1. Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels
650 ppm
530 ppm
430 ppm
380 ppm
Parts per million
280 ppm
Current with all GHGs
2050 with stable emissions
2100 with stable emissions
Pre-industrial
Current

2. Source: Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change.

3. Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels and Temperature Increases
Level of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
Eventual Temperature Increase (°C), 5°C = 9°F

5. Climate Stabilization Wedges
Source: Stephen Pacala; Robert Socolow ( ). "Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies". Science.

6. Actions that Can Provide One Wedge
Double fuel efficiency of all passenger vehicles worldwide from 30 to 60 MPG.
Decrease vehicle miles traveled by half (10,000 to 5,000 miles per year).
Double the efficiency of all coal electricity plants.
Replace existing coal electricity plants with a doubling of nuclear capacity.
Replace 1400 coal electricity plants with natural gas plants.
Increase worldwide ethanol production by a factor of 50.
Increase worldwide wind electricity production by a factor of 50.
Increase worldwide production of solar powered electricity by a factor of 700.
Eliminate tropical deforestation and double forest replanting.
Install 4 million wind turbines to generate hydrogen for fuel cell cars.
Use best efficiency practices in all new residential and commercial buildings.
Capture and store the emissions from 800 coal electricity plants.
Source: Stephen Pacala; Robert Socolow ( ). "Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies". Science.

7. Carbon Tax Recommendations

8. Source: “Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions” How Much At What Cost?” Creyts, et al., McKinsey & Company, December 2007.

9. Earth Atmospheric Trust Proposal
Global carbon emissions = 45 gigatons CO2e
Permit auction price of $20-$80/ton = $0.9 to $3.6 trillion/year
Return half of all revenues equally to 6.3 billion people
Refund per person = $71 - $285 per year

10. Impact of EAT Dividends ($80/ton = $285/capita) Country
GDP per Capita (2006)
Cost
Gain / Loss
Ethiopia
$617 $9
+$276
Uganda
$865 $5
+280
Nigeria
$1,562
$66
+219
India
$2,393
$99
+$186
China
$4,501
$309
-$24
United States
$42,610
$1,647
-$1,362
Source: World Development Indicators Database.

11. Impact of EAT on Absolute Poverty - Ethiopia
59 million below $2/day
46 million below $1/day
Source: Branko Milanovic inequality dataset.

12. Impact of EAT on Absolute Poverty - Ethiopia
54 million below $2/day
22 million below $1/day
$1/day poverty reduced by 24 million (52%)
Source: Branko Milanovic inequality dataset.

13. Greenhouse Development Rights

14. Greenhouse Development Rights

15. Greenhouse Development Rights

16. Greenhouse Development Rights

17. Global Inequality
The bottom 50% of households in the world receive less than 8% of the world’s income.
The top 10% of households in the world receive over half of all the world’s income.
The minimum income needed to be in
the highest 10% globally is about $17,000.
The top 10% of households in the world own over 70% of all the world’s wealth. About half of that is owned by the top 1%.

19. EKC for SO2 Emissions

20. EKC for Carbon Emissions

22. Even with the high incomes in the United States, most people are not satisfied with their incomes.

23. Consumerism Data
One-third of American households with income greater than $75,000 feel they spent nearly all their money on “the basic necessities of life.”
About 85% of Americans aspire to be in the top income quintile. Only 15% of Americans are happy with a middle-class lifestyle.
About two-thirds of American households are in credit card debt. Average credit card debt is over $8,000. One of the fastest-growing segments is college students.

24. Environmental Impacts of Consumerism
Consider the environmental impacts of producing a computer:
Making a computer requires over 700 materials and chemicals.
Making a computer requires 7,300 gallons of water and 2,300 kW-hours of electricity (more than the computer will use).
Computer processors weigh 1/50 of a pound but generate 89 pounds of waste, including 7 pounds of hazardous waste.

25. Environmental Impacts of Consumerism
As people move from the global middle-class to the consumer class, their environmental impacts increase dramatically.
Reason is that people don’t consume more of what they already have – they consume different things:
Drive cars instead of bikes and public transportation
Eat a meat-based diet instead of a grain-based diet
Buy imported products (with significant transportation impacts) rather than local goods

26. Environmental Impacts of Consumerism
Over-consumption is related to environmental impact based on the IPAT equation:
env. impact = population * affluence * technology
Technological progress reducing environmental impacts can be offset by increases in affluence.
If consumption levels are to quadruple over the next 50 years, increases in environmental impacts are likely to be severe.