It's The Good News Times Today!

On the topic of climate change and what we might do about it, the Times provides an answer to the question I posed yesterday - yes, they can spell 'nuclear'. OK, it takes them awhile in this article hidden in the Science Section about the "Deep Decarbonization" studies done by engineering experts, but they eventually get there:

A Path for Climate Change, Beyond Paris

By JUSTIN GILLIS  DEC. 1, 2015

FWIW, Justin Gillis wrote yesterday's Timesplainer about climate change and never mentioned nuclear power. Hmmph.

The pledges that countries have signaled they will make in Paris over the next two weeks to cut emissions will inevitably fall short of what is needed to solve the problem of climate change.

...

All of which raises a provocative question: What would a truly ambitious plan to tackle climate change look like?

...

“The arithmetic is really brutal,” said Jeffrey D. Sachs, a prominent Columbia University economist. “We’re in such a dreadful situation that every country has to make this transformation, or else this isn’t going to work.”

Dr. Sachs helped start what is perhaps the most serious effort to draw up a detailed road map for the energy transition: the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project, based in Paris and New York. Over the past couple of years, the effort enlisted teams from 16 countries, which account for the large majority of global emissions, to devise such plans.

The analysts used conservative assumptions about current technologies and their costs. They also presumed that developed countries would not be willing to make big changes in their way of life — that people would continue to insist on transportation, refrigerators, electric lights and so forth — and that poor countries would keep striving to reach higher standards of living, requiring more energy.

The experts also made a point of ruling out energy miracles, such as technologies like nuclear fusion that could help enormously if they became available but are still largely on the drawing board. “If we couldn’t put on a hard hat and go visit a technology in the field, at least in pilot stage, then we didn’t include it in our analysis,” said Ben Haley, a senior consultant at Energy and Environmental Economics, a consulting firm involved in the work.

Damn, don'tcha hate it when they rule out the unicorns and fairy dust?

Perhaps the single most crucial finding of the project is that the technologies available today, while good enough to get a running start on the transition, are probably not good enough to finish it.

That means experts who have long argued for a more intensive research program on clean energy have a point. The 16-country analysis suggests that many technologies, like electric cars and offshore wind turbines, have to become cheaper and better.

But we know there is one proven technology sitting on the shelf in the US and Europe...

The scenarios laid out by the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project echo Dr. Jacobson’s plans to a degree, in that they call for substantial amounts of renewable power. But these scenarios also suggest that the energy transition would be easier and cheaper with additional technology options, including some that are disliked by the environmental movement.

For instance, in some countries with growing power demands, like China, the research found that nuclear power would be essential for staying within a strict emissions budget. Mr. Jenkins said that new nuclear plants would also be needed in some American states that had few other options.

When progressives touch that third rail do they experience electrocution or radiation burns? I guess we'll find out!

And many experts believe the United States, even if it does not build many new nuclear plants, would be foolish to shut down the ones it has, given that they supply 19 percent of the country’s electric power with minimal emissions. Yet some of them have shut down lately, occasionally because of safety fears but mainly because of low power prices prompted by the abundance of natural gas.

And that is the entirety of the nuclear discussion. Baby's first step!

SINCE YOU ASK... Normally I save this discussion for the less-nimble cocktail partiers I manage to trap in a corner at holiday time, but I have just one word on our nuclear future - thorium. India has huge thorium resources; India, China and Japan have huge energy needs and capable scientific communities, so this will probably move forward in spite of Obama. And the Times.

The Economist wins best title with "Asgard's Fire". Discover magazine explains why thorium's one-time downside has become its upside:

[Back in the 60's] Conventional nuclear power using a fuel cycle involving uranium-235 and/or plutonium-239 was seen as killing two birds with one stone: reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil, and creating the fuel needed for nuclear bombs. Thorium power, on the other hand, didn’t have military potential. And by decreasing the need for conventional nuclear power, a potentially successful thorium program would have actually been seen as threatening to U.S. interests in the Cold War environment.

Today, however, the situation is very different. Rather than wanting to make weapons, many global leaders are worried about proliferating nuclear technology. And that has led several nations to take a closer look at thorium power generation.

Of course, it is business as usual in the Times coverage of India's role in the Paris Prayer Session - no mention of nuclear power or thorium appears.

MORE HMMM... David Brooks can spot Republican denialism but can't spell 'nuclear'. Too bad, because he makes many good points about the conflict between these proposed climate agreements and basic human nature. Well, maybe he is skipping nuclear so as to bond with his progressive readership. The seas will rise, millions will die from flood and famine, yet Yucca Mountain will remain pristine. Thank you, Barack Obama and Harry Reid.

Comments

[cindyk]

First...MM: loved loved loved your DD comment...am stealing it for those in my life who deserve it!

[cindyk]

So our asswipe 401, spends $785,000 of my tax dollars on his Climate Charade motorcade, really?! Please let me bend over and ask for more!

[Cecil Turner]

So, other than schemes for transferring wealth, what does this conference purport to accomplish?

[rse]

I am tackling ESSA yesterday and today, all 1059 pages before eddie munster indefensibly brings it up for a vote tomorrow. About 2/3's through is a video boondoggle and call fpr public-private partnerships that fits precisely what Tom Steyer's brother John has been pushing. Anyone think that's coincidental,

[rse]

CT-behavioral programming at a neurological evel for the developed world's children.

[Jim Eagle]

Everytime I know see a farm truck full of watermelons I will think of Paris.

[Rick Ballard]

"what does this conference purport to accomplish?"

A breath taking enhancement of UN regulatory power. One large step for One World Government (so we can have Whirled Peas) at the price of a very light serf's collar.

[Old Lurker]

Rick nails it.

The candidate who vows to get us out of the UN gets my vote.

[Cecil Turner]

CT-behavioral programming at a neurological evel for the developed world's children.

Well, that works. And it looks like resistance is futile.

Time to start an outlaw biker gang . . . call it "riders of the burning tundra" . . . we can burn fossil fuels in an ecologically conscious way while selling black market CO2 allowances, or something like that.

[Old Lurker]

I vote for "never":

"In his most apocalyptic language to date, Pope Francis told reporters aboard the papal plane returning from Africa that the COP21 climate change conference in Paris is the last chance for humanity to avert environmental destruction. The pope discussed global warming and other issues during an hour-long press conference aboard the papal plane following his six-day trip to Africa. Asked whether he believes that the leaders gathered in Paris will take important steps to combat climate change, Francis said, “I’m not sure, but I can say that it is now or never.”

[All a bored.]

Yep, his train is leaving the station.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Jeffrey needs a good hard kick in the Sach.

[buccaneer morgan]

Ah Jeffrey sachs, his previous projects suggest that old acronym, bohica

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I don't get what everyone is so worried about.
This is at least the 100th "last chance for humanity to avert environmental destruction" just in my memory, so I'm figuring there will be a few hundred more before these guys are done fleecing the sheep.

[henry]

$785,000? That's a lot for a bicycle... Oh.

[buccaneer morgan]

I was referring to the Russian project.

[Worthy successor to Maurice Strong.]

Sachs warped the Pope's mind, too.

[James D.]

David Brooks can die in a fire. Slowly and agonizingly.

I'm ready for Madame la Guillotine and the Reign of Terror. It's seeking more and more like that's the only hope of any positive change at this point.

[GMax]

A meeting of a bunch of grandees, who will toast each other with fine French wines, eat lots of stuff cooked in goose fat and finish with fine pastries, while telling themselves how much good they are doing for a very ungrateful population.

I am fairly sure there were similar type meetings in the French palace of Louis the XIV right before that very distasteful incident which we dare not speak about without a trigger warning...

[Miss Marple 2]

JamesD,

No to the Reign of Terror and head-chopping and such. The worst people always get control of things like that.

[Miss Marple 2]

I would favor stocks and rotten tomatoes, though.

[James D.]

MM, I would agree with you, except...how much worse could they be than the people we currently have in charge?

[Miss Marple 2]

James D.,

Every election cycle I think the dems cannot come up with a worse candidate, and every 4 years they continue to prove me wrong.

Therefore, they can always produce people worse than the current crop. They have a bottomless pit of evil to draw from.

[buccaneer morgan]

Seriously he needs a slap like the scene in airplane, so do cameron and hollandaise.

[NK]

GMax@11:03-- that was absolutely beautiful.

[DublinDaveForever]

"First...MM: loved loved loved your DD comment...am stealing it for those in my life who deserve it"

There's always been an unrelenting sexual tension between Ms. Marple and myself,one that's boosted by hatred and blind-white anger.

Look,no one's saying that Republicans intended for that Police officer to be shot.What we are saying is that his death was a result of campaign instigated by the GOP against PP and that that campaign was premised on a lie.

So, in effect that Police officer died because Republicans lied.Everyone knows it but they're still hesitant about saying it until dears full confession comes to light.

Consider this your grace period before the shit hits the fan.

[henry]

unrelenting sexual tension

DD, give yourself a hand.

as usual.

[NK]

C'mon DD we know you need Soros' miserly check for smokes and booze, but this is a pathetic meme. It's beneath, even you.

[GMax]

And the Black Lives Matter campaign instigated against cops, and abetted by Democrats all the way to the WH? When you rouse yourself to condemn that bit of hateful prose with anything approaching your Republican disdain, do get back to be. For now though, fuck you very much...

[Cecil Turner]

Well, they have a better chance selling that crap than climate change subsidies.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

WeeDavey is perfect example of what JamesD referred to on the last thread regarding the fascist left's use of the Big Lie.
However the result of that tactic almost invariably ends badly for its users.
Sure they convince a not insubstantial number of toadies of their lie.
However, by engaging in their scorched earth politics which, despite the rhetoric and exaggeration, must at some point rest on good rather than bad faith beliefs, they so alienate, radicalize and incentivize their opposition and the persuadable middle against them that they fail in the end.
The Big Lie is the sure fire bet of an ideology seeking to build a thousand year Reich that ends a few years later with dopes like WeeDavey telling everyone they were just following orders or trying to hit his Wee brain with a bullet.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Guy who directed state workers to explore and survey for oil and gas deposits on Jerry Brown's private ranch resigns.
No doubt Gov Moonbeam was searching for deposits to make sure they were never inadvertently exploited, thereby unleashing their carbon on the populace and mucho dinero on him.

[NK]

NYS and Calif politics are sick jokes.

[Cecil Turner]

Meanwhile, check out the top three stories on Drudge:

DICAPRIO RAPED BY BEAR IN FOX MOVIE!
UPDATE: Third porn actress accuses co-star Deen of sexual assault...
'It's not rape if you yell surprise'...

Hacked by one of DD's fellow travelers? One can only hope.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Why I support Ted Cruz;
'The Overwhelming Majority of Violent Criminals Are Democrats'

[NK]

I am sure the national media will turn over every stone in Sacramento to find any evidence that the Guv suggested his family hacienda be surveyed in order to gain personal profit, as they did with Christie's GWB barricades..... AMMIRITE?

[buccaneer morgan]

Reminds me of the gorilla scene in trading places.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Slick testing negative for HIV was as unexpected as dumbassdave passing a checkpoint sobriety test.

[DublinDaveForever]

"WeeDavey is perfect example of what JamesD referred to on the last thread regarding the fascist left's use of the Big Lie"

It's the game, son.

We need funds for Planned parenthood to keep rolling in and this shooting provides us the -uhm forgive the pun-ammunition we need to make that happen.

What's truly funny is how surprised you all look when confronted with politics.This is politics.We'll use this tragedy to counter your attack on PP.......and so and and so forth.

Do you think Jane will be jealous of Ms.Marple?How am I gonna make this happen man, I need your advice.

[NK]

WHERE IS BEEKS?

Never forget....... Al Franken played the semi-retarded baggage handler. TYPE CASTING.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Roger Simon on the climate change jet-set quotes Mencken;
"When somebody says it's not about the money, it's about the money."

[buccaneer morgan]

Not acting just method.

[NK]

BTW-- it's been 32 years ..... and I still haven't quite recovered from the view of Ophelia in the mirror.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

The Restraining Order's begging letters are becoming more hilarious; I wouldn't be surprised if his fatassed second wife was writing them.

[NK]

who is 'the Restraining Order'?

[Marlene]

Meanwhile,here in rural New England,the wood stoves are already stoked and belching their sweet smell of cozy fires and warmth that keep people from freezing to death! Also popular are outdoor wood boilers. My brother uses one at his house in NH and it is very effective.
Obama should take a drive on the back country roads and look at the reality of life. Fuel oil prices are low now,but heating costs in previous years have driven hardy New Englanders to other options. A friend of my brother's has a wood pellet/coal business. By the end of last winter,you couldn't find a wood pellet. People were driving up from Mass. to buy wood pellets from him. His inventory was so low he was rationing a certain amount per customer.

[buccaneer morgan]

Zaphod jumped the megalodon in paris today, I blame totus

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--It's the game, son....What's truly funny is how surprised you all look when confronted with politics.--

Surprised?
I pointed out that the Dems have abandoned any pretense of good faith and reverted to a game tried time and again, with long term disastrous results for its previous proprietors who were of not dissimilar ilk to our modern Dems.
The only surprise is it took your morally and intellectually bankrupt enterprise this long to drop the mask.

[NK]

Marlene-- won't Nicky Maduro's checks from Caracas help in New England this winter?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Don't worry Marlene, CA is well on its way to banning heating with wood of any sort.
We have ways of making you heat....and they all cost a fortune.
And they're all run by the brothers in law of some bureaucrat.

[DublinDaveForever]

What if I'm out with Jane and we bump into Ms.Marple and Ms.Marple's all like "Oh hell no,get your mf hands off my man,bitch!" and Jane's all like "Excuse me,bitch,who are you calling bitch cos this my man and the last time I checked you a skank-ho!" and Ms.Marples all like "oh hell no, hold my purse while a teach this left-wing prostitute a lesson" and then they're fighting in the street and tearing each others hair and then their clothes start to rip and fall off and I'm just sitting there.......do I have to go with the winner?

[buccaneer morgan]

He said we don't get mass shootings in europe, two weeks after Bataclan

[buccaneer morgan]

The junior senator from ahia

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Restraining Order == Sherrod Brown.

His ex took one out on him as part of the real War on Women.

[Marlene]

NK,those ads that have people saying,"Thanks Joe!" are barf worthy.

[buccaneer morgan]

Best Stephen's did deliver some of that stooge slap.

[NK]

No shootings = Bataclan. Truly moronic. Bottom line, Obummer really is very stoopit, and he's stoned of the time which doesn't help. Roger Cohen (he's still alive?) sez Obummer has 'lost his voice'? If only.

[Miss Marple 2]

Perusing the comments over the last hour or two, I find it quite fitting that the GOP has introduced a mental health bill in the House.

There are entirely too many of these people out on the streets, and some even have access to computers.

[buccaneer morgan]

Special kind of delusion.

[DublinDaveForever]

"There are entirely too many of these people out on the streets, and some even have access to computers"

Ooooooh yeeaaaaaahhhh!

Mmmmmmmmm.

[buccaneer morgan]

Some even work at vox and the bezos post.

[Miss Marple 2]

NK,

I don't think he's lost his voice. However, the mind is a terrible thing to waste, and when you spend your formative years in a cloud of dope smoke and then do nothing in your off hours but watch sports and concerts, well, that way lies disaster.

[buccaneer morgan]

But the bulk at Carlos slims.

[buccaneer morgan]

Even more foolishness divining volodya's strategy.

[buccaneer morgan]

Maybe ticking off the czar wasn't so swift.

[NK]

The NYT is the clear apex of 'media' insanity; they are not just Dem operatives, they actually seem to believe the shite they publish. Mad as March hares.

[buccaneer morgan]

Sometimes they get the story and underplay the lead like how abbaoud slipped into the continent on the refugee jetsam.

[buccaneer morgan]

When every agency was looking for him.

[Old Lurker]

Iggy, do you know how hard it is to place a tax on a log found in the woods behind the house?

[Jane]

Do you think Jane will be jealous of Ms.Marple?

Always. Now what did I miss? Can someone give me an approximate time frame?

[Jane]

I found it!

[Miss Marple 2]

Jane,

DD seems to think we will get na cat fight over him.

Odds: slim to none.

[Jim Eagle]

The stench of a sewer has prevaded this thread and its coming from the Tampa area.

[Proud of hisself.]

A dud.

[Jane]

I don't get it MM, but I seldom do.

[DublinDaveForever]

"Jane,DD seems to think we will get na cat fight over him"

Ah come on girls relax,relax,easy there easy......there's plenty Dave pie to go round.

xxxx

[JMHanes]

I'd have said it was impossible, but DuDa has managed to pull off a one man circle jerk.