Sunday, April 22, 2018

The World Resources Insitute is a private non-profit and reports on issues of the environment from around the world.

Metric tonnes of CO2 per capita:

Germany

1990 - 14.59
2013 - 11.00

United States of America

1990 - 23.23
2013 - 19.9

Those figures are PER CAPITA. 

Knock it off. Peak oil was in 2005, but, the crooked politicians just won't stop.

This level of unaddressed greenhouse gases is immoral. The rest of the First World has been addressing the climate crisis since scientists have first reported it back in the 1960s. The USA's governance has bearly gotten started under President Obama. Every Republican in the greedy country should be hanging their heads in shame.

There are 98 German national parks.

It is easy to realize the greedy drool from the mouths of the USA forest industry when realizing the large, beautiful forests of Europe, but, Germany has their own logging industry, but, because the forests are so healthy, the industry is unrestricted.

Germany can also use these forests for greenhouse gas mitigation.

Germany (click here) ranks among the densely wooded countries in Europe. Around 11 million hectares corresponding to one third of the national territory are covered with forests. In regional terms,the proportion of woodland cover varies widely, ranging from 10 % in Schleswig-Holstein to over 40 % in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, the most thickly wooded Länder(federal states).

Forests increased by approx.1 million hectares in Germany over the past four decades. The percentage of over 80-year old stands also rose from one quarter to one third of the forest area. The timber stocks in Germany account for 320 m3 per hectare, with the annual timber increment totalling around 100 million m3 in accessible forest without logging restrictions in the mainstand today, i.e. around 9.5 m3 /ha. Hence, Germany occupies a leading place compared with other European countries. This is largely a result of the efforts to rebuild high-yielding and ecologically valuable forests after the destruction of large forest tracts over the past centuries and, more recently, after the clear-cuttings due to both World Wars....

Everyone can take a few lessons from these magnificent forests. The USA has imperiled it's national parks, public lands and national forests by placing them in the hands of plutocrats.

Hainich National Park - an ancient primeval woodland in the heart of Germany

At first glance, (click here) the nature in Hainich National Park might seem like nothing special: Here you will find neither chalk cliffs nor canyons nor coral reefs. And yet it is unique in the world and so belongs to the exclusive family of UNESCO World Heritage sites: Only here grow the last remaining remnants of extensive, undissected beech forests with Central European characteristics on limestone at average altitude. Many rare species live in this specific habitat.

In most areas of Germany, a national park with large forests is within walking distance.
              

The Greatest Generations' grandchildren have become the "Desperate Generation."

I don't know about all these letters that indicate a generation; but, what I do know is between being shot in school and a planet on fever watch; the current generation born and growing has to be the most threatened from within the borders of the USA.


April 16, 2018
By Andrea Germanos

A new lawsuit filed Monday says that Florida, its governor, and numerous state agencies have exercised "deliberate indifference" with regards to the young plaintiffs' "fundamental rights to a stable climate system in violation of Florida common law and the Florida Constitution."

Kids in Florida, says one climate activist, are "rocking it again. (click here)

That's because a group of eight young Floridians just filed suit (pdf) against the Republican-controlled state, arguing that it has—as a result of propping up a fossil fuel-based energy system—violated their constitutional rights.

"The reason that I'm a part of this lawsuit is because I believe that the climate change crisis is the biggest threat that my generation will ever have to face," says 18-year-old plaintiff and climate activist Delaney Reynolds. "Right now we live in what I like to call the state of denial because the state of Florida is doing nothing to address climate change, but everything to cause it. That is completely immoral."

"If we ever want to have a future of living here in Florida, if my children ever want to live here in Florida," she adds, "we need to start working together to implement solutions for climate change or the state of Florida won't exist."

In addition to the state, the new suit, Reynolds v. State of Florida, names as defendants Gov. Rick Scott and a number of state agencies including the Department of Environmental Protection. These entities, the suit charges, have exercised "deliberate indifference to [plaintiffs'] fundamental rights to a stable climate system in violation of Florida common law and the Florida Constitution." The lawsuit says these state officials and agencies....

It must be a real trick to get more crude oil out of the Gulf with less drilling platforms.

U.S. crude oil production (click here) in the Federal Gulf of Mexico (GOM) increased slightly in 2017, reaching 1.65 million b/d, the highest annual level on record. Although briefly hindered by platform outages and pipeline issues in December 2017, oil production in the GOM is expected to continue increasing in 2018 and 2019, based on forecasts in the EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). EIA expects the GOM to account for 16% of total U.S. crude oil production in each year.
Based on STEO’s expected production levels at new fields and existing fields, annual crude oil production in the GOM will increase to an average of 1.7 million b/d in 2018 and 1.8 million b/d in 2019. However, uncertainties in oil markets may still affect long-term planning and operations in the GOM, and the timelines of future projects may change accordingly.

In 2016, producers brought seven new projects and expansions online and ramped up production in 2017, collectively contributing to an average of 126,000 b/d of production in 2017. Another two projects came online in 2017, contributing 10,000 b/d of new production last year. EIA expects these nine projects to ramp up over the next two years. Producers expect four new projects to come online in 2018 and six more in 2019.

Because of the amount of time needed to discover and develop large offshore projects, oil production in the GOM is less sensitive to short-term oil price movements than onshore production in the Lower 48 states. In 2015 and early 2016, decreasing profit margins and reduced expectations for a quick oil price recovery prompted many GOM operators to pull back on future deepwater exploration spending and to restructure or delay drilling rig contracts, causing average monthly rig counts to decline through 2017....

The US Energy Secretary can't keep up with reports that are due.


February 3, 2018
By Ron Patterson

...This data with updates for 2016 (click here) has been due since November but so far has been twice delayed. BOEM make their own estimates for 2P (i.e. proved and probable) based on strict adherence to SEC/SPE rules (i.e. the reserve must be on production or be expected to be produced within five years). I think this usually comes out in May. In the absence of the latest EIA numbers I’ve presented the 2015 numbers with adjustments for subsequent production. There will be revisions and additional discoveries to include once the actual data is available though I think fairly small, especially for gas, but it will be interesting to see....

Methane extraction does nothing to reduce the effects of the climate crisis.




108:601

Carbon dioxide (CO2) (click here) emissions from fossil fuel combustion may be reduced by using natural gas rather than coal to produce energy. Gas produces approximately half the amount of CO2 per unit of primary energy compared with coal. Here we consider a scenario where a fraction of coal usage is replaced by natural gas (i.e., methane, CH4) over a given time period, and where a percentage of the gas production is assumed to leak into the atmosphere. The additional CH4from leakage adds to the radiative forcing of the climate system, offsetting the reduction in CO2forcing that accompanies the transition from coal to gas. We also consider the effects of: methane leakage from coal mining; changes in radiative forcing due to changes in the emissions of sulfur dioxide and carbonaceous aerosols; and differences in the efficiency of electricity production between coal- and gas-fired power generation. On balance, these factors more than offset the reduction in warming due to reduced CO2 emissions. When gas replaces coal there is additional warming out to 2,050 with an assumed leakage rate of 0%, and out to 2,140 if the leakage rate is as high as 10%. The overall effects on global-mean temperature over the 21st century, however, are small....

...In our analyses, the temperature differences between the baseline and coal-to-gas scenarios are small (less than 0.1°C) out to at least 2100. The most important result, however, in accord with the above authors, is that, unless leakage rates for new methane can be kept below 2%, substituting gas for coal is not an effective means for reducing the magnitude of future climate change....

This is from the World Bankl.

World Bank link (click here)

The USA was trending down in CO2 emissions until  2006. Six years after Republicans took office and provided subsidies to the petroleum industry and not more control of GHG.

This trend above refers to the CO2 from gaseous fuel. That would be methane. Burning methane releases CO2. The removal of methane from oil shale also releases the methane directly to the troposphere. That doesn't show up, but, it should. When methane is monitored for it's GHG properties in graphs like this, leaks directly into the troposphere are all "CO2 equivalents."

There is alternative energy production available for all countries.


April 22, 2018

An international coalition of Catholic institutions (click herehave pledged to take their money out of fossil fuels.

The commitment by 35 religious orders, lay organisations and social justice movements to “divest” their money from the polluting energy sources was announced by the Global Catholic Climate Movement (GCCM).

Those signed up to the move include humanitarian aid organisation Caritas Internationalis, three Catholic banks with balance sheets totalling about E7.5 billion, as well as several dioceses and other institutions.

The announcement, aimed at tackling climate change and its impact on communities, was made on Earth Day.

Caritas Internationalis president Cardinal Luis Tagle said: “The poor are suffering greatly from the climate crisis and fossil fuels are among the main drivers of this injustice.

“That is why Caritas Internationalis has decided not to invest in fossil fuels anymore. We encourage our member organisations and other groups or organisations connected to the Church to do the same.”

The banks switching away from fossil fuels are Pax Bank, Bank Im Bistum Essen eG and Steyler Ethik Bank, GCCM announced.

The archdiocese of Luxembourg, Salerno-Campagna-Acerno in Italy and Communaute Mission de France also announced divestment by their dioceses on Sunday.

Religious orders and institutions from four continents, in countries such as Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, China, Germany and Rwanda have also signed up to the pledge....

"You need to go into another line of work if you don't want people to be mean to you," Gowdy said.

Now consider the leadership in the USA and the intentional damage it is taking for the sake of greed rather than excellence of governance to the people of the USA.

Every one of these men has acted to add greenhouse gases to the Earth's troposphere. When is this going to stop in the face of existing solutions? Did ya get that? Every one of these men has acted to change regulations to add greenhouse gases to Earth's troposphere.

Germany makes changes to it's emissions. France and an entire list of countries monitor and adjust their human activity to reduce emissions of their countries. These men are plutocrats seeking excessive profits for the petroleum industry, so they deregulate every type of FOSSIL FUEL in the country to insure profits are far higher. That is not an economy, that is surrender. President Obama didn't surrender.

Did everyone get that? Every one of these men has acted to end regulations in the USA to increase profits to the petroleum industry.

April 15, 2018
By Eliza Relman

House Oversight Chairman Trey Gowdy, (click here) a South Carolina Republican, said he's troubled by recent reports of Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt's unprecedented spending of taxpayer funds on his personal security, first-class travel, and luxury hotels.

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Gowdy questioned both the appropriateness of Pruitt's choices and the credibility of his explanations.

While Pruitt has cited unspecified security concerns resulting from a "toxic" political environment to justify his first-class plane tickets (which are only allowed for government employees in special circumstances), the congressman argued that Pruitt's positioning at the front of the plane would put him in contact with more passengers than a seat at the back of the plane.

If the EPA chief was genuinely concerned with his exposure to potentially dangerous passengers, he would choose to sit at the very back of the plane, Gowdy argued.

April 17, 2018

Washington -- An internal government watchdog (click here) says the Environmental Protection Agency violated federal spending laws when purchasing a $43,000 soundproof privacy booth for Administrator Scott Pruitt to make private phone calls in his office.

The Government Accountability Office issued its findings Monday in a letter to Senate Democrats who had requested a review of Pruitt's spending.

GAO General Counsel Thomas Armstrong determined that EPA's purchase of the booth violated federal law prohibiting agencies from spending more than $5,000 for redecorating, furnishings or other improvements to the offices of presidential appointees without informing Congress. Because EPA used federal money in a manner specifically prohibited by law, Armstrong said the agency also violated the Antideficiency Act, and is legally obligated to report that violation to Congress....

April 16, 2018

Two weeks ago, (click here) in the face of mounting ethical lapses, this page urged Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt to take the first first-class flight from Washington back to his Oklahoma home.

In the fortnight since we wrote, it’s gotten worse. Much worse. A man with an ethical compass so demonstrably broken has no business leading the nation’s top environmental regulator.

Last week, in a pair of letters sent to Pruitt and President Trump, former EPA deputy chief of staff Kevin Chmielewski — a Trump political appointee and former campaign aide — wrote that he has been “marginalized, removed from his senior position and placed on administrative leave” for daring to speak up about Pruitt’s wasteful spending....

This is a simple view of a rainforest.


 A tropical rainforest (click here) is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the equatorial zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn (roughly within 23.5 degrees north or south of the equator).

Kindly notice the failed coral reefs that caused the planetary oxygen to drop, are located at basically the same latitudes as the major rainforests. Now, corals are effected by the ocean temperature, but, what effects the oceans also effects the land. I think it is very dangerous to realize most of these areas in the near future will be droughted. What will the oxygen level of Earth be?

While science (click here) has documented only a small portion of reef species that occur around our planet, we do know that human activities have taken an extensive toll on reef ecosystems worldwide. Massive areas of reef have been physically removed by society’s seaside and offshore activities. Even larger areas of coral reef have been degraded by global stressors linked to carbon dioxide emissions from industry, transportation and other human activities. Ocean temperatures are spiking, resulting in coral-bleaching events that destroy vast swaths of reefscape, and ocean acidification is having a negative impact on coral health and growth.

April 22, 2018
By Joseph Piraino Special to "The Citizen"

Addressing the US’s contribution to global climate change (click here) will require the participation and cooperation of the political right ... and the left. Surprised? Consider this:

Putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. a carbon tax) is broadly recognized by economists, scientists and policy experts as the most important first step in tackling the global warming crisis we face. There is no debating that implementing any climate policy faces stiff headwinds in Congress, a resistance most often attributed to climate-deniers in the Republican Party. But there is movement among Republicans and Conservatives on the issue as evidenced by groups like RepublicEn, the libertarian Niskanen Center, and the Climate Leadership Council. Each of these right-of-center groups supports a market-based solution to climate change in the form of a revenue-neutral carbon tax. In the U.S. Congress, Republican members of the Climate Solutions Caucus and co-sponsors of the Republican Climate Resolution (including our representative, John Katko) are evidence that support for substantive climate change legislation could have support by the political right.

What is perhaps more uncertain than potential Republican support for meaningful climate legislation in the form of a carbon tax is support from the political left, as evidenced by the history of Washington state’s carbon tax referendum known as Initiative....

Germany's current goals is to cut GHG emissions by 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 and 95 percent by 2050.

Germany's greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets (click here)

I might point out this graph begins with 1990 levels as "ZERO" and why there is no line on the graph for that year. However, Germany can claim it has reduced it's over emissions successfully 18 years out of 27 years. That is an accomplishment for a country that strives to be the fourth largest in the world. That type of record occurs because the government has been vigilant since the 1960s when scientists were beginning to come to the public to make them aware of research findings and introduce the scientific threat called the climate crisis today.

This is how a real country governs in comparison of the Banana Republic that is the United States of America.

Germany does have to improve on it's smokestack emissions, but, it is aware of it's lethargy in regard to that.

Thank you, Google. They could have found a better spokesperson for "Earth Day."

It's Sunday Night

There is not much written about her career, her accomplishments or her hopes for the future.

(2004-2009), Bonk was member and Vice-Spokeswoman of the parliamentary committee on School and Sport and member of the committee on Science and University.

Julia Bonk

Left-wing lady Julia Bonk was the youngest person ever to be elected into regional German parliament – aged just 18. Flame-haired Bonk is now, at the age of 25, a representative for the country’s socialist party Die Linke and is a member of the Saxon state parliament.


Career:

Julia Bonk became a member of the Landtag of Saxony in 2004 instantly after completing school and is the candidate of the Parliamentary Group of The Left Party. She was nationwide prized as the youngest member of a Parliament in Germany. The newspaper Badische Zeitung included, that 87 international papers published her picture.

Moreover, Bonk is the youngest full-time politician of all periods. In 2006 Julia Bonk authoritatively became a member of Left Party. During the fourth legislative session of the Landtag of Saxony (2004-2009), Julia Bonk was a member and Vice-Spokeswoman of the legislative committee on School and Sport and a candidate of the Committee on Science and University, Culture and Media.

In the prevailing fifth legislative period (since 2009) she is a member of the committee on Legal Affairs, the Constitution, and Europe.Besides, until 2009 she was one of ten Federal-Speakers of the Youth Organisation Solid: The Socialist Youth. Together with Christoph Spehr, she is Speaker of The Emancipatory Left, a tide within The Left Party.

Personal Life & Net Worth:

She has not revealed about her affairs, lifestyle and more.She is a sweet weapon of politics and enjoys her life serving as a politician.Maybe she is dating someone but it has not exposed yet. Her net worth is unknown.
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält.
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt,
Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,

Über alles in der Welt!

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt!

Germany, Germany above all,
Above all in the world,
When, for protection and defense,
It always stands brotherly together.
From the Meuse to the Neman,
From the Adige to the Belt,
Germany, Germany above all,
Above all in the world!

Germany, Germany above all,
Above all in the world!

Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang
Sollen in der Welt behalten
Ihren alten schönen Klang,
Uns zu edler Tat begeistern
Unser ganzes Leben lang.

Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang

Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang

German Women, German loyalty,
German wine and German song
Shall retain in the world
Their old beautiful chime
And inspire us to noble deeds
During all of our life.
German women, German loyalty,

German wine and German song!

German women, German loyalty,
German wine and German song!

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand;
Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland


Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland

Unity and justice and freedom
For the German fatherland!
Towards these let us all strive
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and justice and freedom
Are the foundation of happiness;
Flourish in the radiance of this happiness,

Flourish, German fatherland!

Flourish in the radiance of this happiness,
Flourish, German fatherland!

Kay Ivey could have bought a ticket to the Memorial and Legacy just like everyone else. I strongly suggest she do exactly that.

You will never find Kay Ivey at any display of the Confederate flag or in front of a Confederate memorial, but, she is a white supremacist through and through.

This is a prime example of the loss of opportunity for a strong minority candidate in Alabama. This sort of person elected to office and a high office such as governor is what brings such bizarre dialogue to USA politics.

On May 13th the USA civil war will have ended 153 years ago and yet the lousy monuments stand and the flag still waves.

We know the Republican Party thrives on fear mongering. At the basis of the success in the election of Kay Ivey's is the fear of the USA minority population. They label minorities with every negative characteristic while instilling fear in 'the other.' The same is true in the discussion of North Korea and Iran. The fear instilled by the Republican Party has several reasons, but, the exploitation of that fear mongering by the media is a "Cheap Thrill" for ratings.

The political dialogue in Alabama is in dire need of a different source. A political dialogue full of success, the elevation of the Middle Class, the impoverished REALITY of the people and the poor governance to achieve goals that improve the quality of life of the people.

October 17, 2017
By Graydon Rust

Former astronaut Mae Jemison (click here) was born in Decatur. In 1992, Jemison became the first African-American woman to travel to space when she served as a science mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. During her only mission in space, she led crew-related scientific experiments in the Spacelab, a portable laboratory developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. After retiring from NASA in 1993, Jemison founded a technology consulting firm, a medical technology company and the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, a scientific philanthropic organization. Jemison was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame.

WHY WAS Mae Jemison NOT TAPPED TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR!!!!!!

If memory serves me right, John Glenn was elected to office. It would seem as though women haven't walked on the moon, but, also haven't been tapped on a regular basis for office. May Jemison is 61 years YOUNG and it is still not to late to become familiar to every breakfast table in Alabama and lead the state to integration and diversity they can be proud of.

The HEALTHY political dialogue of the USA has yet to be achieved and it is time to realize where the responsibility lies.

April 20, 2018
By John Sharp

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's office (click here) said Friday that the governor was not invited to attend Thursday's grand opening of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery.

Ivey spokesman Daniel Sparkman said the governor will be in Japan early next week. The trip is scheduled for Ivey and others from Alabama to meet with executives at Toyota and Mazda, which are planning to build a $1.6 billion auto manufacturing plant in Huntsville.

Said Sparkman, "However, the timing of that trip didn't coincide with the opening. But she was not invited to the opening and will not be in attendance."

Ivey's weekly scheduled, released Friday morning, shows the governor in Japan from Tuesday to Thursday. Sparkman said she returns "late on Thursday."...