11.02.2014

The IPCC's Synthesis Report, Which Required Approval by 120 Govts, is Political not Scientific

As the sun slowly sets on the Anthropocene, the IPCC issues another report.

The IPCC's Synthesis Report had to be first approved by more than 120 governments before publication and the lowest possible deominator was agreed to only was after a week of intense debate between scientists and government officials. The IPCC, like its UN parent, is a political institution  So, surprise, the report proposes to reduce emissions without curbing the use of fossil fuels through carbon capture and storage [CCS] as has been advocated for years by energy corporations.

The report has pages of wonderful words but, polyticks being what it is, those 120 governments would each be seeking, above all, to retain popularity and power. It's very unpopular to tell people they must radically change their lifestyles immediately, much more popular to sprinkle pixie dust and promise never-never-land technological solutions. CCS is a proven technology, it's proven to be a disaster economically, technically and, most importantly to me, actually creates more GHGs because of CCS's own large enbedded footprint and the extra methane released by the extracting of the 40% more coal extra it takes to make the CCS operate.

Other than Canada's Saskatchewan Power that started up only a month ago [all the rest of the projects having failed as economic disasters before they could become environmental ones] there are zero examples for the IPCC to rely on  "With CCS it's entirely possible that fossil fuels can be used on a large scale," IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri said.

The IPCC can't recommend conservation - the only footprint free alternative - because the 120 governments must have GROWTH, endless, cancerous growth. The politicians, corporations and governments are the problem. How can they possibly be expected to provide a solution.