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"Just plant trees" won't remove the need to stop the burning of coal either. Nothing short of changing out the fuel sources for the vast majority of human ener

by danans 5y ago

"Just plant trees" won't remove the need to stop the burning of coal either. Nothing short of changing out the fuel sources for the vast majority of human energy demands for zero-carbon versions will suffice.

labster 5y ago
It’s funny you mention that because “just plant trees” was the solution to get coal for hundreds of years; forestry was invented as a way to get sustainable, (incidentally) carbon-neutral (char)coal for iron furnaces.
- pjc50 5y ago
  Yes, and to a great extent the industrial revolution kicked off because coal was available in greater quantities than forestry charcoal! Its production is also somewhat labour-intensive. Early coal was referred to as "sea-coal" in many places because the easiest way to get it was from veins close to the sea where it washed up. Deep mining of coal required the industrial revolution. There was a huge circular dependency between iron production, steam engines made from iron, and using the steam engines to pump out the iron and coal mines and draw up the mined resources.
Gigachad 5y ago
It's not even based on needs anymore. Australia does not _need_ to burn nearly as much coal as it does. Sure, the last bit might be tricky to remove, but the fact that they do not even remove the amount that they can shows that they have no interest in getting rid of coal.
- danans 5y ago
  The need I was referring to was the need to stop coal burning, but your point is taken about Australia's foot dragging on that.
stephen_g 5y ago
Yeah, but all our major party politicians in Australia get big donations from the coal and oil & gas lobbies, and a lot of the conservative politicians have direct or indirect business links. So the whole “net zero” thing isn’t something their hearts are really in. Hopefully things will change a bit with the election early next year - the opposition party that actually did legislate an effective and workable price on carbon back in 2011 looks like they might get back in (the scheme was repealed by the conservatives as soon as they got back into Government in 2013).

by danans 5y ago

labster 5y ago

It’s funny you mention that because “just plant trees” was the solution to get coal for hundreds of years; forestry was invented as a way to get sustainable, (incidentally) carbon-neutral (char)coal for iron furnaces.

pjc50 5y ago
Yes, and to a great extent the industrial revolution kicked off because coal was available in greater quantities than forestry charcoal! Its production is also somewhat labour-intensive. Early coal was referred to as "sea-coal" in many places because the easiest way to get it was from veins close to the sea where it washed up. Deep mining of coal required the industrial revolution. There was a huge circular dependency between iron production, steam engines made from iron, and using the steam engines to pump out the iron and coal mines and draw up the mined resources.

Gigachad 5y ago

It's not even based on needs anymore. Australia does not _need_ to burn nearly as much coal as it does. Sure, the last bit might be tricky to remove, but the fact that they do not even remove the amount that they can shows that they have no interest in getting rid of coal.

danans 5y ago
The need I was referring to was the need to stop coal burning, but your point is taken about Australia's foot dragging on that.

stephen_g 5y ago

Yeah, but all our major party politicians in Australia get big donations from the coal and oil & gas lobbies, and a lot of the conservative politicians have direct or indirect business links. So the whole “net zero” thing isn’t something their hearts are really in. Hopefully things will change a bit with the election early next year - the opposition party that actually did legislate an effective and workable price on carbon back in 2011 looks like they might get back in (the scheme was repealed by the conservatives as soon as they got back into Government in 2013).