GDP up = GHG up!

Written by

4/7/23

The right accuse the left of being melo-dramatic on climate. They call us doomers. The left highlight the dire risks we face in order to overcome inertia, complacency and apathy. Alas, those dire warnings of disaster can have the effect of making folks feel hopeless, so they give up.

For over 30 years now, everything we’ve tried has failed to even slow the juggernaut of runaway economic growth that’s driving climate collapse.

Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero in 1992, where the leaders of the world pledged, hand-on-heart, to drastically reduce the use of Fossil Fuels, we have burnt more than all the rest of history put together!

In 1990 fossil fuels were 87% of global energy use. By 2022 that had dropped to 83%.

A mere 4% in 30 years, despite an enormous increase in renewables. That’s because world GDP has increased a massive 4 fold since 1990.

Up from $25trillion to $100trillion.

By 2030 our GDP is expected to double again!

Every dollar we make also makes around 700gms of

CO2 emissions, on average.

That’s a staggering 70 tons per person per year for every soul that calls this planet home.

(not including Elon Musk. He is moving to Mars)

So all the gains we make in renewables are wiped out by the gains in GDP. We are chasing our tails!

Paradoxically, if we double our efforts to make renewables, ever dollar we spend doing that would produce 600gms of CO2 emissions. All that CO2 pumped into the skywould take us over the tipping points that we are already on the verge of reaching.

So, we could find ourselves achieving Zero Net Emissions, but living in a world or run-away global heating. Ironic isn’t it?

Ben Boyang 4/7/23

Posted in Climate, Money

I am a fearless reporter who has recently been sacked from News of the World due to wishy washy. namby pamby, bleeding heart, bed weting liberals banging on about Ethics, whatever they are. I try to offend as many people as possible but in the words of some great orator, "you can offend some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but youcant offend all of the people all of the time".

2 Comment on “GDP up = GHG up!”

  1. Grace McCaughey July 4, 2023 at 11:51 am

    Yes Ben. The older I get the the herder it becomes to do much to stop the madness.

    Reply
  2. lovestormsatnight July 4, 2023 at 6:06 pm

    The only heartening thing I can think of after reading your piece is, that like many things humans invent/embrace/utilise, economics is subject to fashion, and we cannot be far from the day where pure capitalism and unfettered growth are as reviled as undersea tourists drowning near the titanic.

    Reply

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