Thursday, May 01, 2003
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge
AB, T1J 3Z7
Re: Energy Efficiency Not a Climate Change Solution
Dear Sir,
Delon Shurtz reports ("Alliance critical of gov't climate initiatives", Wednesday, April 30, 2003) a provincial dispute on the effectiveness of energy efficiency programs in the context of climate change. The points made by our politicians are interesting but irrelevant to climate change.
Energy efficiency improvement is a good thing in it's own right. It makes the benefits of limited energy sources available to more people for a longer time.
However, the "dismal scientists" (economists) tell us that energy efficiency improvements do not lead to an overall decrease in energy consumption and associated greenhouse gases in a free market economy. History proves them resoundingly right. Over the past two hundred years thermal energy conversion engines have increased in efficiency from about 1% to around 60%. The inherent cost reduction has made energy available to a greater proportion of the population. In turn, total energy use has sky rocketed. Human energy use supports an ever-greater population again amplifying total energy use. Greenhouse gas releases to the atmosphere surge ever upward.
Our politicians are quite content to go along with the widespread misconception that energy efficiency improvement and micro-management of individual emission sources is a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Real reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions can only be achieved by shifting focus to appreciate the relationship with the planet's plants and animals (including humans) that depend on energy and the primary greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, for their food.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast