Climate Change

The Reality Report's Jason Bradford speaks with University of Oregon law professor Mary Wood, who explains how the government, acting as trustee of the atmospheric commons, is obligated to deal realistically with climate change science.

Santa Barbara is lowering carbon emissions starting with a greenhouse gas emissions study; adding solar panels to city buildings; requiring lower energy usage for new buildings; converting vehicles to biodiesel and/or hybrids; giving free bus passes to downtown workers. City councilmember Das Williams urges citizens to push officials to make substantive (i.e., funded) changes to mitigate the effects of peak oil and climate change. (www.santabarbaraca.gov) Episode 101.

This is the second of two interviews with Philip Sutton, coauthor with David Spratt of a recent report titled "Climate Code Red: The Case for a Sustainability Emergency." Today’s interview will discuss how, with a shared sense of purpose and heroic leadership, humans have the technical and social capacity to go into "emergency" mode and design an economic and environmental turn-around in 10-20 years. With transcript.

The Reality Report interviews Philip Sutton of the Greenleap Strategic Institute and coauthor of a new report called “Climate Code Red: the Case for a Sustainability Emergency.” The report reviews disturbing new data and scientific understanding of climate change, explains why existing institutions have failed to respond adequately to the problem, and outlines an appropriate response.

These are not a choice amongst many options, but a necessity for life. It requires a “crash programme” — as quickly as possible — to thoroughly decarbonise the economy in a time period measured in years to a decade or so, not decades to a century or more. - Climate Code Red report

A high voltage electricity grid connecting countries from the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay could provide almost a third of Europe's power by 2030, according to the company behind the idea. The system would improve energy security, cut emissions, and even reduce the price of power at times of peak demand.

If you enjoyed Sally Lovell's over-the-top treatise on her electric bike (episode 40), she's back, telling us other ways one person can make a difference - from fresh water to humanure. Her focus on water includes educating herself on where it comes from, effects of pollution and climate change, and conservation -- pressurized toilets, choice of washing machine, and ways to use that not-so-hot water while it's getting hot. As for humanure, listen in and find out! Episode 90.

The Reality Report hosts Richard Heinberg, covering many of the topics in his latest book, Peak Everything, which more than others considers the social implications of energy decline. The program begins with a review of the connections between energy and society, drawing from the work of cultural anthropologist Marvin Harris. A discussion of relationship between climate change and fossil fuel depletion ensues. The program concludes by offering some perspective on how to cope psychologically with difficult information.

In this edition of the Reality Report, economics Professor Joshua Farley of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont discusses the false assumptions of dominant economic theory, why this leads to problems, and what an alternative economic system might look like. During the interview, Prof. Farley explains how policies to protect the environment, stem the loss of biodiversity, conserve fossil fuels, and deal with climate change will fail without economic reform that first sets the sustainable scale of the human economy, secondly decides what is a just distribution, and finally allows the market to find the most efficient allocation. Among many publications, Prof. Farley is coauthor with Herman Daly of the college text book "Ecological Economics: Principles and Applications."

"In terms of resolving these two problems of peak fossil fuels and climate change... mitigation policies for peak oil, peak coal and peak gas should be done in tandem with mitigation policies for climate change. And I think there's no reason that that shouldn't happen. In fact it makes the most sense to me." NASA research scientist Dr. Pushker Kharecha speaks with David Room about "Implications of 'peak oil' for atmospheric CO₂ and climate," a paper Kharecha co-wrote with one of the world's foremost climate scientists, Dr. James Hansen. The paper, which has been submitted for peer-reviewed publication in a scientific journal, is one of few that consider both climate instability and oil depletion.

Former energy analyst Jan Lundberg opens by singing "Have A Global Warming Day" and closes with "The Depaver's Song." In between is an unabashed look at climate distortion, peak oil, and declining ecosystems, all bringing a necessary collapse of our "pigging out" economy. He envisions a future with radically curtailed energy use, and people coming together groping for local solutions. Episode 81.