“Something New Under the Sun” describes the urgency of the environmental situation in the present day. J.R. McNeill clearly states how this is the first time that humanity has affected ecosystems with so much intensity and at such a rapid pace: “the scale and intensity of changes were so great that matters that for millenia were local concerns became global” (4). Although the environment has experienced changes to the ecosystem, all of the previous impacts were natural. Humans have greatly impacted the environment so much that we are experiencing dire consequences, such as air pollution. The “Annual Energy Outlook 2019” report illustrates what our future will look like and what we can imagine will occur. Since there will still be a high production of crude oil and natural gas plant liquids (NGPLs), we can assume that an increase of air pollution is likely to occur.
One of the main concerns regarding the environment is the debate about reaching zero carbon or 100% renewable energy. Although there is a general consensus that deep decarbonization will occur through electrification, activists and people in positions of power can’t come to an agreement about how to get to this point. I am confused as to how models show that reaching 100% renewable energy is unrealistic, while other models and charts show that most people agree that it is realistic. David Roberts makes a good point that we should question “how much our current decision-making should be constrained by what today’s models tell us is possible in the distant future.” There are numerous outside factors that models don’t always take into account or consider, which affects how we view and evaluate the information provided. It is necessary and beneficial to complete a full analysis before coming to a conclusion.
Climate Crew 