another view on CO2 emissions can be found on http://www.1ocean-1climate.com/climate_changes_today.php. You can find there a nice graph about the emissions of CO2 in 1990, ordered by states. Also, there are some elements highlighted regarding the impact that the ocean and naval war has on climate change.