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> Climate change is a species-ending threat. Emissions caused by fossil fuels is a huge piece of that. It's not a species-ending threat (at least, to humans).
by zhdc1 3y ago
> Climate change is a species-ending threat. Emissions caused by fossil fuels is a huge piece of that.
It's not a species-ending threat (at least, to humans). That said, the realistic outlook for global warming is bad enough.
EV is a technology in transition. It will get there. It's getting there. It's not "there" yet for every use case.
Why? A large part isn't because of the technology, it's about population density. The countries that pollute the most also happen to have sub-par public transportation networks. Range anxiety isn't an issue when the default option for most people is light rail.
The solution is likely going to come down to:
1. Urban planning. Car friendly zoning, building codes, minimum parking requirements, and other regulations are starting be reversed in the US. It's already happened across most of the EU.
2. Switch to low emissions electricity generation. Power plants are still the leading emitter, full stop.
3. EV adoption. My point above wasn't an argument against EVs as a technology, but a statement of fact that - as a technology in transition - it's not superior for all major use cases. This should change over the next couple of decades.
- hexedpackets 3y agoI mostly agree with what you said but > Power plants are still the leading emitter, full stop. is not true, at least not regionally. In Massachusetts, for example, power is 20% of emissions while transportation is 37%. https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-metrics https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy...
- bryanlarsen 3y agoIn Canada heating is the leading emitter. And even if power is the leading emitter in the OP's region, power plants are lowering their carbon output far faster than any other source.
- AlexandrB 3y agoI assume you mean the power mix is shifting to solar/wind. Or are coal power plants lowering their carbon emissions somehow?
- bryanlarsen 3y agoCoal -> Natural Gas is still the leading source of emissions reduction, but that transition is nearing its completion. The shift to solar/wind is what will continue the transition.