Truths we must tell ourselves to manage climate change ... · Carbon budgets O GtCO 2 1600 3200...

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Truths we must tell ourselves to manage climate change Robert Socolow Energy Technologies Area Seminar Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory February 15, 2018

Transcript of Truths we must tell ourselves to manage climate change ... · Carbon budgets O GtCO 2 1600 3200...

Page 1: Truths we must tell ourselves to manage climate change ... · Carbon budgets O GtCO 2 1600 3200 4800 AA few decades A few more decades 1oC, already 2oC 3oC More than a century If

Truthswemusttellourselvestomanageclimatechange

RobertSocolow

EnergyTechnologiesAreaSeminarLawrenceBerkeleyNationalLaboratory

February15,2018

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Whatweproject,andhowfar

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Whatweproject,andhowfar

DestinyStudiesisthesystematicexplorationofhumanity’scollectivefuture.

Ithasthepotentialtotransformtoday’stoxicpublicdiscourseandmutedacademicdiscourse.

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CO2emissionsscenarios

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TheFreshmanSeminar151capsules

Reunions: 0 10 25 50 2046isalsoPU#300.

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“Timecapsulesforclimatechange,tobeopenedatyourreunions”

Student’stopics:SealevelriseandcitiesSolarradiationmanagementCarbondioxideremoval

SolarpowerBatteriesElectricCars

Eachstudentwroteabouttwoalternativefutures:Willtheelectriccardominateorfindonlyniches?Theyinterviewedpeoplewitharangeofviews:HowwilltheCatholicChurchdealwithgeoengineering?

“It’suptous.”

MuddLibraryPhotocredit:DeniseApplewhite

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Theclimatechangeproblem

Doingordinarythings,wearechangingtheplanet.Becauseourclimatescienceissounsettled,thebestandworstoutcomesofwhatwearedoingaredramaticallydifferent.High-carbonindustrializationinthedevelopingcountriesistheNumberOneproblem.(Note:politicallycharged.)

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Oursmallplanet

Ausefulapproximation:Thelong-termaveragetemperatureriseontheEarth’ssurfaceisproportionaltothecumulativeglobalemissionsofCO2.2oCisthemostdiscussedtarget.G=109.

Themultiplierfromemissionstotemperatureriserevealsthatourplanetissmall.Whenweasaspeciesdoordinarythings*globallywiththetechnologieswehave,weharmourselves.*Examplesofordinarythings:eatinghamburgers,commutingtowork,buildingwithconcrete,goingskiing.

1.WewishEarthwerelarger.

OGtCO2160032004800AAfewdecades Afewmore

decades1oC,already 2oC 3oC

Morethanacentury

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CarbonbudgetsOGtCO2160032004800

AAfewdecades Afewmoredecades

1oC,already 2oC 3oCMorethanacentury

Ifwewerenotconfrontingclimatechange,theeraoffossilfuels(coal,oil,andgas)couldlasthundredsofyears.

Whatif,in2018,wehadstillnotfiguredoutCO2?

40≈2oC

1600 1600

40

1940 2020 2100

“Hubbertpeak”equivalent

1600 1600 1600

≈3oC

Addonerectangle:40billiontCO2/yr*40yrs

1940 2020 21402060

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BudgetsdemandchoicesThebudgetconceptleadsinexorablytochoicesaboutwhichfossilfuelstoextractandwhichtoconsider“unburnable”:

When? Betteroptionssomeday?Whose? GeopoliticalstabilityUsedwhere? “Fairness”Forwhatpurpose? Whojudges?Whichfossilfuels? ThosewiththehighestH/Cratio?

2.Judgmentsaboutwhichfossilfuelsare“unburnable”havenoprecedents.

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Climatechangehasuncertain“tails”

Warming

Concen

tration

ThisFigurewaspreparedbyMartinManningforWorkingGroup1duringthepreparationoftheIPCCFourthAssessmentReport(2007),buttheIPCCdidnotpublishit.Idid,withManning’spermission,inClimaticChange,2011.

TheIPCCfacedachoice.

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Theuncertaintwitchinessoftheclimate

Warming

Concen

tration

Twitchyworld

Calmworld

TheIPCCchoice,2007

X

Later,intheFifthAssessmentReport(2012),thelackofconsensuswasnotdisguised:“Nobestestimateforequilibriumclimatesensitivitycannowbegivenbecauseofalackofagreementonvaluesacrossassessedlinesofevidenceandstudies.”

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Wecouldbelucky…orunlucky

Thefourreddots:

550ppm:50%chanceof3oC,but1/6chanceof2oC.Lucky!

450ppm:50%chanceof2oC,but1/6chanceof3oC.Unlucky!

Warming

Concen

tration

Twitchyworld

Calmworld

Thebestandworstoutcomesofouremissionsareverydifferent.However,awellknownclimatescienceleader,whenIsaid,“Wecouldbelucky,”replied:“Youmustneversaythat.”

*3.“TailsScience”mustgetgreaterpriority.

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1 meter 2 meters

4 meters 8 meters

Greenland ice sheet: 7 meters West Antarctic Ice Sheet: 5 meters

Reference pace for sea-level: +1 meter/century

Source: T. Knutson, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA. See: http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/~tk/climate_dynamics/climate_impact_webpage.html#section4

Sealevelrise:When?

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“Committedemissions”Futureemissionsinherentincurrentinvestments

Globalviewofelectricpowerfrom2012.Assumes40-yearlifeforpowerplants,updatedforretirementsandplant-lifeextensions.

Collaborator:SteveDavis.Source:DavisandSocolow,Env.ResearchLetters,2014

Remainingcommitment

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Remainingemissions,yearbyyear

Collaborator:SteveDavis.Source:DavisandSocolow,Env.ResearchLetters,2014

Globalremaining“committedemissions”fromthen-operatingpowerplants,1950–2012.(Assumesa40-yearlifetime.)

CHINA

Apreliminaryanalysisupdatedbyfouryears(to2016)shows355GtCO2ofremainingcommitments,thusacontinued4%/yeargrowth(DanTong,unpublished).

Total:300GtCO2

20121950

COALCHINAU.S.

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Committedemissionsfromnewbuildings

Shown:Yanjiao,China

Mostpower-plantelectronsgotobuildings.Lessdemandforheating,cooling,andappliances–fewerpowerplants.

*4.“Committedemissions”prioritizeslow-carbonindustrialization.

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Leapfrogging

Developingcountriesusedtobeunwillingtodosomethingbeforeitwasprovenintheindustrializedcountries.Theydidn’twanttobeguineapigs.Thisischanging.Forexample,Chinaisleapfroggingovertherestoftheworldwithhigh-voltagetransmission.

5.Thedevelopingworldwilldecidewhatkindofplanetweliveon.

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Onebillionhighemitters

Source:http://www.climatescienceandpolicy.eu/2009/11/afocus-on-individuals-can-guide-nations-towards-a-low-carbon-world/

1114

9 5

3 1

0.7 0.5

1.9 0.8

3.6 0.7

1.2billion“highemitters”in2030.

Binboundariesat2tCO2/yrand10tCO2/yrarethe2003percapitavaluesforBrazilandEU.Mosthighemittersarenot“rich.”

2003 2003-30

Collaborators:ShoibalChakravartyandMassimoTavoni.

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Wheredothehighemitterslive?

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

2030

2003

2-10

<2

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

2030

2003

USA otherOECD China othernonOECD

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

2030

2003

>10

Morethanhalfofthe2030highemittersareprojectedtoliveoutsidetheOECD.

Thehigh-emitterlifestyleissimilaracrosstheworld.Bestpracticespioneeredinonecountrycanspread.

The“Paris”processcanhelp:participantsshowofftheirbestdishes.

6.“Paris,”apotluckdinner,canhelpdrivearacetothetop.

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Highemittersandabjectpoverty

Individual cap: without floor: 10.8 t CO2 with floor: 9.6 t CO2

1

The world’s poor do not need to be denied fossil fuels.

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“Solutions”

Therearestillmanyoptions.Isitalreadytimetodeclareawinner?Optionscanbemoredangerousthanclimatechange.

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Stabilizationwedges…in2004

2011KentuckyDerby,APPhoto/MattSlocum.https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/2011-kentucky-derby/7

Slidepair:courtesyofGretaShum,AndlingerCenter,PrincetonUniversity

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wind/solar

H2 for fuel CCS

nuclear

biological

efficient coal plants

gas for coal

end-use efficiency

storage!

Stabilizationwedges…in2018

MelbourneCup,TheForeignCorrespondents‘Club,HongKong.https://www.fcchk.org/event/melbourne-cup

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U.S.powerplants:Replacedbywhat?When?

Age:40.

Relicensing? Earlyretirement?

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WindPower:Low-OutputAnalysis(LOA)

A,B,C,andDmarkthefourlongestperiodswithwindpoweroutputbelow3GW,halfoftheannualaverage(6GW).Installedcapacity:17GW.

FigureandanalysiscourtesyofPedroHaro.

Windaccountedfor15%of2016ERCOT(roughly,Texas)electricityproduction.WindexpansioncouldbethwartedbyeventslikeA-D.

50%ofannualaverage

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OnlyDisalonglull.(A,B,orCareresponsestohighwinds.)

Windspeed(SanMarcos,TX)

FigureandanalysiscourtesyofPedroHaro.

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OnlyDisalonglull.(A,B,orCareresponsestohighwinds.)

FigureandanalysiscourtesyofPedroHaro.

Back-upwasprobablymostlynaturalgas.

Itseemsinevitablethatwindandsolarintermittencywillmakeusawareoftimeinnewwaysandwillincreaseourengagementwithnature.

*7.Solar-fossilandwind-fossilpackageswouldreducetheintermittencychallenge.Zero-carbonideologyisintheway.

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RapidSwitch:Howquicklycanchangeoccur?

Howquicklycansolarandwindgainmarketshare?Howquicklycancoallosemarketshare?

Whatlimitshowquicklysocialnormscanchange?Windandsolarintermittencywillmakeusawareoftimeinnewwaysandincreaseourengagementwithnature.Howstronglywillweresist?

Historyisuseful:Howquicklydidautomobilesdisplacehorses?Whyneitherfasternorslower?Whatgoeswrongwhenchangeisattemptedtooquickly?

8.“RapidSwitch”(thepaceofchange)isripeforacademicinquiry.

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Every“solution”isdangerous*.

EverystrategycanbeimplementedwellorpoorlyNuclearpower NuclearwarBiocarbon CompetingusesoflandGeoengineering Technologicalhegemony

“Cleancoal” Mining:workerandlandimpactsWindandsolar Unreliability Conservation Regimentation

Itisessentialtoidentifythe“conditionalities”thatmakeasolutionlessdangerous.

Riskmanagementreappears:Itispossibletoachieve2oCandregretdoingso.“Two-sidedreasoning”weighsboththethreatandthe“solutions.”

*IchoosethewordwithRioinmind.

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Conditionality for nuclear powerNuclearpoweriscoupledinevitablytonuclearweapons.Alas,inthepasttwodecades,nuclearweaponshavebecomemoredesired.Thus,aconditionforthedeploymentofnuclearpowertoaddressclimatechangeneedstobethatitleadsawayfrom,nottoward,nationalnuclearweaponsprograms.TheIrandealshowstheextenttowhichsovereigntymustbecompromisedtosevertheconnectionbetweennuclearpowerandnuclearweapons.ThelogicoftheIrandealpointstowardtheinternationalizationofnuclearpower–especiallythe“fuelcycle”–includingfortheU.S.

9.Anuclearwarisapoortradefortheslowingofclimatechange.

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Conditionality for biocarbon

Whatwillgowrongifwemoveheadlongtomaximizeglobalbiocarbonstockswithoutconditionalities?

Supposeyouwereaforesteroranagronomistinaworldwherethecarbonpricewasveryhigh.Youweretoldthatstoringcarbonwasyouronlyobjective.Whatwouldyoudo?Establishamonocrop?Pouronfertilizer?Beinventive.…

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Conditionality for biocarbon

Whatwillgowrongifwemoveheadlongtomaximizeglobalbiocarbonstockswithoutconditionalities?

Supposeyouwereaforesteroranagronomistinaworldwherethecarbonpricewasveryhigh.Youweretoldthatstoringcarbonwasyouronlyobjective.Whatwouldyoudo?Establishamonocrop?Pouronfertilizer?Beinventive.…

Now,changeroles.Youarethepolicymakerinthesameworld.Whatconditionalitieswouldyouplaceonthecarbonmarketforbiostocksintheinterestofelicitingactionsyouwouldwelcomeanddeterringoutcomesyouwoulddecry?

10.Thebiosphereisatriskat$100/tC02.

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GeoengineeringbyimitatingvolcanoesOnJune15,1991(threedaysafterthisphoto),Mt.Pinatuboinjected10milliontonsofsulfurintothestratosphere.

TheEarth’saveragesurfacetemperaturewas0.5oCcoolersixmonthslater,thenrebounded.

CoolingtheEarthdeliberatelybyperpetuallyinjectingsulfurparticlesintothestratosphereisanexampleof“geoengineering”(alsocalled“solarradiationmanagement”).

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EngineeredEarthInafullyengineeredplanet:

•  Theremaybenowayback.

•  Thereisnoobviouspoliticalprocessthatwillreconcilecontendinggoals.

•  Takingotherspeciesintoaccountwillcreateconflict;manyspeciesdependontheextremeeventswefindunpleasantandcostly.

11.Bewareofusinggeoengineeringtoremovehighsandlows;itwilleradicatetheevolutionarynichesofcountlessspecies.

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PatientEarth

“I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.”

Hippocrates

*ModernversionoftheHippocraticoath,LouisLasagna,1964,http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/oath_modern.html

*12.Thelowestconceivablegreenhousetargets,achievableonlybycastingcautiontothewinds,arenotoptimal.

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Twelvetruths1.   WewishEarthwerelarger.2.   Judgmentsaboutwhichfossilfuelsare“unburnable”havenoprecedents.3.   *“TailsScience”mustgetgreaterpriority.

4.   *“Committedemissions”prioritizeslow-carbonindustrialization.5.   Thedevelopingworldwilldecidewhatkindofplanetweliveon.6.   “Paris,”apotluckdinner,canhelpdrivearacetothetop.

7.   *Solar-fossilandwind-fossilpackageswouldreducetheintermittencychallenge.Zero-carbonideologyisintheway.

8.   “RapidSwitch”(thepaceofchange)isripeforacademicinquiry.

9.   Anuclearwarisapoortradefortheslowingofclimatechange.10.  Thebiosphereisatriskat$100/tCO2.11.  Bewareofusinggeoengineeringtoremovehighsandlows;itwilleradicatethe

evolutionarynichesofcountlessspecies.12.  *Thelowestconceivablegreenhousetargets,achievableonlybycastingcaution

tothewinds,arenotoptimal.

Cansuchpointsofdeparture–andmanycomparableones–enableamoreconstructiveconversationaboutclimatechange?

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RememberwhatsupportingscienceinAmericalookedlike?

1st WH Astronomy Night for Kids 1st WH Science Fair

Honoring outstanding K-12 science teachers

Mathletes in the Oval Office

Visiting MIT’s Energy Lab

SlidefromJohnHoldren,December2017

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HomagetotheresearchcommunityItsvalues:Rigor,engagement,independence,globalreach,collegiality,irreverence,moralcompass.

Itsscholar-friends:JohnHarte,MarcRoss,ArtRosenfeld,FrankvonHippel,BobWilliams,StevePacala,andmanymore.

Itshomesforme:Harvard,LBNL,CERN,Yale,Princeton

Itsyoungpeople:undergrads,graduatestudents,post-docs.Theyreplenishthespirit(“it’suptous”).Theytakethebaton.

Whatwillbeintheirtalksin2068?