“We Are All Lukewarmists”

In his keynote at the University of Michigan Energy Institute’s symposium on nuclear power (and in the ensuing panel discussion), Ted Nordhaus makes the claim that “we are all lukewarmists.” Barring the rapid deployment of advanced, disruptive technologies, in other words, an inevitable rise in temperatures lies ahead.

So where does that leave us? With an adjusted stance toward future projections and present decarbonizing technologies—the whole suite of them—for one. Some humility is involved in this; both social and technological barriers stand in the way of a zero-carbon future. But there is also room for optimism, says Nordhaus: “A prosperous and equitable world, a low-carbon future, and a manageable and accountable energy system are all possible.” To get there, we’ll need better technologies and fewer feuds—“less heat and more light in our energy and climate politics.”

Many others, from policy pundits to ag wonks to “climate-conscious conservatives,” are warming to new realities and new technologies. We’ve highlighted some of these thinkers and practitioners below, many of whom come bearing ecomodern-ish news.

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The Elephant in the Room

James Pethokoukis takes on the “dystopian picture” painted by the Republican presidential candidate and provides an optimistic, and conservative, counterview … Eric Holthaus features the rise of “eco-conservatives”—groups such as RepublicEn and Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions—that are attempting to “change the narrative from one of a dire emergency to an opportunity for solving a challenge” … Greg Ip of The Wall Street Journal reviews Washington state’s proposed revenue-neutral carbon tax, which “stands the best chance of appealing to people across the political spectrum” (if only the left would get on board) … William Ruckelshaus and William Reilly, former administrators of the EPA under Republican presidents, defend the Clean Power Plan as an example of “American exceptionalism” …

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What’s Nuclear

The Bipartisan Policy Center’s nuclear waste report describes the ongoing federal and regional efforts to resolve “the nuclear waste problem,” concluding that “a new path forward is needed” with consent-based siting … Matt Wald lists developments in Washington and New York, and even the tumultuous presidential campaign, as evidence for nuclear’s bipartisan appeal … According to Michael Scott, the growth of nuclear power in China is well outpacing that of the rest of the world … MZConsulting weighs in on Europe’s future in nuclear, pointing to France, Finland, and the UK as positive examples of new nuclear development …

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Fortunately, Unfortunately

Oliver Milman reports for The Guardian on new research indicating that the U.S. will fail to meet its emissions goals with the policies currently in place—which “doesn’t mean we are doomed,” says the study’s lead author Jeffery Greenblatt, but should simply serve further policy action and innovation; New York City, for one, which faces increasing pressure from sea level rise, has laid out its own proposal for mitigation and adaptation … Mike Orcutt highlights the finding that transportation emissions have overtaken those of the electricity sector, largely as a result of the shift in the U.S. from coal to gas … With regard to the transportation sector, fortunately, the Rocky Mountain Institute predicts that electric, shared, and autonomous vehicles are poised to fully disrupt the status quo, writes Chris Mooney; unfortunately, whether or not “peak car” and a cleaner, cheaper future will come to pass depends on a number of factors, including public perception and regulation …

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The Machine in the Garden

Jayson Lusk points our attention to some of “the most progressive, technologically savvy growers on the planet”—namely, conventional farmers, whose farms produce the vast amount of food sold in the U.S. on decreasing amounts of land, and whose “technology has helped make them far gentler on the environment than at any time in history” … Andrew Porterfield delves into some of the many questions that currently surround food production, including the notion of “sustainable intensification,” the role of technological innovation and knowledge transfer, and the advantages of conventional farming … Tamar Haspel lays out “eight gloriously wonky ways to improve ag policy” in the wake of complex issues and reductive public perception … Brad Plumer reviews the innovations intended to reduce and capture the methane emissions that stem from from meat production, and specifically from enteric fermentation (i.e., cow belches) … Richard Forman and Jianguo Wu provide a potential complement to the land-sparing approach of Breakthrough’s Nature Unbound, advocating for global and regional urban planning to “maximally sustain farmland and nature” …

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Rice and CRISPR Treats

Aneela Mirchandani provides a thorough historical overview of “golden rice” in an effort to address specific misconceptions about the genetically modified product … Sharon Begley and David Dittman cover Monsanto’s licensing of CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing technology, which will not be subject to the regulations transgenics face … Pediatrician Emiliano Tatar emphasizes that “after almost 30 years of widespread use (such as corn and soybeans), GM foods have never, even once, been linked to disease or any harm in humans” …

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Positively Trending

Nicholas Kristof steps back from the negative narratives to review the remarkable decline in global poverty, illiteracy, and inequality in recent years—a little-discussed trend, he says, that, once recognized, might be accelerated … Tyler Cowen brings social progress and technological advances to bear on present political turmoil … Cassie Werber and Jason Karaian report on the global decoupling of carbon emissions from economic growth, a development most pronounced in the world’s wealthiest countries and “a hopeful sign for the planet—up to a point” …

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Postscript: Prospective Perspectives

Jenny Seifert, self-described “futurist" and science writer for the the Water Sustainability and Climate Project at UW-Madison, discusses the importance of long-term thinking, planning, and storytelling when it comes to climate change and water challenges; “to build a good Anthropocene,” she concludes, “we need just our imagination” … Jeffrey Sachs lays out his own proposal for long-term thinking and planning of decarbonized infrastructure, a challenge that “combines the technological complexity of the moon shot and the organizational complexity of building the Interstate Highway System” … “Dream of Mars, by all means,” The Economist admonishes Elon Musk, on his plan to colonize the planet in the face of Earthly apocalypse, “but do so in a spirit of hope for new life, not fear of death.”