G-7 calls for end to fossil fuel use by 2100

santana338 · Jun 8, 2015

Didn't see this coming:

http://news.yahoo.com/latest-g7-leaders-search-consensus-climate-goals-084728130--finance.html

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Group of Seven wealthy democracies have agreed that the world should phase out the use of fossil fuels by the end of this century."

deonb · Jun 8, 2015

Does that have all the binding power of me agreeing that I should eat healthier and exercise more?

tomas · Jun 8, 2015

That's about 50 years too late.

glhs272 · Jun 8, 2015

By then there won't be any people left.... self correcting problem.

sandpiper · Jun 8, 2015

santana338 said:
Didn't see this coming:

http://news.yahoo.com/latest-g7-leaders-search-consensus-climate-goals-084728130--finance.html

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Group of Seven wealthy democracies have agreed that the world should phase out the use of fossil fuels by the end of this century."

Right. And by the same date they also solemnly commit to :

- end poverty & hunger
- end crime
- end war
- end disease
- extend human life expectancy to 300 years, while ensuring that everybody looks and feels 21 years old until the day that they drop quietly away in their sleep.
- have cooperatively constructed 27 starliners each with warp 9 capability
- have 1 million people each living on the moon, Mars, and in a large station orbiting Alpha Centauri
- have a Mr. Fusion in every garage
- solve time travel
- rid the world of all remaining Justin Bieber recordings

ZsoZso · Jun 8, 2015

sandpiper said:
Right. And by the same date they also solemnly commit to :

- end poverty & hunger
=> easy if there are no humans left
- end crime
=> easy if there are no humans left
- end war
=> easy if there are no humans left
- end disease
=> easy if there are no humans left
- extend human life expectancy to 300 years, while ensuring that everybody looks and feels 21 years old until the day that they drop quietly away in their sleep.
* This one is tricky
- have cooperatively constructed 27 starliners each with warp 9 capability
* This one is tricky
- have 1 million people each living on the moon, Mars, and in a large station orbiting Alpha Centauri
* This one is tricky
- have a Mr. Fusion in every garage
* This one is tricky
- solve time travel
* This one is tricky
- rid the world of all remaining Justin Bieber recordings
Should be no problem at all

The last one is the easiest, almost automatic once he and his fans die out, no future generation would want to remember him anyway.

deonb · Jun 8, 2015

sandpiper said:
while ensuring that everybody looks and feels 21 years old

Poor Catholic Priests.

Shawn Snider · Jun 8, 2015

deonb said:
Poor Catholic Priests.

I see what you did there, Soap-on-a-Rope's been dropped in the shower again...

ecarfan · Jun 8, 2015

santana338 said:
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the Group of Seven wealthy democracies have agreed that the world should phase out the use of fossil fuels by the end of this century."

Well, it's a start, but of course if it takes that long the planet will likely be on average at least 5C warmer than it is now, large scale agriculture may well be impossible, and the remaining humans may be living mostly underground.

Needs to happen by 2050. Which frankly, seems unlikely.

mspohr · Jun 8, 2015

Yes, this is a "feel good, motherhood" statement that has no real commitment (and is 50 years too late).
However, it is a sign that the idiot politicians are slowly coming around to the idea that we need to do something so that is progress (sort of).

Beckler · Jun 9, 2015

Such nonsense. These useless imbeciles (of which Canada's leader is a prime example) have probably never even heard of Tesla. While these G7 fools sit around and give themselves an extension of few more centuries, Tesla/SolarCity will demonstrate the business case, cause others to come onboard, and largely kill off fossil fuel within 15 yrs.

deonb · Jun 9, 2015

Beckler said:
Such nonsense. These useless imbeciles (of which Canada's leader is a prime example) have probably never even heard of Tesla. While these G7 fools sit around and give themselves an extension of few more centuries, Tesla/SolarCity will demonstrate the business case, cause others to come onboard, and largely kill off fossil fuel within 15 yrs.

There are currently 4 orders of magnitude difference between the number of people who can afford a Tesla, and the number of vehicles worldwide that need to get off the road.
The Model 3 will bring this to 2 orders of magnitude.

So even in the best case scenario, with a perfectly executed business plan, perfect supply management, and perfect demand generation, Tesla can only solve 1% of the fossil fuel addiction in the next 15 years.

If we assume that all manufacturers make a u-turn in the next 5 years, and also jump on board, then 15 years out we're looking at maybe 5%. In no way will it be "largely killed off" in that time period.

nwdiver · Jun 9, 2015

Our addiction to fossil fuels is what's known as a wicked problem; BY FAR the largest hurdle to solving our addiction is the addicts themselves... the technology is available AND affordable. People just need to ACT. Stop with the procrastination, the self-justifican, the excuses and ACT. 100% of the people I work with could quit fossil fuels in less than 1 year. EVERY... ONE... OF... THEM... but they won't... To be generous they're simply pathetic. They ALL make ~$100k+/yr. It's sad.... just REALLY... REALLY sad....

Only Morons and Monsters use fossil fuels where alternatives exist...

David99 · Jun 9, 2015

Five G7 nations increased their coal use over a five-year period, research shows

http://www.theguardian.com/environm...al-use-over-a-five-year-period-research-shows

deonb · Jun 9, 2015

nwdiver said:
100% of the people I work with could quit fossil fuels in less than 1 year. EVERY... ONE... OF... THEM... but they won't...

In order to do that they would have to commit to never fly anywhere again for the rest of their lives. Otherwise it's just token.

snellenr · Jun 9, 2015

But, first... we need to stop the use of all leather goods.

nwdiver · Jun 9, 2015

deonb said:
In order to do that they would have to commit to never fly anywhere again for the rest of their lives. Otherwise it's just token.

Round trip LA=>NY uses less fossil fuel than the average home does in a month... I do agree that we should quit our specious air travel but producing 100% of your energy from the sun is certainly not a token compared to air travel... if anything it's the other way around unless you're flying ~100k miles/yr.

That also cracks the top ~4 on why people fail... EVERY 'single' act is 'just a token' in the grand scheme just like every 'single' bullet is irrelevant in a war. But try winning a war without bullets...

People actively CHOOSE inaction... and that's sad. It's a choice. CHOOSE TO ACT.

EVSteve · Jun 10, 2015

Pretty easy to make a feel good headline when none of the people making the promise will be alive to be held accountable for failing when the time comes due.

Beckler · Jun 12, 2015

deonb said:
If we assume that all manufacturers make a u-turn in the next 5 years, and also jump on board, then 15 years out we're looking at maybe 5%. In no way will it be "largely killed off" in that time period.

First I'm clearly being way too wishful - really just saying what could realistically happen.

So in that spirit then, let's say you effectively can't buy a new gas car in 5 yrs, shouldn't 10 years be enuf for the existing ones to fade away? The other large unpredictable factor though is people won't want one anymore, for many reasons, including that the alternatives are far too superior, cheaper to use, etc. The same way film cameras went away - fast.

nwdiver said:
Our addiction to fossil fuels is what's known as a wicked problem; BY FAR the largest hurdle to solving our addiction is the addicts themselves... the technology is available AND affordable. People just need to ACT. Stop with the procrastination, the self-justifican, the excuses and ACT. 100% of the people I work with could quit fossil fuels in less than 1 year. EVERY... ONE... OF... THEM... but they won't... To be generous they're simply pathetic. They ALL make ~$100k+/yr. It's sad.... just REALLY... REALLY sad.... .

I also think though that most people don't care what powers their car and they'll gladly switch to whatever if they judge it to be better - this is where the magic of Tesla comes in. But yes in general, people often won't do the right things, be that for their personal health, or that of other things such as planets. So governments are also the real problem because they do the same things as individuals. Just like there isn't full funding to properly survey the sky, or develop plans for preventing, smaller asteroids/comets that could impact earth. What is more shortsighted or irresponsible as a species than that...

bxr140 · Jun 13, 2015

nwdiver said:
Only Morons and Monsters use fossil fuels where alternatives exist...

Some might contest that your perspective does just as much damage. Legitimate or not, you (plural) being an a-hole about it just gives one more 'roller self-justification.

Using your addiction metaphor, the best solution to weening The Masses is not condemnation, but rather is education, positive reinforcement, and a properly designed reward system.

G-7 calls for end to fossil fuel use by 2100

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Five G7 nations increased their coal use over a five-year period, research shows

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