Guest essay by Lawrence Hamlin
In what has to be a clear indicator that climate alarmism issues are pure politics not science the New York Times, L A Times, Washington Post and many other climate alarmist mainstream media highlighted articles about the state of Hawaii signing a law saying the state would reduce future emissions in support of the Paris agreement which the U.S. is wisely exiting.
According to the EIA Hawaii has the highest electricity rates of all 50 states and obtains more than 80 percent of its energy use from fossil fuels primarily petroleum with this situation having existed for decades.
Hawaii already has laws which supposedly require that 40% of its electricity be provided by renewables by 2030 and 100% by 2045.
Democratic Governor David Ige signed the largely ceremonial new law claiming the usual climate alarmist mantra of flawed assertions of rising sea levels, more extreme weather, shrinking biodiversity, etc, etc. with none of these claims backed up with any scientifically supportable data.
NOAA tide gauge data updated through 2016 shows no sea level rise acceleration taking place anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands over the last 115 years a point which Governor Ige did not discuss. Nor did Governor Ige address Congressional testimony showing no link between emissions data and extreme weather.
Hawaii’s total CO2 emissions amount to about 18 million metric tons annually representing about 0.05 percent of present global emissions.
The fact that so much news media hype was concentrated around such an insignificant amount of emissions tells the real story here which is the climate alarmist mainstream media is conducting a climate alarmism political campaign because they are upset with the decision that the U.S. will exit the badly flawed Paris agreement.
Are there any laws on stupid yet ?
You have a constitutional right to be stupid.
This does illustrate an important point. Stop waiting for the leftists to finally get common sense. It won’t happen. Their entire world view and their precious self image is tied up with believing the leftist creed. If they thought Joe Six Pack was right about ANYTHING they would all need a safe space.
Joel,
sadly, as the climate is cyclical, as is politics.
The left will prevail eventually, and cause more harm and suffering to the common man ‘in the interest of the common man’ of course.
Of all the evil empires of the 20th Century (The USSR, China, Italy, Germany, Spain, Cuba, N.Korea etc. etc.) barely one I can think of was right wing.
Yet the accusation of fascism is a common chant from the left.
I don’t know who said “If you are young and not a socialist, you have no heart. But if you are old and are still a socialist, you have no brain” but they were very wise.
The UK has just been politically riven by a youthful turnout at our General Election and the socialist Labour Party, with a youthful, ignorant, idealogical following, threaten our immediate future.
President Trump has surprised me with his determination to follow through on his manifesto promises. In fact, possibly the only political leader of the western world I can remember that has actually done what he promised to do, and within a few months of his election.
He may not last too long because he threatens global peace, that is, he threatens to encourage it. And that won’t sit well with the profits generated from conflict.
I sincerely hope America thrives over the coming few years, for the American people, but hopefully for the UK as well.
And may our political leaders be granted the insight and courage to recognise that the USA is a terrific trading partner.
HotScot I believe that quote is attributed to Benjamin Disraelli
“President Trump has surprised me with his determination to follow through on his manifesto promises. In fact, possibly the only political leader of the western world I can remember that has actually done what he promised to do, and within a few months of his election.”
If he’d just stay away from TWITter, they’d have no ammo against him.
Imagine all those bird killing windmills destroying the views of the beautiful Hawaiian coast line that tourists pay good money to see.
Bye bye tourism.
The Left shoots their own foot again.
Stupid carries the death penalty. Heinlein, Darwin Awards
Gump, Forrest Gump says
http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/f2/f212fd68aeca509fcdbbb675e67ce9276b0d9fa965fa8bb5865c167eccb8b1d9.jpg
http://www.blueridgemuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/013016tomhanks2.png
OK, it’s official: Al Gore has decided Global Warming is part of RELIGION! http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/09/al-gore-says-god-told-fight-global-warming/
Sure, Gore. And God told you to lie about AGW, too, didn’t he.
1)
( https://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/18/replicating-al-gores-climate-101-video-experiment-shows-that-his-high-school-physics-could-never-work-as-advertised/ )
2) Re: all the lies in “Inconvenient Truth”
See: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2007/10/04/detailed-comments-on-an-inconvenient-truth/
**************************************************************
Troll: Gore didn’t lie. He was just mistaken……….. a lot.
WUWTer: Then Gore is ignorant (his cunning tells us he is not stupid enough for his low IQ to be the ultimate cause of the “mistakes”).
Troll: Yeah. Or crazy. I don’t think he’s crazy, though, so, I’m going with ignorant. He’s a good guy.
WUWTer: Okay. So, he’s an ignoramus. Just what I look for in a prophet of Jehovah.
Troll: Gore says he’s a prophet of God?
WUWTer: Yep. (See above Breitbart article per Goldrider)
Troll: ………………………………………………………….. Hm. I don’t believe in God. Well, maybe that will convince the religious people to join our cause, though. So, it’s a good thing.
WUWTer: Sincerely religious (the ones who believe in God) people won’t listen to a prophet who tells lies in his spare time. Sorry, Troll. This tactic is D.O.A..
Troll: Well, the P o p e believes him.
WUWTer: The people who say that they “believe” Gore are telling a half-truth. They were not in the least persuaded by his claim about God “telling” him anything. They already believed in human-caused climate change. What they are actually saying is that they already believed (or cynically claim to believe, as is the case with the enviroprofiteers) what Gore claims God told him. It won’t result in any new converts.
Troll: Well, gotta keep up the troops’ morale, you know, shore up our defenses and all that….
WUWT: Bingo. Still, even from your perspective, Troll, it is a mighty risky tactic: God does not treat lightly those who put words into his mouth….
This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you … . They speak visions from their own minds … . I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message … . I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues …. .
You used the words, ‘This is the oracle of the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is the oracle of the Lord.’
Therefore, I will …. bring upon you everlasting disgrace — everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”
(Jeremiah 23:16-40)
Troll: Meh, I’m guessing that most God-believers will say, “Whatever. That was a long time ago.”
WUWTer: Not likely, T. This was written even longer ago than that and Jews and Christians (and some others) still find this –> pretty compelling: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7) That isn’t just about using “OMG” in your texts. Claiming “thus saith the Lord” is a big deal. If God did not say that thing, one is misusing His name.
Troll: Here is a graph of Arctic ice. What do you have to say about THAT?
Please note: it was the troll, not the WUWTer, above who implied that crazy people are not good.
For algore, this is all about the money. He was anticipating making billions on the Chicago Climate Exchange, which he invested in through GIM (Generation Investment Management), a hedge fund that he started with David Blood. For algore, this is all about fleecing the public of money.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says:”
And here I thought this was about science.
Dear Mr. Alberts,
It appears that you were unaware of the context for my remarks:
Al Gore made it all about God when he claimed (per the article linked per Goldrider above) that God told him that Christians/Jews/others? are to combat global warming by restricting human CO2 emissions.
Take care, out there. Still praying for you. 🙂
Sincere as can be,
Janice
You can’t fix stupid.
Even the US Navy has adopted climate change policies, what the hell are they thinking? They don’t have to worry about rising sea levels cause they’re in ships. Yes, lets attack the US Navy about their stupidity as well. Oh …. and that crazy man Stephen Hawing, what does he know? We all know more than him. He accepts the science of man made global warming, So that’s the Navy and Stephen Hawing. Oh …. and NASA, we all know more than them as well. Lets get ’em!
Even the US Navy has adopted climate change policies? Rather like any branch of the US government adopting the obsession, excuse me, policy, of the former President.
Oh, steve. Are you angry because you are unable to give up fossil fuels? Perhaps you can talk to someone about your impotence. There was a post a while back talking about counseling for people distressed by CAGW fears, perhaps a provider could help. Your increasing deranged ramblings indicate severe mental instability, likely caused by a lack of understanding or knowing what people here actually think.
Or perhaps I have misinterpreted your comments, and you are being serious. If this is the case, I apologize for my error. You see, I have never met or heard anyone who actually says or believes the things that you have written, so I did not realize such a person actually exists. I must warn you, sincere or not, your comments come across as a bit…unhinged.
I am not sure who this “Hawing” fellow is. Is this some sort of donkey reference?
AllyKat
Was that not the famous Eye-ore?
Auto
Link? The article is a bit short on what the new law actually says or claims it might enforce.
That’s the beauty of this climate posturing. It’s all just sweet nothings.
Absolutely nothing, except spend some taxpayer money. Look it up on the Hawaii State Legislature site; it’s SB559. After a long preamble of virtue signaling and other fluff, it changes and renames a committee that was formed by an act three years ago into a commission with the same membership. This commission is then mandated to produce a report every year for the next five years recommending actions to measure, mitigate and adapt to rising sea level. This concern actually makes sense on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The CO2 related mandates also given to the commission are to “align with the Paris Accord.” Specifically, that means: “The State shall strive to formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies and shall take actions to conserve and enhance long-term sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, by prioritizing the development of parks, greenways, and restoration of native upland and coastal forests and wetlands.” Which is reality, of course, means absolutely nothing. This Legislative Act is just an opportunity for the local politicians to have a photo op demonstrating their fealty to the Democrat Party.
That was “Which in reality.” Also the link to the bill is http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2017/bills/SB559_CD1_.pdf
Probably not much you can put your teeth into – green grandstanding.
The giveaway is in the graph showing the various energy sources. In a place with essentially uninterupted near vertical sun and loads of trade wind power, HI should have been all green energy a long time ago – with thousands of acres of solar panels on the mountain sides and lining the pineapple fields, and wind farms on the windward side of the entire island chain, nicely silhouetted against the morning sun ….. An eco-fascist’s dream come true.
Tetris, why wouldn’t they use that enormous volcano for a limitless source of steam? Indonesia has 26 high value geothermal sites that can be exploited immediately. Surely Hawaii with the tallest volcano in the world sitting on the floor of the Pacific Ocean would be the best possible site for endless renewable energy?
I can’t see any point in investing 125 tons of material per MW of capacity for wind turbines. It’s a ridiculous proposition.
How’s this for a perspective: if the volcano was turned into a huge steam generating station, it would be a gigantic source of both power and CO2. Ha ha! With the mountain spewing sulfates, CO2 and arsenic, mercury, NOx, silica dust and God knows what else, it will be the largest pollution source of any ‘generating station’ in the world.
Who cares?
The “spirit of the Paris climate accord” was for the USA and a few others to give bundles of money to other countries.
It is fine with me if Hawaii does this. I hope it makes them happy.
The climate won’t care.
“…Who cares?…” You’d care if you lived there. I care about California’s CAGW lunacy because I like living here. The problem becomes a question about who is going to pay for the CO2 mitigation and the ensuing energy unreliability. It won’t ruin Hawaii’s economy because they’ll make the tourists and poorer residents pay. I can afford it here but some can’t and they’ll still pay along with the industries that will slowly vacate the state and my taxes will go up to cover the slack. It will be interesting to see how many states follow the Climate Change suicide pact. I bet not many.
I guess that answers the question of whether a state can virtue signal. Yes, they can.
Just a wild guess here, but I’d be willing to bet tourist hotel bills & taxes pay the majority of Hawaii’s electric bill.
The only thing better than “virtue” that you actually believe in is “virtue” that your customers are expected to pay for…
“Hawaii’s total CO2 emissions amount to about 18 million metric tons annually representing about 0.05 percent of present global emissions.”
Wasn’t there a TV series called “Hawaii Oh Five Oh” or something like that?
+050
I wonder how much that is compared to, say, Mt Kilauea’s annual output?
They have a cunning plan to cork it I expect.
The volcanic CO2 is the “good” kind. It’s “natural” versus anthropogenic. And it includes “healthy” particulate matter that reflects sunlight and actually “cools” the planet.
/sarc
Hawaii Five-O , the original starring Jack Lord. Created one of the most iconic lines: “Book’em Dano” and had one of the best opening theme songs evah!
This graphic works better, as it juxtaposes accellerating CO2 and linear Sea-Level Rise:
?dl=0
I suspect (as I’ve been saying for nearly a month here) that greens will pressure many states to take similar steps to Hawaii’s. California and Massachusettes (or some other NE state) have already done so.
Did they right into theirs laws that they’ll refuse any Federal bailouts when these laws really hit their states’ “green”?
Didn’t think so.
*SIGH*
Typo! (“Braino”?)
“Did they right into theirs…”
Should be”
“Did they write into their…”
(Doing so would have been the right thing to do.8-)
RK
I’m actually ok with individual states jumping on the “Paris Accord/treaty/agreement” shark.
Tax-paying citizens can actually move out of the state (a la CA & CT), or state-wide elections can reverse the madness once 50%+1 understand how expensive/useless shark-riding actually it is.
It is also easier to throw the bums out.
Hawaii (and California) have a US Constitutional issue, on violating Article I section 10 on states not being able to make treaties. Considering just how much those states already violate the Constitution, that should not deter them the least.
Unfortunately the state doesn’t have to make any treaty to create whatever laws it deems necessary for the good of the people of the state. If they thing that CO2 = BAD and GREEN = GOOD, then they have the power to legislate GREEN without a treaty. Even if it does eventually damage the state economics. UNFORTUNATELY
Fortunately the voters of the state have the power to replace that government,
unfotunately most of the high population centers tend to canter to the left
Voters can also simply take their wallets & move out of state.
In case of Hawaii, it is the number of tourists that matter.
Just another example of getting things done at the SUB-NATIONAL level. State by state.
As jet fuel is the largest contributor, they should cut off air travel first, don’t want all those carbon spewing visitors coming and going. People will pay big bucks to view a carbon free utopia from afar, in the comfort of their own homes, streamed live over the internet. Using a big screen TV it would be just like being there.
You raise an interesting question:
Are jet fuel CO2 emissions taken into account in overall human CO2 emissions and, if so, which Nation or State gets credit (discredit?) for the aircraft’s emissions – the place where the flight originates or terminates?
Neither Originate or Terminate. ALL Human emissions associated with flight gets directly placed on the backs of the Wright Brothers so it is all attributable to the USA
Hawaii (here) gets the credit for doing its bit. Other U.S. states (for one example of place of origin) don’t get any credit at all because their wily little citizens will just fly off to another lovely destination. That is, but for a lovely destination, they would just stay home. Causation: existence of attractive vacation spot. Causation = responsibility. Heh, heh, heh. What a bunch of silliness, huh?
Of course it should be the destination country. If there was no reason to travel there, no one would go. They should be held accountable. Likewise refugies should pay carbon offsets when they arrive in their safe haven countries.
So I guess Hawaii will be outlawing this:
yes!!!!:-)))
They don’t have a lot of control over the largest employer in the Islands, the good ole DOD. Another squadron of B2’s please. Actually the State of Howareya! is a close second, but that’s to be expected in a socialist paradise.
Duncan, right on!
A reduction in everything is reasonable. Magnum will have to stop using the helo, and the ferries should be tied up. Two days a week. And what about those fishing boats?
Isn’t that volcano warming the ocean a heck of a lot? There is just no end of things Hawaii can do to control the regional climate.
The problem with these approaches, is they take the absolutely dumbest path to get to serious reductions. Get rid of coal, fuel oil, and “residual fuel” – these are expensive and polluting systems. the problem is they will TRY to replace these with solar and wind, and likely fail. What they should do is replace them with imported natural gas – they could reduce costs and cut emissions 50% in a very short time period.
I wonder what their plan is to get rid of jet fuel….
I guess that is always my concern – they pass over the low hanging fruit for the utopia of the perfect solar solution…
This is how you know it’s a religion. Not the slightest concern about actually reducing ghg emissions. It’s wind and solar if you have to lay waste to the universe to achieve it – because that’s what the catechism says. Liberals are funny little creatures like that.
cephus
That is ‘funny – peculiar’, especially if you live where they impose their orthodoxy on you.
Certainly not ‘funny – ha-ha’, as South Australia has found.
Auto
Considering the potential for geothermal in the islands, why would wind and solar even be an option?
Except in remote locations?
electric planes with water proof extension cords
Not enough graft in the low hanging fruit.
The left learns to love Federalism, what a world.
+1
Federalism being a good thing, the GOP should attack this stand for State’s Rights by Hawaii with gusto, following the art of diplomacy.
http://i.quoteaddicts.com/media/quotes/92/4581622-diplomacy-is-the-art-of-diplomacy-is-the-art-of-letting-someone-else.jpg
If Hawaii does this, just how is Obama going to continue to spend Christmas (oops, I mean December Holidays) vacation there?
Surely, they must think this through more carefully.
Let’s start with Tourism…shut it down, and then let’s see who cries Uncle….
LOL! No more jet rides to Hawaii. Nix the tourist ships, Make everybody swim or sail from island to island.
That’s in the agreement somewhere, I’m sure of it.
When they cover the islands with hideous solar panels and windmills then nobody will want to fly there anyway, problem solved, eco-fascist nirvana achieved.
It’s being called a Climate Rebellion. In the Northeast, the two holdouts are New Hampshire and New Jersey. Both governors are, surprise surprise, Republicans. New Hampshire just elected a Republican governor, Chris Sununu this past election, after quite a string of Democratic governors, so we lucked out there.
New Jersey will be going down the tube soon as Christy s term ends soon and the chances of another Republican winning is unlikely. With a Democrat controlled Legislature we will be right behind Caifiornia lunacy.
Hawaii’s virtue signalling cost them a fortune when they tried to enact universal healthcare for children back on 2008. This is another virtuous boondoggle that will only hurt the middle and lower class.
They will find it technically difficult to put a cork into Kilauea to stop those CO2 emissions.
They will find it economically difficult when tourists stop flying there to lower those CO2 emissions.
They will find it voter difficult when repeated renewable blackouts knock out services.
Kookier than California. Who knew?
Kookier than Cali., true. Cali. can always just “lean back on the grid.” I doubt if Pearl Harbor – even if all the nuclear carriers are there at once – could back up a “renewable” grid when they have a bad day of thunderstorms and there is no power coming in from the panels – clouds – or bird shredders – too windy.
One hurricane, kiss your unreliables (renewables) goodbye.
Actually, according to the website below, there are three active volcanoes in Hawaii with one of them being an underwater seamount. Corking the two on the Big Island will be interesting enough. Corking an active underwater seamount should be REALLY interesting…..
https://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/discover/essential-hawaii/volcanoes-of-hawaii/.
“…..How many active volcanoes are on Hawaii?
There are currently three active volcanoes in Hawaii. On Hawaii Island you’ll find Maunaloa and Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Maunaloa last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983. Loihi is located underwater off the southern coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. Erupting since 1996, this emerging seamount may break the surface in about 250,000 years, adding a ninth island to the Hawaiian chain……”
BTW, can’t say I’d want to live on the Big Island with its active volcanos. Not exactly thrilled with the possibility of having an active lava floe going through my living room someday….
They call it the Big Island for a reason. You don’t have to live close to the activity ….. although some picked “wrong” locations for developments and lost. I’ve also seen steam/fumes venting up through the ground in long established neighborhoods so the possibility is always there.
There is also the Big Crack in the Big Island. Eventually a largish chunk of the island will fall into the ocean. The waves from that will devastate the West Coast. And all of Hawaii. 🙁
Unfortunately, shield volcanic islands (of which Hawaii is one) have a nasty habit of breaking into thirds, with bits rolling into the sea (i.e.: down the underwater volcanic mountainside).
With sea levels rising at their current rates, how long will it take to sink the islands and totally solve their emissions dilemma?
Honolulu average elevation is 19″, so that’s 4000 years at the current rate.
As others have already noted, for Hawaii to put its money where its big mouth is, it would have to require all tourists to arrive by rowboat or outrigger canoe:
(Source: http://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/qser/tourism/ )
In 2016, thus, roughly 8,696,129 people would have needed to find non-CO2-emitting transportation.
Uphold the SPIRIT of the Paris accord.
Sure. LOL.
Not just outriggers, Janice, plenty of people used other kinds of sailing vessels to get about in the old days.
But your comment is a fair one.
Hey, can’t use dugout canoes because they are powered by oars, and people power oars and people breath, usually. Too much CO2. Might as well be really absurd.
So, in Hawaii, even Teslas burn oil albeit indirectly.
Make laws.
Cost people $’s X 1000.
Temps drops due to natural forces
Greens then will claim the pain was worth it.
How can the green movement lose?
Of course they’re going to try to reduce their electricity use and try to use renewables and storage.
There was a project to use a promising battery technology but, unfortunately, the supplier has gone bankrupt. Aquion Even in the textbook perfect case for renewable energy, it isn’t viable.
Engaged couple planning their honeymoon…..
He: Where should we go?
She: Either Mexico or Hawaii. I prefer Hawaii, though — it’s safer.
He: They don’t have AC in the hotels anymore, you know. Costs too much.
She: Costs too much??
He: They’re running the whole state on windmills and solar. It’s like Haiti there, now. Only the mega-rich can afford the hotels that still have AC.
She: Mexico it is. This must be a sc@m promoted by the life insurance people….
He: Are you bummed?
She: Oh, no (smiling). Anywhere with you will be heaven on earth for me.
He: 🙂
Well. The average Hawaiian won’t be smiling, but — oh, well. At least the road to Hana won’t be crowded anymore.
I’ve never been there but I’m guessing that Hawaiians would protest that they don’t really need air conditioning. link My aunt bugged my uncle until he took her there. She realized her error when it was all she could do to drag him back to the continent. I suspect the only reason she succeeded was that he discovered he couldn’t afford to live there on a continuing basis. link
You are probably right about the locals, cBob. I may be wrong, but, my limited experience in Hawaii tells me that the vast majority of tourists (esp. those from the northern latitudes) would want A/C.
Especially me. Sitting around baking is not my idea of fun. Hawaii is not on my bucket list.
“She: Either Mexico or Hawaii. I prefer Hawaii, though — it’s safer.”
Mexico is rated the second most dangerous country on Earth, just behind Syria.
I spent six months or so there, all expenses paid thanks to the Navy. Temps usually run in the 80’s with a nice sea breeze. Being from Florida that seems to be nice and comfortable to me. But northerners might disagree.
Just remember every drop of fuel and every bite of food is hauled from the west coast, mostly from CA when I was there. Even Jap imports went to CA then back out the the islands.
When I took botany, one of the things discussed was how environmentally UN-friendly Hawaii is. Mono-cropping, exportation of trash and importation of almost everything else, extinctions of endemic species since the Polynesians invaded…
If the state is serious about limiting its actual impact on the environment, they will have to deport the vast majority of the population to the mainland and make the remainder live only on what can be produced on the islands. No more imports or exports.
Turn around and look behind you, Hawaiian Envirostalinist:
Hawaiian Airlines isn’t there. They have a business to run. And thousands of Hawaiian citizens’ jobs to think of.
The people at Hawaiian Air don’t sound like they think they’re going to be out of a job anytime soon…..
…. as we’re taking new aircraft later this year,
as we’re continuing to expanding to other markets…..
Avi Mannis, Sr. VP, Marketing
(aired less than one month ago, on May 17, 2017 — youtube)
Did you get the memo, Avi?
You threw it away??
Heh.
Aaaaah-LOOOOOO-haaaa! Go, private enterprise! Where sanity still has a chance.
I guess Hawaiian airports will only allow tourist in that fly Solar Impulse Airlines?
(But only one tourist at a time?)
so long as you are OK with the 6 month layover in China
I don’t get that much leave in a half-decade; even if I did, I’d have to come straight back after the relaxing layover.
Auto
PS – Like cBob, Hawaii is not on – or even near – my bucket list; nor is Mexico, now.
Been there, done that, and, as a then-current smoker, struggled for breath a bit in a Mexico City layover.
Hawaii’s commitment looks like weak tea (if I’m reading the legalese correctly). I only see commitments of $105,000 for one job and some reports. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2017/bills/SB559_CD1_.htm
Exactly. Section 1 starts “The legislature finds that not only is climate change real, but it is the overriding challenge of the 21st century.” Then, the legislature finds that a Paris Agreement exists. Then, it documents the State’s commitment. Section 2 lists things that the State shall strive to achieve. The rest is renaming existing laws and the climate adaptation committee. Most importantly, it creates 14 new paid bureaucratic positions for a new Commission (formerly Committee).
I am not a lawyer, please read New York Times reports, they are much better qualified.
You do not need to be a licensed lawyer to figure this out. BTW, you just passed part of the Bar exam.
Who will be the commissar?
com·mis·sar
[ kom- uh-sahr, kom- uh- sahr]
NOUN
1.
the head of any of the major governmental divisions of the U.S.S.R.: called minister since 1946.
2.
an official in any communist government whose duties include political indoctrination, detection of political deviation, etc.
Does this include their huge CO2 emitting volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Kilaeua, remote vent Pu’u O’o, etc), that are ‘polluting’ the Pacific atmosphere?
Can’t wait to see the ‘scrubbers’ for those!
Why doesn’t Hawaii make like Iceland and tap into its volcanos for geothermal power?
That would disturb a National Park or refuge, or whatever other name is given to an area as an excuse to prevent it from being used for anything useful and beneficial beyond just looking at it or “just feeling good knowing that it’s there”.
That would make the volcano spirits veeery angry!
Roger, they do. There is a modest (38 MW) geothermal plant at Puna on the Big Island of Hawaii. There is also an active wind farm producing 21 MW near South Point , also on Big Island. It’s probably one of the very best places on earth for wind power. The wind blows 24/7/365, and you can see how constant it is by the trees that grow parallel to the ground. The Hawaii utility (HELCO) buys power from the wind farm at “avoided cost”, i.e. what it would cost to generate power by an expansion of its oil-burners, so there’s not much incentive from HELCO’s POV to get more wind power.
https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/07/19/big-isle-wind-farm-generates-power-but-bills-about-the-same/
It sounds like business people from the mainland taking advantage of a rather staid old local company to negotiate a good deal (for themselves).
Don’t know about the pricing of geothermal.. Also, no statistics on bird mortality at the wind farm
Big Island (based on casual observations during a vacation we spent there, wonderful place, can’t wait to go back) has really good potential for run-of-river hydro power in the 10-20 MW range (per river) but doesn’t seem to have exploited it at all.
Really, Hawaii has the potential to be self sufficient in “carbon-free” electric power, and if they did it, it could be a decision based on cost savings as well as greenery. They would need undersea cables to link the islands, like the one Newfoundland is going to use to link to Nova Scotia (to avoid being gouged by Hydro-Québec).
Of course, transportation is another thing entirely. I’d guess that, with a warm climate and no need for A/C if you live on the windward sides of the islands, that “carbon-free” electric power wouldn’t really make much of a dent in their oil consumption. They’d have to buy everyone a Tesla and build some high-speed rail. (/sarc)
Smart Rock, and for electricity export to the New England States as well.
Muskrat Falls hydro project. Newfoundland to New England via Nova Scotia.
Smart Rock,
CBC News | Newfoundland & Labrador, Aug.29, 2016
‘Ball pitches green N.L. power to American governors’
“Nalcor has said that about 40 percent of Muskrat’s output would be up for sale on either Canadian or American markets.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/muskrat-falls-power-green-energy-costs-ball-governors-meeting-1.3740539
Much more on the Muskrat Falls hydro project online.
Canada | NRDC
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“We’re working to expand trade in clean energy and the enormous potential; identify ways that Canada’s provinces can provide states with the clean energy supplies needed to meet carbon reduction targets; and make the air cleaner and healthier on both sides of the border.”
More at:
https://www.nrdc.org/canada
So they’ll just virtue signal on the taxpayer dime for a number of years and then pass another law repealing this one once they realize it will never work (with current technology)..
The Hawaii island group is one of those fortunate landmasses around the world that has a very high ratio of land area to “Exclusive Economic Zone ” (200 kilometers) of open ocean allocated to it beyond the “12 mile limit” , approx 2.5 million sq. kilometers.
A few years back I made some calculations estimating how much CO2 was absorbed naturally into the ocean surface per sq. Km per year on average over the surface of the worlds oceans . This was based on various data freely available on inflows and outflows of CO2 of various parts of the oceans according to temperature etc , this figure with my resources was an educated guess of course . The figure I came up with was 11 Tonnes of CO2 per sq.Kilometer of ocean per annum.
Now that figure takes into account vast areas of very cold water and very warm water , the warmer the water the less absorption .
Taking into account Hawaii’s tropical location and high water temperature (25oC) a downgrade of that sequestering ability is necessary so I have dropped that figure down to 8 Tonnes of CO2 per sq.Kilometer of ocean per annum around Hawaii.
Therefore taking Hawaii’s EEZ area , 2,500,000 sq.km. divided by it’s waters approximate absorption ability , 8 Tonnes of CO2 per sq.Kilometer of ocean per annum you get a figure of 20,000,000 Tonnes of CO2 sequestering ability within 200 kilometers of its shores . This is more than 2 million tonnes more than the total CO2 emissions of all of the Hawaii Group (as stated above 18,000,000) , problem solved !
Therefore Hawaii effectively does not add to the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere at all and is actually in credit !
Great point, Don!
Perhaps the aim of staying with the Paris Accord is to qualify as a payee rather than a payer (the prime reason for DOTUS leaving the accord).
From your figures, they could sell their excess absorption to the other ‘polluters’ (except China, Russia, India, etc as they are exempted for a few years).
Perhaps some of the African countries will buy from Hawaii as they are still using dung, timber, etc and creating far more CO2 ‘pollution’ than many other countries.
I think this is great. All these states signing on to reduce their emissions…truly noble.
Just one question…how much money are they contributing to the Green Fund?
Anyone?
Beuhler?
Thought so.
The top ten list is:
1. Bloomberg
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
And how many billions did he kick in?
And the chinese must have been laughing their asses off at Moonbeam. ..
Kick in?
Hawaii is probably betting it’ll get a “withdrawal”.
Actually, due to it’s remoteness, location relative to the equator, lack of any natural fuel production, solar and wind might make sense for Hawaii, despite the high cost for little energy.
Diamond Head crater could be easily adapted into a reservoir for solar battery/hydro electric storage. I doubt it’s the only crater handy.
There is no beer on Hawaii,
there is no beer on Hawaii.
There is no beer on Hawaii,
Therefore I remain here.
These are all propagandistic names for a non-binding contract that no one needs to adhere to. Trump knows for sure, and he also knows that this is all a propaganda campaign against him and his politics. In essence, Hawaii and, of course, California, too, will have to bend in a field of his commanding power, in which he and he alone will say: The field of energy and energetic use. However, what can not prevent Hawaii and California, and every inhabitant of that state, from producing and using very expensive, non-economic renewable energies. But already with prohibitions for fossil energies it becomes more difficult, this legislation competence (a prohibition competence) has none of the US states.
The US should leave them to it, they’re only shooting themselves in the foot. As long as Hawaii realizes the US won’t bail them out financially as a result.
The best cure for socialism is to give them what they want, along with the bill.
Portuguese aphorism: “Take what you want, God says, but pay for it.”
Words to live by . . .
Wait until the locals start seeing the windmills and solar panels spoiling their scenery and killing their birds, animals, and vegetation. The locals could care less about their carbon footprint and will revolt when they realize they are the ones that will be paying to support the law. As their energy rates go up and push them back into poverty they’ll start questioning “Climate Change” when they don’t witness sea level change or rise in temperature. But most of all…..they REALLY don’t like outsiders telling them how to live.
Where are they going to put all these scenery busting wind and solar farms?
Probably right next to the OLD windfarms, where apparently old wind turbines go to die.
If HI really wants to do something about emissions, it will require tourists to travel to the Islands only by windjammer or canoe, like the first Hawaiians. No fossil-fueled airliners, cruise ships or other internal combustion-powered transport allowed!
Gabro,
As noted above, other wind-powered vessels are available.
And the hardy, adventure/triathlon types could swim.
I guess 44 would walk home – no holes in h I s feet, so far as we know.
Auto
Hawaii should build some nukes , some undersea interconnects, and some pumped storage.
No need for any windymills or solar panels.
So, there’re going to cap their big volcano ?
Will it cap the homeless too?
You’d think that with all those tradewinds and sunny skies that Hawaii would already have errected tons of windmills and soar panels. Their electric rates are 37 cents per kWhr the last time I looked, three times the national average, so they certainly can’t make things any worse, one would think, by dumping oil and using LPG to provide stability to their tiny power grid. Hawaii only consumes around 10 1/2 million megawatt hours of electricity
(Georgia consumes 124 million megawatt hours, for comparison). A single nuclear power plant or two small modular reactors, combined with Hawaii’s geothermal capacity is all Hawaii needs, and they will have reached zero emission status. Anyone want to guess what the stupid govt jerks on the islands will actually do? Hawaii is the ideal location for electric cars, since driving ranges are very constricted.
Dumping oil and going to LPG to provide stability …
Perhaps you can explain this, I was of the impression that LPG is more expensive and more difficult to ship. Am I wrong?
So, are they going to Kilauea ?
Yet more QTIIPS.
(QTIIPS stands for Quantitatively Trivial Impact + Intense Political Symbolism) from https://keithhennessey.com/2017/06/01/is-the-paris-agreement-qtiips/
Can anyone think of when the ‘tipping point’ occurred?
The one I mean is where Governments turned from actually & actively *helping* the population, to the place we are now where Governments are actively hindering & stifling the economic activities of the people under their control.
What went wrong? When. Where. Why.
My theory is when saturated fat became taboo and was replaced by sugar (processed carbs) in our diets.
YMMV but something pretty damn big happened at some point
“According to the EIA Hawaii has the highest electricity rates of all 50 states and obtains more than 80 percent of its energy use from fossil fuels primarily petroleum with this situation having existed for decades.”
And now they are well on their way to their 2045 100% renewable electricity target… which will reduce the enormous bill from shipping fossil fuel across to Hawaii and no doubt reduce electricity prices. And of course that means they will reduce CO2.
Hawaii is actually moving to 100% renewable energy, successfully. Get your heads around that.
What Hawaii chooses to do is their own business. Here’s the thing though, they have no business pretending that what they do is “saving the planet”, and acting all smug about how “green” they are, nor should whatever way they choose to supply their energy be subsidized by the rest of us. Hawaii should indeed choose whatever form of energy works for them, as should we all, and that is the point. But you Warmunists don’t don’t want that, and that is also the point. You want choice taken away.
Why do you think the price of electricity will come down? The lower costs will just result in more profit sharing for investors. Perhaps that is the way to go, invest in Hawaii electric companies.
When I was stationed in Hawaii back in the late 70’s there was the first legal case for a home owner claiming a right to sunshine. What happened was he had solar panels on his roof and a new house was built next door, a 2 story job which prevented the sunlight from reaching the solar panels. I was transferred and never found out how that turned out. Anyone know? Ristvan?
In England – probably Wales, too; not sure at all about Scotland – we have the right of Ancient Lights.
If your property, or a part, has had uninterrupted access to light for – I think – 20 years, you must continue to have such a right.
I recall seeing a sign claiming ‘Ancient Lights’ on a building near West Ruislip Tube station in the 1960s and 1970s.
See the incredibly authoritative Wikithingi, that even I can edit: –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_light
(I take no responsibility for you relying on the Wikithingi . . . None whatsoever. No, not even an atto-smidgen!)
Auto, with shoulders even sloppier than usual!
Based on the proven lack of credibility of the EIA there is no reason to believe the claim they are doing what is claimed. And polluting the hills and mountains of Hawaii with windmills is hardly environmentally friendly.
Well let’s see shall we Griff with the news my windmill State of South Australia has received news our power prices will rise 18% from July1 which means a jump from 37.4c/Kwhr to 44.1c (or 28c to 33.1c in USD) so how does that compare with Hawaii at present?
At present with the spectre of blackouts looming due to a preponderance of these unreliables and coal fired power stations closing our political overlords are getting increasingly worried that the masses are quietly seething at being sold a pup, so naturally they hold an enquiry and try and come up with a fix like so-
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-09/finkel-review-why-should-we-care/8605730
So some of the dearest electricity prices in the world and rising and we’re facing rolling blackouts. Welcome aboard Hawaii should they go down the same path. Perhaps Griff you can explain why the Chief Scientist now wants to see any new Green power projects having to guarantee despatchability and why he’s not applying that same logic and rule to our existing ones?
The Hawaiians are making a religious gesture. Nothing they are doing will impact the climate in any way. But they are bowing to the spirit of climatism and that’s what counts.
I expect they will have 72 Virginians in an afterlife.
They will tell you if it is Heaven or a considerably hotter neighbourhood.
Auto
Hotscot, in your list of “left” regimes, I think you are including three from the right: Italy Germany Spain (if you mean in the period 1936 – 1945). Certainly in Spain the government prior to the civil war was democratic left-leaning, and Franco troops fought against socialist and anarchist groups supporting the Republicans. Post-war, it was therefore a right-leaning conservative, Franco, who created a dictatorship that lasted until 1975. Atrocities were committed by both sides.
But talking about evil empires, and in the context of climate change, I find it interesting that during Mao’s “great leap forward” around 1958-1961, when estimations of starvation range from 30 – 50 million deaths, people who moved to different areas pointing out there was no food where they came from were called “deniers” by the authorities.
Excuse the history from a fellow Scot.
Keith,
I thought the clue may have been in the name:
NAZIonale Sozialiste [if my two years of Deutsch in the 1960s still bear small – and slightly mis-shapen, maybe – fruit].
Auto
Hypothesis: “No action with respect to fossil fuel consumption by any US state would have a measurable effect on global temperatures or sea level rise by the end of this century.”
Anybody want to take a crack at disproving my hypothesis?
Hawaii emissions reductions? Kill campaign for termites? Cap Mauna Loa?
But Hawaii has been installing Wind farms,tried Tidal Power and Sugar Cane as fuel.
If wind or solar was viable,Hawaii would be the perfect customer.
As you visit “the most southern place in the USA” on the Big Island, be sure to observe the two wind farms.
A single picture is worth many words.
Strikes me they would obtain more reliable and cost effective power by installing a lined catch basin on Kauai catching all that lovely rain and generating hydro electric power .
Hasn’t Hawaii been down the twisting road of renewables before? See this article from 2012:
“Broken promises: The rusting wind turbines of Hawaii”
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/6350/Broken-promises-The-rusting-wind-turbines-of-Hawaii.aspx
Wow. A must read for anyone wanting information about the viability of wind farms.
You’ve got to keep it simple for the Twitter touchscreen generation cos that’s too many words at once for them with not enough colours-
http://anero.id/energy/wind-energy/2017/june
http://anero.id/energy/wind-energy/2017/may
I grew up on the Big Island. In the late 60s and early 70s my family would camp for three to four weeks at a time at Ka Lae (aka, South Point), the very southern tip of Big Island. Back then we would see no one, except for the handful of local ahi (yellowfin tuna) fisherman. It was a barren, windswept, magnificent place, and we could scarcely believe we had it all to ourselves. We played in tide pools, hunted for Japanese glass floats, spearfished, and jumped off the cliffs into the crystal clear blue water. It was absolutely heaven, and everyone in my family will tell you it was the best time of his or her life.
Now, apparently, the place is overrun by tourists and SUVs carving scars into the sacred landscape. And to add insult to injury, the skyline is polluted with the rusting hulks of the failed wind farm. Many have asked if I have ever gone back. I refuse to do so. I have been horrified by photos, and instead prefer to keep my precious memories intact.
Hawaii is doing this in the true spirit of the Paris Accords.
1) Claim you are saving the world.
2) Voice your hatred of those opposed to more poverty.
3) Make a non-binding promise to do essentially nothing.
4) Don’t actually contribute any money to anything.
5) Expect the US Federal Government and taxpayers to foot the bill in the future.
They are doing the same thing the Europeans and most other countries are planning to do.
+1 Very well said!
Why don’t they use geothermal and hydro power?
They do use geothermal and will extend it. It appears the resource is not available on all islands:
https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/clean-energy-hawaii/clean-energy-facts/renewable-energy-sources/geothermal
https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/about-us/our-vision/100-percent-renewable-energy
“Our goal is 100 percent renewable energy for electricity by 2045. By achieving this, Hawaii will greatly reduce its dependence on imported oil. This will lower electric bills and provide a cleaner environment for future generations.”
“The model we followed for decades was to generate energy at centralized power plants and distribute it to homes and businesses. This made more sense when oil prices were low and renewable energy was expensive. But this model no longer makes economic sense. Oil is a diminishing resource, so its price will increase over time. As renewable energy technology improves, its price decreases.
Replacing imported oil with renewable energy will have far-reaching economic and environmental benefits. We’ll keep billions of dollars that used to be spent on imported oil here in Hawaii. And as we move toward 100% renewable energy, we’ll greatly reduce Hawaii’s carbon footprint”
Hawaiian electric website
If tourists stopped flying to Hawaii, it’s economy would collapse.
Hawaii is about 43rd highest of USA stated CO2 output at 18 million tonnes. Or 0.33% of the national output.
Dear Hawaii, you cannot possibly have any effect on global or USA CO2 output, period. Spend your money elsewhere. Oh, and elect smarter folk.