We are still considered 'laggards' even with the adults in charge

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ortunately, we now have, according to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, “The adults in charge”.

Comforted by that assurance, the fact that other nations of the world consider us “laggards” will have little or no impact as we march on, selling our “snake oil” (coal) to nations all around the world.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Climate Council tells us: “The 2015 Global Climate Change Legislation study, released by the UK Grantham Institute on Climate Change and Environment reveals that Australia has become the first developed country to take a legislative step backwards from action on climate change.

“The study also found that 75% of the world’s annual emissions of greenhouse gases are now limited by national targets, which is hugely encouraging. 98 countries plus the European Union were included in the study, and together they’re responsible for 93 per cent of global emissions. It will be presented to delegates in Bonn, Germany on June 2nd, where the latest round of United Nations climate change negotiations is taking place.”

Read the Climate Council story - “Australia singled out as climate change laggard in new report”.

'Thoughtful and provocative' advice, but a little misleading

“Thoughtful and provocative” are two words to describe the recent National Press Club appearance in Canberra by Nobel Laureate and Former US Secretary of Energy.

Dr Steven Chu, who talked with the Press Club about “Global Energy and the Climate Challenge”, seemed, however, to overlook or ignore and couple of important points.

He appeared excited about the potentialities of fracking and what he described as “tight and gas” by overlooked what Richard Heinberg had written about in his 2013 book,”Snake Oil: How Fracking's False Promise of Plenty Imperils Our Future”.

If humanity is serious about avoiding catastrophic climate change, most of the fossil fuel resources we already know about, need to stay where they are, in the ground.

However, the general message from Dr Chu needs to be absorbed and what is learned applied to Australia.

New energy rush is simply' snake oil'

Energy and our profligate use of it is the essence of the difficulties that have compounded to become climate change.

Richard heinbeg's new
 book, "Snake Oil".

Suddenly, those who capitalize on that want, have uncovered new technologies that have allowed them to drill horizontally into earth rock structures and then unleash gas and oil hidden there for millennia using hydraulic fracturing.

These developments have resulted in a new “rush” as those who see the potential scurry to raise the needed cash assemble the needed equipment and extract this newfound energy.

Promises and predictions surround this new “rush”, but the hollowness of those claims is explored by Richard Heinberg in his new book, “Snake Oil: How fracking’s false promise of plenty imperils our future”.

Writing at the beginning of his new book, Heinberg writes:

“Finally, and probably most importantly, this book is directed toward anyone who cares about the fate of our planet. The only realistic to avert catastrophic climate change is to dramatically and quickly reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. That project will pose economic and technical challenges. But politics may present the biggest obstacle of all.”

Heinberg slices through the hype and glib statements of those who believe in a promote fracking, illustrating, through undeniable facts, that the promises are really simply too good to believe.

He explains how the promised increases are little more than that and give us nothing more than temporarily increased production and ultimately do nought to ease our energy limitations.

Delving into the complexities of Energy Returned on Energy Investment (EROEI) and Heinberg ask his readers to consider the two equally true statements:

Hydrocarbons are so abundant that, if we burn a substantial portion of them, we risk a climate catastrophe beyond imagining.

 

There aren’t enough economically accessible, high-quality hydrocarbons to maintain economic growth for much longer.

 

Richard Heinberg.

He writes: “Here is a public relations nightmare: how to convey these seemingly contradictory messages to people without confusing he bejesus out of them. How can concepts like ‘energy return on energy invested’ to an audience that barely understands what energy is?  How can millions of half-somnolent television addicts be guided in understanding ‘fugitive methane emissions,’ ‘energy density’ and a dozen other essential terms and concepts?”

Heiberg says the answer lies in what he describes as “literally humanity’s project of the century.”

“It is an enormous challenge, but it is not optional.”

“We either break the addiction, or we suffer the consequences – which would impact not just on ourselves, but future generations as well,” he writes.

We face a choice, he says, jobs and economic growth on one hand, or climate protection on the other.

Heinberg’s book - “Snake Oil: How fracking’s false promise of plenty imperils our future” is worth reading.

Richard Heinberg might be slight. but confronted by 'Snake Oil', he hands our the medicine

Writing in the introduction to his new book, “Snake Oil: How Fracking’s False Promise of Plenty Imperils Our Future”, Richard Heinberg begins by giving the reader a resounding thump to the ear.

Outlining the unfolding dilemmas he writes:

Richard Heinberg's
new book - 'Snake Oil'.

“In the past two or three years this debate has reached a significant turning point, and that is what this book is all about. Evidence that climate change is real and caused by human activity has become irrefutable, and serious climate impacts (such as the melting of Artic ice cap) have begun appearing sooner and with severity than had been forecast.”

Heiberg is a slight man and his July 2013 book packs a wallop that defies his appearance.

It is however, an error to judge a man, or anything else for that matter, by his appearance and although only half way through the first chapter, it is clear that Heinberg is an articulate fellow with a scholarly and clear understanding of the difficulties and dilemmas we face because of oil scarcity of the complications of climate change.