Risky Climate Business

You may or may not be aware that back in June some radical, fringe climate change activists, who operate with the clear and open goal of communism in mind according to Steven Goddard, released a report on the economic risks of climate change.

Let's see who made it onto Goddard's neo-McCarthyism blacklist this time by way of their participation in the project which led to this report, shall we?

Michael R. Bloomberg, founder Bloomberg L.P.; Republican/Independent Mayor of NYC

Henry M. Paulson, Jr., former CEO Goldman Sachs; former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Bush

Thomas F. Steyer, founder Farallon Capital Management LLC

Henry Cisneros, founder and chairman CityView Capital; former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under Clinton; former Mayor of San Antonio

Gregory Page, former CEO Cargill, Inc.

Robert E. Rubin, co-chairman Council on Foreign Relations; former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Clinton

George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State under Reagan; former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Nixon; former U.S. Secretary of Labor under Nixon; former director Office of Management and Budget under Nixon; former president Bechtel Group

Donna E. Shalala, president University of Miami; former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under Clinton

Olympia Snowe, former Republican U.S. Senator representing Maine

Dr. Alfred Sommer, Dean Emeritus, Bloomberg School of Public Health; University Distinguished Service Professor, Johns Hopkins University

Wow. Quite a list of notable communist party members, huh? I mean, geez, Louise, who knew there were so many Marxist-Leninists hiding in plain American capitalist sight?

If you read the report, you will see why I now have no problem bequeathing unto these somewhat unexpected and unlikely politicians, bureaucrats, and financial sector heavy-hitters the label "climate change activists." It's loaded with some unequivocal, take-no-climate-change-denier-prisoners quotes from them.

"Damages from storms, flooding, and heat waves are already costing local economies billions of dollars—we saw that firsthand in New York City with Hurricane Sandy. With the oceans rising and the climate changing, the Risky Business report details the costs of inaction in ways that are easy to understand in dollars and cents—and impossible to ignore."

-Michael Bloomberg

"I know a lot about financial risks—in fact, I spent nearly my whole career managing risks and dealing with financial crisis. Today I see another type of crisis looming: A climate crisis. And while not financial in nature, it threatens our economy just the same."

-Henry Paulson

"Talking about climate change in terms of U.S. averages is like saying, ‘My head is in the refrigerator, and my feet are in the oven, so overall I’m average.’"

-Tom Steyer

"I think we have to begin by recognizing the reality and severity of this threat to our economies, both United States and globally, and really to life on earth more broadly as we know it. We also have to recognize that this problem needs to be dealt with now. We cannot wait because greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, once they’re there, remain there for centuries so that every year is greater and more severe in terms of greenhouse gas emissions cumulatively than had been the case the year before."

-Robert Rubin

And some striking passages from the report itself:

The signature effects of human-induced climate change—rising seas, increased damage from storm surge, more frequent bouts of extreme heat—all have specific, measurable impacts on our nation’s current assets and ongoing economic activity.

Our findings show that, if we continue on our current path, many regions of the U.S. face the prospect of serious economic effects from climate change.

Within the next 15 years, higher sea levels combined with storm surge will likely increase the average annual cost of coastal storms along the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico by $2 billion to $3.5 billion. Adding in potential changes in hurricane activity, the likely increase in average annual losses grows to up to $7.3 billion, bringing the total annual price tag for hurricanes and other coastal storms to $35 billion.

A defining characteristic of agriculture in the U.S. is its ability to adapt. But the adaptation challenge going forward for certain farmers in specific counties in the Midwest and South will be significant. Without adaptation, some Midwestern and Southern counties could see a decline in yields of more than 10% over the next 5 to 25 years should they continue to sow corn, wheat, soy and cotton, with a 1-in-20 chance of yield losses of these crops of more than 20%.

Greenhouse gas-driven changes in temperature will likely necessitate the construction of up to 95 gigawatts of new power generation capacity over the next 5 to 25 years—the equivalent of roughly 200 average coal or natural gas-fired power plants—costing residential and commercial ratepayers up to $12 billion per year.

We are either facing a new Red Threat, the likes of which would make J. Edgar Hoover blanch, as Goddard would have us believe, or a severe climatic and economic disaster of our own making, as this bipartisan study argues.

I leave it to you, dear reader, to decide which is the likelier case. Yeah, I know, you're gonna be hard-pressed reaching a conclusion.

Mann Alive! 700 Additional Hockey Sticks

We can add the NHL to the list of communists (could Goddard's desperate reaching become anymore pathetic and ridiculous?) who acknowledge the danger to our way of life represented by anthropogenic global warming (AGW). In a recent sustainability report, which details the things the league is doing to reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact, commissioner Gary Bettman recognizes what climate change means to a sport that requires winter weather.

"Our sport can trace its roots to frozen freshwater ponds, to cold climates. Major environmental challenges, such as climate change and freshwater scarcity, affect opportunities for hockey players of all ages to learn and play the game outdoors."

That dirty communist, Bettman. He must want to avoid contract negotiations with fair market value-minded players. Obviously, his real goal is to turn the NHL into the Soviet Hockey Championship League. Negotiations will start going his and his Kremlin-Krony owners' way much more often, when KGB agents serve as the arbiters, and getting sent down to the minors takes on a whole new meaning.

It turns out the NHL contributes only a fraction of our annual global CO2 output (34Gt): approximately 530,000 metric tons during a full 82 games/team season. Whereas emissions reductions within the league may not go a long way toward reducing planetary totals, the attention this initiative will bring to the AGW issue could be tremendous. Kudos to Bettman and the NHL for doing this, and may it encourage many other professional sports to do likewise, whether or not they play on ice. I'm talking to you, FIFA, NFL, MLB, etc. If all leagues across the globe issued such reports and carbon reduction goals, our global emissions might see a somewhat noticeable impact. An all-encompassing, multi-sport report would be a very interesting read indeed.

Moore's Guffaw

From the latest wattsupwiththat bilge:

“Climate change” is a theory for which there is “no scientific proof at all” says the co-founder of Greenpeace.

It’s really sad when you can’t get past the first sentence of a post without laughing at how ignorant and incorrect the assertions are. For fook sakes, Watts, you can’t even get out of the starting gate without merrily falling on your idiotic face? But forget that for a moment, because I’m wondering how long we have to wait before Moore changes his screwy, irresolute mind on this topic like he has others in the past.

I was against nuclear energy when I was with Greenpeace, but I've changed my mind.

Indeed, he used to believe nuclear power would usher in a holocaust, but, ya know, poof he just changed his mind, so, meh, let’s all forget it ever happened. Which we could, if it were just nukes about which he has difficulty deciding where he stands one moment to the next. The guy is nothing if not a champion of self-contradiction, so don’t go accusing me of taking a cheap shot by mentioning the nuclear about-face.

From his company Web site (emphases mine for reasons that will become clear shortly):

Greenspirit Strategies Ltd. helps companies create effective sustainability strategies that minimize and mitigate the environmental footprint of essential industrial activity...we help connect the dots between strong, sustainable economic activity, a robust natural environment and thriving urban and rural communities...Greenspirit Strategies Ltd. helps companies ensure a detailed and measurable plan for corporate social responsibility is at the heart of its development activities...For example, local program initiatives that teach long-term, sustainable skills to community members – even beyond the life of the development project – invariably provide real benefits for the community, the surrounding environment and the company itself.

Wait, so now it’s OK to be concerned about the environment again, Moore? And capitalist profits as well as social welfare? What the hell?! That was a really quick turn around, unlike your nukes transformation which took several decades. I thought, only a couple years ago, these were all evil “isms.”

“Environmentalism” is an “ism” like capitalism and socialism. In that sense it connotes an ideology...But one must dig deeper to find if they are misanthropic...This is really a question of attitude rather than facts...Ideology is negative in so far as it tends to divide people into warring camps with no possible resolution.

What happened to all that oppositional conviction you had regarding the very “isms” your company now somehow magically is all too ready and eager to embrace? Furthermore, how do we know you’re not just some human-hating, fact-trampling environmentalist/socialist/capitalist ideologue trying to divide people into warring camps, Moore? In fact, after browsing your firm’s site, I get the distinct impression that you are all three of these terrible evils – environmentalist, capitalist, and socialist – wrapped into one, since you run a for-profit company advising others on the societal benefits of environmentally-sustainable activities.

Greenspirit Strategies Ltd. (GSL) is a firm whose sole focus is corporate social responsibility (CSR) development and sustainability communications.

Christ, you can’t craft a corporate charter with clearer socialist, capitalist, and environmentalist aims and intentions. We should just assume you’re not an evil ideologue hell-bent on anarchy, Moore? Why is that exactly? Why should we take your word for it that you’re on the up and up unlike those other environmentalists/socialists/capitalists you’ve carried on about elsewhere, Moore? Hmmmm?

Seriously, who the fuck decries socialism, capitalism, and environmentalism, and then starts a goddamn company SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE AND PROFIT FROM THOSE VERY SAME THINGS????!!!! I mean, Jaezuz fooking wot thah fooking Cheeeeeroist, Moore. Hello?! Anyone home up in that empty, self-contradicting head of yours?

You have a lot of explaining to do, Moore, which I’m sure will only result in you shoving your foot deeper into your mouth.

What a certifiable whack job you are. No wonder Anthony Watts is in love with you.