John Kerry Calls For “Monumental Transformation” In Sustainability
By Paul Homewood
Will he lead by example?! John Kerry calls for ‘monumental transformation’ in the way ‘we deal with the concept of sustainability’
Stating that only 20 countries on the planet account for 80 per cent of all emissions, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry said, unfortunately not all countries are adopting scientific plans to restrict temperature rise.
“Unfortunately some of those countries are not yet adopting plans to do what the science tells us we do, which is needed to reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius and cut our emissions by 45 per cent in the course of this next eight year period,” he said at the 21st edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) being held virtually on Wednesday.
“Asserting that the climate crisis is the single greatest security challenge that the world faces, Kerry called for “monumental transformation” in the way “we deal with the concept of sustainability”.
Given the population growth rate on the planet, the level of current resource utilisation is rapacious and not at all geared to the prospect of sustainability,” he said at the ministerial session on ‘Ambition and Action in the Critical Decade for addressing Climate Change and Realising Sustainable Development’.
https://asianlite.com/2022/usa/kerry-calls-out-countries-not-adopting-science/
Comments are closed.
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
But, but… the science told us the Arctic would be ice-free by 2013.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2009/sep/02/john-kerry/kerry-claims-arctic-will-be-ice-free-2013/
That wasn’t science, it was a computer simulation….
Exactly right Merv.
The models are only models, not rigorous and validated analogues. I want to see someone run one of these models backwards and see if it will “retro-cast” the weather in say, 1970; roughly 50 years ago. I bet it wouldn’t be even remotely close. If the “model” cannot do that then we must, repeat must, not gamble the world future on wild guesses by software geeks pretending to be scientists.
Of course Lurch doesn’t understand economics and the markets – how could he as he is a communist. Recycling is a great idea as long as (a) there is an outlet for the recycled material and (b) it is not much more expensive than virgin material. The problem is that it usually fails at (b) so hence no (a). It is delightful that the stupid energy policy is making recycling even more expensive as costs rise. But if virgin material becomes harder to source then recycling becomes a viable option and the market will move to it. For many metals this has happened for decades – copper, lead, aluminium, nickel, iron – less so for steel but even that has risen in the past such that you could get paid to scrap your car, not be pleased they didn’t charge you.
I often think about the future for “scrappies”. Like many people I’ve kept old cars running by regular visits to the local breakers. Sourcing everything from engines and gearboxes down to minor handles and switches.
When we’re Net Zero replacing a faulty battery will be a much more problematic process. One not to be undertaken on your driveway or in your garage.
I suspect that only licensed operators will be allowed to deal with battery removal, storage and recycling making it financially very difficult if not impossible to get rid of a defunct EV.
I read a good book once called ‘Junkyard Planet’. Adam Minter. Junk collecting was a family business. There may be a pdf file online ( Archaeological excavation loves discarded rubbish so my interest continues into recent history)
John Kerry is on my list as one of the World’s stupidest people.
Someone should point out to Kerry that to reach net zero will require more Copper, Cobalt, Rare Earths and Lithium than have been dug up in the whole of human history. Copper, in particular, is a problem because most of the worlds Copper comes from 20 giant mines that are all getting old, and there are no new giant mining projects to replace them. New mines will require much higher metal prices to economically extract lower grade ores, making Net Zero far more expensive than Kerry and others think.
Good news for geologists, geophysicists and geochemists! There have been many advances in the later two disciplines, so deposits are being found in resurveyed areas, and higher metal prices will help too.
Probably, the deposits will be smaller, and deeper, and they will take some time to come on stream as the increased ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) legislation will inevitability cause greater delays.
A big problem is political stability, with governments seeing increased profits and forgetting the upfront capital required and the time taken to see any revenue, they could well discourage further development. It’s somewhat similar to the recent reduction in North Sea oil/gas production and the resulting European Energy Crisis.
The above is one of the reasons why there are no new mines in South Africa! The ANC Government has laws that only black-majority companies can get an exploration lease. And since exploration requires that the explorer put up the (extensive) costs of exploration, on the CHANCE of striking it rich, and since the ANC isn’t going to actually help – then no exploration and no new mines.
I agree with you. Your argument also means that net zero is probably less sustainable than using fossil fuels. https://pragmaticenvironmentalistofnewyork.blog/2022/02/12/limits-to-green-energy-are-becoming-much-clearer/
There’s a niggling doubt at the back of my mind about a different security crisis which is brewing as I type.
No doubt Greta is walking to Moscow to lecture the little scamp there about his huge carbon footprint.
Gamecock needs things to be sustained for about 30 more years. Then the eternal dirt nap.
‘Sustainability’ is one of the dumbest Lefty memes.
“Long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run, we are all dead.”— John Maynard Keynes
Well the UN has rewritten the definition of sustainability so that it now means not using materials that future generation ‘might’ need and so protecting their future (while shafting us lot of course).
Does Kerry understand the structure of the planet? Does Kerry understand that when he talks about resources he only includes the Earth’s crust (the skin on the custard)? Does Kerry know about the mantle (currently not available to us but of course we will figure out how soon enough) various sources quote the mantle as being around 1,800 miles thick and constituting 84% of the Earth’s mass.
We already know about the massive hydrocarbon material deposits there but basically EVERYTHING is there! Earth to Major Kerry?
Sustainability is like net-zero. It requires taking out as much as you put in. The difference is in the materials. The latter refers to carbon. The former to everything else. It is impossible to achieve with an increase in the number of stakeholders needing energy and the materials required.
What Mr. Kerry doesn’t understand is that none of the schemes or plans to lower emissions can include the fuels we use to transport things…petroleum products, gasoline, diesel and biofuels. They are and will be needed in the vehicles used to transition to an alternative economy. We have already seen what damage that did as a result of the pandemic travel lockdowns. It can only get worse if “monumental” lowering of carbon emissions takes place. And lowering emissions takes no CO2 from the atmosphere.
‘Sustainable’ (for Kelly’s benefit):
1.
able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
“sustainable economic growth”
2.
able to be upheld or defended.
“sustainable definitions of good educational practice”
There is nothing I can find in the green agenda that actually fights that definition. Windmills? Solar? EVs? E-fuels? Kerry?
Fights = fits
Harry, I told you above; the UN redefined the meaning ^.^
Would have thought the lantern – jawed loon would be too busy working to eradicate that half – inch thick layer of carbon dioxide at the edge of the atmosphere , that’s causing ” climate change ” , rather than flying around the world pontificating ???
Western populations including Japan are falling thanks to prosperity. What Kerry wants to do is starve developing nations into submission.