Climate Change_Chicken Little Obsesson with Climate Change Hurts US now

The Chicken Little Obsession with Climate Change Hurts US Now- S. Kleinman

"First of all, Chicken Little, the sky is not falling. However the Chicken Little obsession with Global Warming or Climate Change or whatever the alarmists are calling it these days, IS harming us today and will hurt us in the future. Yes, climate change occurs every single day. No 2 days are alike. The world has gone thru at least 5 major ice ages followed by 5 warming periods. Humans had nothing to do with those. Humans probably have an impact now on climate change, but it is small in comparison with the huge forces of nature (solar activity, volcanic eruptions, orbital variations, etc.) that have a direct impact on our weather.  But by spending lots of money on something we may or may not have much control over, we are misallocating resources today and costing us prosperity tomorrow. That lost prosperity (read jobs and standard of living) could have lead to a better quality of life for everyone in the future, including a cleaner environment.

In a recent study out of Barcelona Spain, noted climate expert Gabriel Caldaza, Vice President of the University Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala and president of the think tank Juan de Mariana Institute of Madrid Spain, shows unequivocally that for every 1 green job created, 2.2 jobs are lost. Wow! That is quite a statistic! He cites Spain as an example (but there are striking parallels in the US). In Spain the country has spent massive amounts on uneconomical green projects, while restricting conventional energy build outs thru regulation. Spain now has a 27% unemployment rate and massive debt. The youth unemployment rate is above 50%.

Unfortunately there are striking parallels in the US. Look at Solyndra, which filed for bankruptcy and cost the taxpayers $527M in loan guarantee. Proponents claim that 40 other clean energy projects sponsored by taxpayers money helped keep 60,000 people employed (no mention if whether part-time or full time). (Climate Progress report Sept 6, 2012). But how many of these projects are economically viable without taxpayer money? None.  

On the other hand, how many jobs have been lost? Using Caldaza’s calculations 132,000! These are conventional jobs. Jobs that would have been created if the tax payers could have spent that half billion dollars themselves, buying goods and services they want. Additionally, there are collateral jobs that would have been created by the ripple effect those demands place on the market place.

Even more jobs would have been created if the government wouldn’t have stymied the clean, but traditional sources of energy through unnecessary regulation and stalling tactics. Our natural gas development is a real game changer in the world. We would be totally energy self-sufficient, and would be a net exporter of energy, if our gas resources were allowed to be developed rationally. What a difference that would make in world politics too! The Keystone Pipeline project, if it were allowed to proceed would infuse $4-5B of PRIVATE money (not tax money) into the economy and employ 9,000 skilled American workers, and about 7,000 collateral support jobs. It has passed 5 EPA evaluations, but still it is not allowed to proceed.

On the other hand, renewal energy projects have cost US taxpayers $26 billion, but fewer than 2300 permanent jobs have been created. That is $11.5 million per job, according to AEIdeas.org article published May 10th, 2013. The data comes from the Department of Energy Loan Programs Office. The article is readily available on line.

 Every time I read that this City (or county) is off, like Don Quixote, tilting at windmills, or building windmills, or studying windmills, I cringe. How much of the tax payer’s money are they blowing in the wind this time? Wouldn’t the money be better spent building schools, keeping the parks open, fixing the roads, adding police (read Vallejo), maintaining the infrastructure (water pipelines, fixing old bridges; expanding internet coverage, adding firemen, etc. etc. etc.) 

It is a simple fact that a more prosperous society (read expanding middle class) demands and CAN AFFORD more of the benefits (goods and services) that society can create. Look at China. They have a rapidly expanding middle class, per capita income has risen dramatically, AND the quality of the average person’s life has improved – including air and water. According to the World Bank, China today is an upper middle–income country. China’s per capita income in 2011 was $4,940. This may not seem like much. But when you consider that according to the World Bank, China’s per capita income in 1991 was $370, it is pretty astounding. China is now the 2nd largest economy in the world. According to a report for the Congressional Research Services, from 1979, when economic reforms began to 2012, China’s real GDP grew at an average annual rate of 10%. The projected rate for 2013 is 7.8%. 

Contrast that with the US. Our middle class is shrinking. Net income (minus inflation) of the average worker has declined. We have an anemic recovery after 5 years. The expected GDP rate for the US for 2013 is less than 2%. This climate obsession isn’t the whole reason, but is definitely a part of it.

The question in my mind is 3-fold. Is there climate change – yes. Do humans contribute to it? Probably yes, but to a small degree. Third, and most importantly, should we allocate our precious resources at this time fighting it, especially given our fragile economic recovery? Is it worth it? Do we get good bang for the buck? To this I say emphatically – no!

Of all the major issues facing us as a small town, state, nation and members of the world community, where should “sustainable projects” fall in spending priority? In my opinion – pretty far down.  Our money would be spent much more effectively elsewhere. Once we get our feet firmly back under us, then we should look to lesser priority items. 

Ask yourself, is our nation drifting economically toward the way of Spain or China, and why. This is serious stuff folks. The future for our kids and our nation depends on it. Give it some thought.