David Victor Responds to the Point of View of Progress Curbing CO2 Emissions
Can the U.S. and Australia Slake China's Coal Thirst and Still Claim CO2 Progress?
11/18/2011
Andrew C. Revkin,
Electric Light & Power
I often try to step back and take the point of view of the atmosphere in considering claims of progress on curbing emissions of carbon dioxide from human activities. It's a sobering practice, but helpful if your goal is to chart what will, and won't, make a big difference in limiting warming as human numbers and resource appetites crest in coming decades.
I conducted this exercise a few days ago. In reading a fresh assessment by Eric de Place of planned American coal exports to China (noted via Climateprogress), I was reminded of a batch of reporting I did recently on Australia's new carbon plan in light of its vast coal exports (300 million tons a year now, nearly all to Asia) and plans for substantial growth (5 percent a year through 2020).
It was jarring to see the country's current leadership and climate campaigners hail Australian adoption of a domestic carbon tax and cap, given the vast carbon leakage.
Below you can read some of the input I received on Australia's booming exports of coal (and carbon dioxide emissions) and how they relate to the challenge of stabilizing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere some time this century. As was explored here before, one question is, "When coal flows between countries, who 'owns' the CO2?"
Click here to read the full article.
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David G. Victor is a professor at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies and the director of the Laboratory on International Law and Regulation (ILAR). Looking across a wide array of issues from environment and energy to human rights, trade and security, the Laboratory explores when (and why) international laws actually work.
