It’s pretty clear that the annual COP (Conference of Parties) meetings that are intended to forge global agreements on tackling climate change — and CO2 emissions reduction, in particular — are yielding limited results at best.
Enter Plan B: cutting other types of Greehhouse Gas (GHG) emissions like methane and black carbon from dirty diesel, dirty stoves, and dirty chacoal kilns, for example. The New York Times reports that, according to scientists, cutting emissions from these and other GHG gases can shave off as much as one degree off of current projections under a business as usual scenario.
What does this have to do with clean cookstoves and charcoal kilns? It turns out that traditional combustion and carbonizing practices in the developing world are responsible for significant emissions that result in global and local global warming.
The NYT’s article paper also points out the conflict between the developing world’s need for energy for economic growth and the climate change movement’s single-minded crusade against CO2. Until these conflicting positions are reconciled, not much progress can be expected out of subsequent COP meetings. This is why scientists are now looking at non-CO2 solutions to curb climate change.
The good news is that the desire to explore other GHG-busting options opens the door for delivering efficient technologies and renewable fuels to fast growing parts of Africa that are hungry for energy.
This should be sweet music to the ears of Charcoal Project supporters who believe wood energy can be compatible with environmental conservation, GHG emissions reduction, and a source of renewable energy for low-carbon economic growth.
— The Charcoal Project
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Our good friend Robert Fairchild shared this other article on the same topic. It focuses on different but interesting angles. “Emissions cuts also offer quick health and crop benefits.”
http://bit.ly/AxEZZF