American Elephants

Saving the Planet From the Ravages of Climate Change by The Elephant's Child

The fabled “Green New Deal” would have essentially no effect whatsoever on global warming, yet it would impose enormous economic and social costs. The report comes from the American Enterprise Institute’s Benjamin Zycher, who analyzed likely impacts of the Green New Deal as outlined by new Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D- N.Y.) calling for such a program to supposedly cut U.S . greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. Uh huh. They were even ever so sure that it would actually boost the economy.

The “boosting” bit depends on a “broken windows” theory (If you break a lot of windows, you’ll have to hire a lot of people to replace them.) Not a serious claim.

The United States counts for only a minor part of the worldwide CO2 emissions, but Zycher explains that if we achieved zero emissions, it would cut future temperatures by 0.083 to 0.173 degrees Celsius by 2100 — essentially zero. The overall cost would be about $490 billion, and would require for renewable energy – the seizure of some 115 million acres of land, more than the area of the entire state of California.

Remember that “renewable” energy only works when the wind is blowing at the optimum speed of about 35 miles an hour, and the sun is shining in a cloudless sky. If that’s not happening, you have to use plain old conventional energy because our society depends on energy. These are well known facts.

Looks like we are going to have a national demonstration, however. Democrats believe in global warming, probably because Republicans are not apt to. New York City politicians intend to “lead the way” to combat “climate change.”

Last week, the City Council voted almost unanimously for a package of six bills that comprise the “Climate Mobilization Act” for the nation’s largest city. Of the 44 council members voting, only two opposed this legislation.

What will happen that is predictable is the immediate cost. The centerpiece of this legislation is the $4 billion energy efficiency mandate on the City’s largest buildings, on top of the already substantial property taxes and construction costs. But that is just the beginning of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s estimated $14 billion strategic plan—his own “Green New Deal”—unveiled on Earth Day to reduce the City’s “carbon footprint…before it’s too late.”…

Mayor de Blasio said building owners need to “clean up their act” (who knew they were such polluters?) and that “if we don’t get results, there will be real fines.” In addition to the City Council’s handiwork, the mayor’s plan would go further by effectively banning glass-walled and steel buildings. I suppose what would remain is concrete and stone. Appropriately, today’s front page of the New York Post ridiculed the mayor.

They also plan on “phasing out reliance of processed meat and reduce the City’s purchase of beef by 50 percent.”Imagine people in elective office assuming that they can dictate your diet and lifestyle. Well, after all, they are attempting to save the planet!

%d bloggers like this: