How drastic do the CO2 reductions have to be?

Progress:

On Friday afternoon when we came home from work the only progress to report was that the old patio door had been replaced with a new patio door. Finally all the windows and doors included in the project have been replaced, and given that the extra isolation was added to the attic some weeks ago - the house should now be fairly well isolated.

Next week they will block all the current air hatches in the house (where the warm inside air has been flowing freely out from the house). When this last part of the "keep the heat inside" project has been completed - it will hopefully be time for switching on the ventilation system (or else there will not be enough circulation of air in our house, and we have to open windows regularly until the ventilation team is ready).

The ventilation team originally promised to have the project finished one week ago, so on Friday morning I asked them (by email) for a new target date - but so far I have not received a response. To me it looks like we are 2 weeks away from the finishing line (if they send their people here and not to other delayed projects).

Comments on global events:

Climate-Accord Deadline May Slip a Year as Nations ‘Play Games’ http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aTFXPFqcsfbc

> I'm not happy to see this type of news - but I'm not very surprised...
> There will be more of these statements in the press to put pressure on the delegates meeting in Copenhagen on December 7th.


U.S. unemployment rate hits 10.2 percent in October, the highest rate since April, 1983. Job losses total 190,000.
> More depressing news.... There is, however, some effects of the financial crisis that can have positive impact on the CO2 reductions we all want. Reduced activity means less CO2 emissions from the industry and transportation sector (in Russia, this effect has been dramatic) - and more importantly this gives governments an extra incentive to initiate projects that will create jobs and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions (like JAHUS projects).


More on current CO2 emissons and targets for 2020:

In 1990 Norways total emissions of CO2 was ca 50 million tons (or ca 12 tons per capita). The CO2 emissions are expected to increase to 59 million tons of CO2 by 2020 (if nothing is done to reduce the growth in CO2 emissions).

The norwegian government recently stated that by 2020 we will have cut the CO2 emissions by 40% compared to the level in 1990 (50 million tons) - see more on the website below:

"Norway takes over the yellow climate jersey"
http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2319

The reduction per capita should according to this target be 12 tons *40%= ca 5 tons CO2 per capita per year. If my estimates for our JAHUS project we will reduce emissions of CO2 by as much as 30 tons CO2 per year - or 6 tons per person living in the house (5).

How does norwegian numbers compare to for example USA?

In 1990 USAs total emissions of CO2 was ca 5000 million tons (or ca 20 million tons per capita). The CO2 emissions had increased to 6000 million tons of CO2 by 2004 (and stayed on that level since then)

I can recommend this website if you want more details on emissions of green house gases:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/

> Comment: I understand that there are discussions about which year to refer to when I see that there has been only a small increase in CO2 emissions since 1990 in Norway (and the rest of western Europe) - while in the USA the increase has been 20%.

>If all countries were to reduce the CO2 emissions by 30% compared to 1990 - americans would have to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%+30%=50% compared with todays level, while we here in Europe would be compliant at levels of slightly more than 30%.

• Scientists think that we need to cut global CO2 emissions with as much as 30% (from the 1990 level)
• Developing countries must be allowed some growth in CO2 emissions. Who shall "pay the price"?
• Even if there were no global warming and CO2 problem, there is also a growing concern that there just isn't enough energy available when the supply of fossile fuel runs out (next 50 years).

I will follow up next week with more comments about the "fight" over CO2 reductions - leading up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen in December (Europe-USA-BRIC, developed vs developing countries etc.).