The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment in the News
The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment in the News:
- Bob Ward | The people providing hope in a post-Trump world of climate denial<http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-global-warming-donald-trump-divestment-renewable-energy-fossil-fuels-google-bill-a7471926.html> – Independent, Ian Johnston
- Bob Ward | EMISSIONS TARGET<http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/drastic-solutions-to-the-crisis-in-social-care-qr9bg3886> – The Times (comment), Bob Ward (text below)
Media Summary:
Oil change? Fossil fuel advocate to run State department<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38303209> – BBC, Matt McGrath
Mark Carney: firms must come clean on exposure to climate change risks<https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/dec/14/mark-carney-firms-must-come-clean-on-exposure-to-climate-change-risks> – Guardian, Larry Elliott
How to make a profit from defeating climate change<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/14/bloomberg-carney-profit-from-climate-change-right-information-investors-deliver-solutions> – Guardian, Mark Carney and Michael Bloomberg
US climate change officials refuse to answer questions from Donald Trump’s transition team<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-department-energy-refuse-climate-change-names-donald-trump-transition-team-74-questions-a7473386.html> – Independent, Shehab Khan
Climate change denier Rick Perry picked by Donald Trump for Energy Secretary<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/donald-trump-rick-perry-energy-secretary-pick-texas-governor-global-warming-a7471411.html> – Independent, Matt Broomfield
OFCE’s Timbeau: A high carbon tax would help end economic stagnation<http://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/interview/timbeau-a-high-carbon-tax-would-help-end-economic-stagnation/> – EurActiv, Aline Robert
Katainen warns against ‘insane’ push for energy efficiency<http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/katainen-warns-against-insane-push-for-energy-efficiency/> – EurActiv, Frédéric Simon
West Coast states to fight climate change even if Trump does not<http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-climate-westcoast-idUKKBN1422V5> – Reuters, Ned Randolph
Hottest Arctic on record triggers massive ice melt<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/13/hottest-arctic-record-triggers-massive-ice-melt/?utm_source=Daily+Carbon+Briefing&utm_campaign=cd7269fdad-cb_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_876aab4fd7-cd7269fdad-303472781> – Telegraph, (Agence France-Presse)
The Times
EMISSIONS TARGET
Sir, Matt Ridley failed to recognise the many flaws in Peter Lilley’s latest pamphlet for the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which claims that it will cost £319 billion between 2014 and 2030 for the UK’s annual emissions of greenhouse gases to be reduced by 24 per cent (“Climate Change Act has cost us the earth”, Comment, Dec 12).
Mr Lilley’s calculations are not credible. For instance, he excludes all of the cost savings for households and businesses that will be achieved through energy-efficiency measures, which are a key part of the UK’s strategy for cutting emissions.
However, even though Mr Lilley has apparently sought to inflate the costs of reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, spread over 16 years, his £319 billion amounts to about 1 per cent of the UK’s GDP each year. A more robust and rigorous analysis by the expert Committee on Climate Change estimates the cost in 2030 of reaching the emissions target will be less than 1 per cent of our GDP.
Significantly, Mr Lilley and Matt Ridley also ignore all of the even larger benefits of meeting our emissions target, both by lowering the risks of climate change and additional advantages, such as cutting air pollution deaths that result from burning fossil fuels.