News to Laugh About

Energy and climate crisis reading can be a grim affair - with a good reason. Still, it's sometimes useful to laugh a bit. With that in mind, here are some recent news articles that should create laughter in those who've done their homework.

• EIA Stunner: By year's end, we'll be 8.5% below 2005 levels of CO2 - Halfway to Climate Bill's 2020 target (Celsias)
  
  This is great news! Now let's remember how we got that reduction: deepest worldwide depression since the 30s, a complete crash of worldwide shipping, more than half of the airlines stumbling towards bankruptcy, more than hundred million new unemployed, and near complete stop in new industrial investments. What was the response to all this: PRINT MORE MONEY to boost the economy. How bad do you think we're going to have to have it, till we get to our reduction target (-80% by 2050)? Any politicians willing to put that on their agenda. Thought so.
  
  
• Stern: Rich nations will have to forget about growth to stop climate change (Guardian)
  
  "At some point we would have to think about whether we want future growth. We don't have to do that now.". Not now, tomorrow. No need to worry, carry on BAU. Yeah, riiiiight. Where did one hear that before? Thankfully USA's industry doesn't need to become 100% carbon-emission neutral by 2050 (not 80% cut, but 100% cut). Fortunately there are enough carbon permissions in the world to be sold, so that developing worlds can increase their carbon emissions. It's nice that the economists don't have the discount rates all wrong for their cost calculations. Sigh, we're so relieved. Thank God there's always tomorrow.
  
  
• World's climate could cool first, warm later (New Scientist)
  
  Oh, the irony. This happens and some peppy and over-enthusiastic conservative from Competitive Enterprise Institute of America becomes the next Anti-Gore and declares AGW solved and get's a faux-Nobel prize on economics. The world is saved, yet again.
  
  
• OPEC says oil not to blame for climate change (Reuters)
  
  Is there anything to be added to a declaration that is almost a parody of itself?
  
  
• World Bank spends billions on coal-fired power stations (Times)
  
  Hellooooooo! What did everybody expect? That they stop funding profitable energy enterprises? That we stop using coal and the last man turn off all the lights?
  
  
• Official: Global oil peak soon!
  
  First it was 'Never!'. Then it was 50 years from now. Then 30. Then 20. Now 10. BTW, some smart analysts, oil companies and banks are already saying "Now". Hey, let's all wait for the announcement "Oil Peak was 20 years ago" and see how much time we have to prepare after that.

If all of the above seems a bit harsh, mean or even unfair, that's because it's supposed to be. That's really the only way to laugh about this all. And that's what we all need every now and then.