coal | Life after Overshoot

Tradable Energy Quotas will reduce Agricultural Emissions

When Degrowth Aotearoa New Zealand (DANZ) first became keen on advocating for Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs) as invented by David Fleming, we were worried that TEQs wouldn’t reduce our huge agricultural emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide. This piece explores the potential impact of TEQs (a form of rationing fossil fuels) on agriculture, the role of fossil fuels in farming. It concludes that TEQs will result in a decrease in agricultural emissions.

Effective climate action? Follow the money

I have just been on a webinar from https://climateinteractive.org describing their climate change simulator. Called Climate Interactive I was greeted with a happy faced man who asked all global participants what there was to be optimistic about the climate issue. So I imagine we are here to be optimistic and positive.

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Renewables – in a growing economy it may be impossible to get there

Hydrolakes in Aotearoa/New Zealand have had many years of low rainfall, but it is now happening more frequently. In dry years we revert to coal generation, making the transition to renewables harder.

When New Zealand hydroelectric power stations run low, we beef up electricity generation with another coal-fired unit in Huntly. But each time, environmentalists are shocked because it isn’t using renewables. How is New Zealand going to meet its renewable targets now, they ask.

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