Obama addresses the nation

“For decades, we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered. For decades, we have talked and talked about the need to end America’s century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires.

“Time and again, the path forward has been blocked – not only by oil industry lobbyists, but also by a lack of political courage and candour.

“The consequences of our inaction are now in plain sight. Countries like China are investing in clean energy jobs and industries that should be here in America. Each day, we send nearly $1bn of our wealth to foreign countries for their oil. And today, as we look to the Gulf [of Mexico], we see an entire way of life being threatened by a menacing cloud of black crude.”

Renewable energy? Addiction to fossil fuels? These are not the words of an American President, and mark a firm departure from the disaster of the previous decade. Or do they? In 2006, George W. Bush made similar observation of America’s addiction to oil. Yet here we are, four years later, listening to the same song and dance.

Actions speak louder than words. Obama’s address was decidedly vague, and it remains to be seen exactly what future energy policy will look like. The BP Oil disaster has certainly put the issue back on the map and in the minds of the American people. But until I see acres of wind farms and a solar heater on the roof of every suburban American home, Mr. Obama will remain, for me, a little more vanilla that tiger stripe.

Still, this is the man who managed Health Care reform, a feat so many before him had failed. Maybe he’s got some tricks up his sleeve yet.

Abstracts for many of the papers to be presented at the conference are available online. I haven’t had a chance to read them all yet, but there are some interesting critiques on the failure of climate models used by the IPCC to integrate projected population figures into their variables. This would seem important, given that the world’s population is expected to expand to nine billion by 2050. I have to say, I’m hardly surprised. I spent some time working with climate models during my undergrad, and while the science was interesting, I came away wondering if the impacts of global warming can really be predicted. The earth is a complex system, and trying to replicate it with a computer seems a futile endeavor.

It will be interesting to see how this conference shapes future climate policy. At the very least, it’s nice to see the world’s upper brass moving towards a more holistic approach to the issue.