March 7, 2017 - Our lecture today was by Greg Hamra of the Miami Chapter of the Climate Change Lobby (CCL). The CCL is a bi-partisan organization taking up the good fight and saving the world through the implementation of Carbon Taxes. Climate Change isn't, nor should it be, a partisan issue because it affects everyone and simply does not differentiate between party lines. Frankly, we all breathe the same air, we all live on the same Earth. And, the CCL has something to offer for both sides of the aisle, as their plan can effectively reduce carbon emissions while also reducing some federal regulations.
Livable World
The CCL's motto: "Political Will for a Livable World!"
Political will does not originate with the politicians, it comes from the people! Mr. Hamra encouraged all in attendance to reach out to their government representative, because, as he stated, it works!
350 Parts Per Million
An admitted "frustrated" scientist ( not mad, he corrected, but frustrated ), Hamra talked extensively about the diabolical issue of rising Carbon Dioxide emissions, bringing up the example of 350.org which states the proverbial line in the environmental sand that we simply cannot cross in terms of Carbon Dioxide "was" 350 parts per million. Unfortunately, we exceeded that limit, in fact passing 400 parts per million a few years ago. Hamra goes on stating that 350 parts per million may now be an impossibility.
350.org
Still, worth to note is what James Hansen once said, ( Hansen is the scientist whose research was the very basis for the founding of 350.org ). “If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from to at most 350 ppm.”
Hamra, then stated we now have three options: Reduce ( our Carbon Dioxide emissions ), Adapt ( to an ever warming climate ) or Suffer!
Ocean Acidification and Negative Externality
The Climate Change Lobby's position is focused on reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions. As with increased Carbon Dioxide emissions, we also have increased Ocean Acidification, which is a reduction of the pH of the ocean over time. According to Hamra, this Ocean Acidification leads not just to Global Warming, but rather a "Global Weirding" and "Climate Chaos", which also has a direct negative impact on economic markets.
The economic term used here was "negative externality" which occurs when a product or decision costs the society more than its private cost. Car pollution is an example of negative externality; as a driver of a car, you don't account for the costs of the air pollution created by the car but the society is paying for the costs of air pollution. Hamra's specific example was even more direct, as it's not only a market loss but also a food supply negative, such as the supply of Herring fish gradually being depleted due to Ocean Acidification. Herring fish are being overcome by Humboldt Squid; these giant squid thrive with ocean acidification and are directly competing with fishermen and resulting in a loss of revenue for the Fishermen and potentially a food shortage.
Gaining Traction
Fortunately the CCL is gaining traction, as their concept of letting our free market decide is attractive enough that they are making a difference, generating that political will, raising awareness enough that both conservatives and liberals are now standing firmly together, and hopefully through this unified effort, we can actualize Hansen's "impossible" dream and make this world a bit more livable!
Thank you Greg Hamra for this thought provoking lecture!
Article by Jeff McNabb
(edited by Frankie Berti)
