Carbon Bombs
How to defuse them? How to prevent future ones
It’s been half a century, since we started talking about climate change, this month. World leaders met in Stockholm, June 5-16th , 1972 and agreed that we need to act collectively to assess and make amends to our ways and means. Our political leaders, and the heads of the business community met last November, as well, and made promises. But do they intend to keep it? What’s your opinion?
Kjell Kuhne at the University of Leeds, seems to think otherwise. His research interests are very close to Helix’s, and we wanted to get an understanding of how to turn off the tap on fossil fuels. We do recognise that fossil fuels were the key driving factors for all the growth and ‘levelling up’ that we have enjoyed.
But it can’t take us any further, due to its impacts on the planet. Kjell has been studying, what he calls, Carbon Bombs, the mega fossil fuel projects that are likely to exceed the 1.5 degree average global temperature rise targets.
The Guardian, ran an exclusive, on this topic recently, and has extensive data on this topic.They are organising a panel discussion on July 14th 2022, in which Kjell is a key speaker. I am attending the event, and I think it’s a good idea to tune in.
There aew 495 new fossil fuel projects that are expected to come up in the next few years. Given that it leads to new jobs and further economic growth, governments are happy to approve them. But they are not held accountable to the climate goals they set. If it hasn’t been the case for 50 years, how do we expect it to change? What are your thoughts?
All along, the climate goals and the actions towards that have not been comparable, they are complex, and companies have made their way through it by confusing us. What if we made this simple enough for common people to understand? What if we made this competitive, and comparable? Competition and benchmarking has been extremely effective in finance, and has helped level the playing field (at least to a certain extent). Can we do this for climate parameters, and make corporates compete within their sectors (energy as a sector has both fossil fuels as well as renewables, isn’t it?), their geographies, for capital, for talent? How does that sound?
Can this reduce inequality? What are your thoughts on this?
Absolutely amazing article, but you need to start improving your knowledge
Urgency in addressing climate change putting aside selfish goals & politics is the ONLY benchmark, for future generations to call us Human. The strategy and ideas presented are note worthy.