Saturday, August 2, 2008

Stalled Debates on Climate Change

Been following the media over the last two weeks? Lots of sensible comments by the "little" people on taking action, lots of small scale good news stories and lots of suggestions on how "you can make a difference".
Lots of nothing from big business and government, lots of targets and future time frames and how much money has been "earmarked" to address climate change.

What is not being said is that diverse alternate energy programs - solar panels on roofs, solar hotwater in houses, bicycles, and public and cooperative transport solutions, don't offer profits to organisations and financial systems that make money by speculation, greasing political wheels, and funding monopolistic large infrastructure projects.

Huge desalination plants, clean coal power stations, geosequestation of CO2, nuclear power stations, hydrogen fuel cell cars, these are great money makers because only the very big industries and large financial groups can fund them - perfect financial monopolies.

The small step solutions are too democratic, too easy to copy, too domestic!!

Pity that they are just as effective. Look at electric cars - the car manufacturers will make some money producing them, but plug in charging will break the service station refueling monopoly and slash the oil company profits, not to mention reduce government fuel excise ( not as easily garnered from domestic electricity costs ) Fuel cell technology maintains the production-service station-tax structure, so it is little surprise it are getting government support and media airtime.

"Look to the money trail" is good advice. If you can not understand the inaction of government, or the illogical action like cutting domestic solar panel rebates, look at who stands to make or lose money - if it breaks a monopoly, if it's fairly easy to copy, if it's achievable by the ordinary person, you can bet it will be resisted, reduced, and struggle for government support.