Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
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1.4 Climate Change
The other reason to focus on greenhouse gas emissions is that they are a major
contributor to global climate change. Climate change is an issue on a much
larger scale and a much longer time frame than air pollution, but it also is an
even more dire crisis than air pollution. Indeed, the scale of climate change
(both in size and time) is such that it makes putting exact numbers on the climate change situation difficult. What we do know is that those numbers are
immense and steadily getting even bigger. The global costs of climate change
have been increasing because of the increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In 2017, there were wildfires in many midwestern and western parts of the United States, and these cost many billions
of dollars. But the greatest costs from climate change in 2017 (in the United
States, at least) were because of hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
Rainfall associated with Hurricane Harvey resulted in flooding and damage
to property. In Puerto Rico, there was major damage to property, and electrical service was destroyed in many locations. More forest fires in 2018, just
in California, have again cost billions of dollars and the loss of many human
lives. In 2019, there was flooding in Nebraska that cost billions of dollars and
impacted the lives of many people.
1.5 Economics
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and the pace of climate
change are all positive things that sound good in principle, but for many
people it will have to make financial sense for them to take any action.
Economics and prices influence decisions that are made at nearly all levels,
from individual decisions (e.g. whether to buy an electric vehicle; Brase,
2018) to international accords. If we think of this as a path – one that we are
trying to light more clearly – the economics of the situation (see Chapter 11)
determine whether we are trying to walk uphill or downhill. Fortunately,
the economics surrounding these issues are pretty favorable and steadily
improving (i.e. walking downhill).
The reductions in costs for solar panels, wind- generated electricity, and
batteries for energy storage in electric vehicles are already having major
impacts. The costs of wind power, solar- generated electricity, electric
vehicles, and batteries are falling because of research progress, production experience, competition, and the magnitude of commercial activity
(Erickson and Jennings, 2017). The transition to electric vehicles has the
potential to be very beneficial for many people because of reduced costs
4
4
1.4 Climate Change
The other reason to focus on greenhouse gas emissions is that they are a major
contributor to global climate change. Climate change is an issue on a much
larger scale and a much longer time frame than air pollution, but it also is an
even more dire crisis than air pollution. Indeed, the scale of climate change
(both in size and time) is such that it makes putting exact numbers on the climate change situation difficult. What we do know is that those numbers are
immense and steadily getting even bigger. The global costs of climate change
have been increasing because of the increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In 2017, there were wildfires in many midwestern and western parts of the United States, and these cost many billions
of dollars. But the greatest costs from climate change in 2017 (in the United
States, at least) were because of hurricanes in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
Rainfall associated with Hurricane Harvey resulted in flooding and damage
to property. In Puerto Rico, there was major damage to property, and electrical service was destroyed in many locations. More forest fires in 2018, just
in California, have again cost billions of dollars and the loss of many human
lives. In 2019, there was flooding in Nebraska that cost billions of dollars and
impacted the lives of many people.
1.5 Economics
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and the pace of climate
change are all positive things that sound good in principle, but for many
people it will have to make financial sense for them to take any action.
Economics and prices influence decisions that are made at nearly all levels,
from individual decisions (e.g. whether to buy an electric vehicle; Brase,
2018) to international accords. If we think of this as a path – one that we are
trying to light more clearly – the economics of the situation (see Chapter 11)
determine whether we are trying to walk uphill or downhill. Fortunately,
the economics surrounding these issues are pretty favorable and steadily
improving (i.e. walking downhill).
The reductions in costs for solar panels, wind- generated electricity, and
batteries for energy storage in electric vehicles are already having major
impacts. The costs of wind power, solar- generated electricity, electric
vehicles, and batteries are falling because of research progress, production experience, competition, and the magnitude of commercial activity
(Erickson and Jennings, 2017). The transition to electric vehicles has the
potential to be very beneficial for many people because of reduced costs