COP28 climate gabfest generates heated discussion

Bjorn Lomborg expertly shows how Western governments are failing dismally in their emission reduction goals as global emissions increase year on year and as inefficient, unreliable and heavily subsidised renewable energy fails to make a dent into the world’s reliance on cheaper fossil fuels. (“Good COP, bad COP: why costs are the difference”, 8/12).

The 2050 net-zero goal will likely be the single costliest policy ever promised by world leaders, with annual estimated benefits of around $1 trillion being vastly outweighed by the costs, ranging from $10 trillion to $43 trillion a year. Nowhere is this madness more on show than in Australia where, under the strategies of Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion is required for his renewables superpower fantasy, without a single guaranteed, justifiable benefit.

Ron Hobba, Camberwell, Vic

Of course climate policy is costly, but when weighed against the cost of inaction on human health, crop yields, wildlife, jobs and global security, these economic costs pale into insignificance. Reports from Reuters’ poll of climate economists, McKinsey Sustainability, the OECD and Deloitte all clearly demonstrate inaction as the far more expensive choice. In fact, Deloitte claims that by 2070 climate change could cost the world’s economy $US178 trillion. Conversely, the global economy would be $US43 trillion stronger if we rapidly transition to net zero. Most of the world has signed up to decarbonise for a reason: it’s a job and economic opportunity too good to pass up.

Amy Hiller, Kew, Vic

Clarifying the meaning of words abated and unabated is extremely important at COP28 and out in the world. Abated means there has been an effort to remove CO2 from a fossil fuel; for example, during the manufacture of cement. Abating is so unreliable that its use should be rare and restricted. Unabated means there was no such effort and it should apply to all other uses of fossil fuels, which therefore should be rapidly phased out. This discussion has been going on for at least the past two years and must be finalised, once and for all, at this COP.

Barbara Fraser, Burwood, NSW

NSW politician Matt Kean has joined the 70,000-plus who have jetted into Dubai to “save the planet” at COP28. The hot air at that gabfest is getting to Kean. Interviewed by the ABC, Kean said he wanted to be part of the conversation around the exciting possibilities with green hydrogen providing clean energy.

Asked about his attitude to nuclear energy, Kean dismissed small modular reactors as “unproven technology”. Despite 100 years of scientific research, green hydrogen remains an unproven technology with cost, environmental and transportation concerns preventing its large-scale application. On the other hand, there are more than 80 small modular reactors in development in 19 countries around the world with four already operational.

Nothing is perfect and the technology is still developing, but more progress is clearly being made with SMRs than is being made with green hydrogen, which of the two options obviously remains the unproven technology.

If Mr Kean believes in what is proven, the planet would be better off had he and the 70,000 stayed at home instead of flying around the world generating emissions.

Geoff Ellis, Smithfield, Qld

The “high priests of hysteria” is an appropriate sobriquet for the COP28 partygoers. Oil is not the only form of hydrocarbon that is increasingly needed.

Coal continues to bridge the gap between the need for cheap, reliable energy to alleviate poverty and the ability to service that need. All coal came from atmospheric carbon dioxide when this now-feared greenhouse gas existed in far greater concentrations than exists today. The planet didn’t overheat then.

Recycling some CO2 into the sky would seem to be a good idea, and research by eminent scientists such as William Happer and Patrick Moore shows we need more, not less.

John McRobert, Indooroopilly, Qld

Some believe that having Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber in charge of COP28 will give the UN climate conference balance and credibility. The sultan in reality, like others, is ignoring the massive impacts of climate change that we are witnessing every day and saying in true Merchants of Doubt (Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway) fashion “look over there”, just as we witnessed with tobacco, DDT, acid rain, the hole in the ozone layer and many other poisons.

Barry Harrod, Fig Tree Pocket, Qld