by Wyatt Wright We cannot view technology as a catch-all solution to climate change. We need to shift our practices, not just our tech. Humanity has accomplished mind-boggling feats such as launching ourselves into space or eradicating diseases. We can thank technology for much of our accomplishments, from simple rock tools to computers and beyond. Technology has made our lives significantly better but it has become a crutch and our reliance on it could mean disaster. In a teleconference meeting with Joshua Sizemore, legislative assistant to Senator Steve Daines, carbon capture and clean coal were emphasized in Senator Daines policy stance. The merits of new, expensive technology was framed as a way to mitigate climate change. Some technology like hydro/aquaponics, no-till farming, and increasingly efficient renewable infrastructure can have a positive impact, but I came away with the impression that future policy is about continuing business as usual and hoping technology solves the problem.
Carbon capture and clean coal have potential to reduce carbon emissions. According to a study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change these technologies can reduce carbon emissions by 85-95% per plant. However, depending on how carbon is stored, power plants would require 10 - 160% more energy and heavy economic investment (IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage p. 4) (Global CCS Institute, 1.5.9). Carbon capture could be used in fallback energy plants to combat the inconsistent output of renewable energy but it seems that politicians want to hedge their bets on new technology for old industries.
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