Robert Howarth Profile
Robert Howarth

@howarth_cornell

9,036
Followers
403
Following
132
Media
32,085
Statuses

Ecologist & Earth system scientist; global change; methane emissions from oil & gas; coastal nutrient pollution. Follow me at @profbobhowarth .bsky.social

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Joined November 2015
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Cornell University is divesting from fossil fuels. In response to resolutions from all parts of campus governance, they have today voted for an immediate moratorium on new investments in fossil fuels, with a plan for existing investments to be phased out over 5-7 years.
21
230
1K
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
I disagree. These suck & capture technologies are far from proven, and will undoubtedly be very energy intensive. Let's focus on what we know works, and not be distracted by things that may never work at scale.
@RobertDowneyJr
Robert Downey Jr
3 years
The technologies that suck carbon out of the air and capture it are JUST AS IMPORTANT to stop global warming as building new renewable energy. NY's #CDRLA bill is the first real proposal to help them get to market. Leadership indeed. @GovKathyHochul
379
390
4K
73
135
780
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
My new paper on global methane published today in Biogeosciences. Fossil fuels are the largest driver of global spike in methane since 2008, with US shale gas the largest culprit. Biological sources such as cows less important than previously thought.
22
557
727
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
11 months
My paper is more direct that this. No "may be" about it. Best case scenario for LNG is worse than coal by 24%. Worst case by much more than 2-fold. LNG is a climate disaster.
@PriceofOil
Oil Change International
11 months
NEW DATA: When gas is exported from the U.S. to Europe and Asia, it may be worse for the climate than coal. No more gas buildout. It’s time to #EndFossilFuels and #PowerUp renewables.
5
75
168
38
356
726
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
7 years
NOAA forecasters are doing an amazing job, building on decades of science funded by the US government.
@weatherdak
Dakota Smith
7 years
Evolution of @NWSNHC 's forecast. Their effort & work is amazing.
34
1K
2K
4
318
609
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Biden has pledged to end subsidies for oil & gas (as well as coal), which takes us 90% of the way to ending fracking. Fracking cannot survive economically without subsidies.
@insideclimate
Inside Climate News
4 years
Many activists have given up on getting Joe Biden to back the Green New Deal or ban fracking. But if Biden wins November’s election, some still see a chance to influence his climate policy by advocating for who fills his cabinet positions.
0
3
22
19
85
382
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Breaking: NY plans to modernize heating of our homes, relying on highly efficient electric heat pumps rather than 20th Century fossil fuels.
27
96
426
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
The world needs renewable energy -- wind, solar, and hydro -- NOT natural gas. The real choice is not coal vs. gas. That's a choice manufactured by oil & gas industry. The choice is fossil fuels or renewables. And there is no choice, given the reality of climate disruption.
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
In the US, coal is down & natural gas is up. Overall fossil fuel use is up. CO2 emissions down some, but methane emissions have more than made up for this. Globally, natural gas use has increased, and this is not at all good for the climate, given methane emissions.
1
19
41
9
134
327
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
Fossil fuel companies are "much better at capturing politicians than emissions." @algore
@implausibleblog
Farrukh
1 year
Al Gore, "I find it shocking, really disappointing, I think Rishi Sunak has done the wrong thing.. Fossil fuel companies have used their wealth to slow things down.. They're much better at capturing politicians than emissions.. You can tell when they've captured one"
194
6K
17K
39
111
375
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
I am proud to be one of those 400 scientists. We must #EndFossilFuels
@ssteingraber1
Dr. Sandra Steingraber 🏳️‍🌈
1 year
The Guardian says 400 scientists have endorsed the March to #EndFossilFuels . Correct. Your reminder that, yes, speech is political. But so is silence. Climate activists kick off rallies against fossil fuel in week of action in New York
23
177
437
70
72
349
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
Natural gas cannot play any role whatsoever in our energy future, if we are serious about climate change.
@EDFEnergyEX
EDF Energy Transition
6 years
"Their silence really calls into question the role that natural gas can play in a clean energy future.” EDF’s @DanGrossmanColo on why energy companies' future viability depends on their defense of smart regs that #CutMethane .
3
8
14
15
125
287
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
I love trees. But planting trees is not the real solution, just a distraction. Ending our addiction to fossil fuels is the solution. And luckily, renewable alternatives are now affordable at scale.
17
87
284
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
NBC news tonight reporting multiple homes in NE destroyed by fossil gas explosions. Seems flooding has led to massive CH4 leaks, and some explosions. One more reason to degasify our energy systems.
9
122
283
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Compared to renewables, nuke power is expensive, slower to deploy, & has higher emissions. Then there is the unsolved problem of disposing of nuke wastes, among other issues.
@briangicheru2
Brian Gicheru
3 years
7
1
12
49
65
283
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Massive gas leak -- In past 10 days, this gas blowout from a storage facility in western PA has already released 25% of what Alito Canyon emitted over 118 days!! Wow! Why aren't we hearing more about this on national news?? via @PittsburghPG
15
203
294
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Fantastic news out of Germany. Can they also commit to replacing heating with heat pumps, rather than natural gas?
@ProfStrachan
Prof. Peter Strachan
2 years
Germany Unveils Accelerated Strategy "At least 80% of #Germany 's gross electricity consumption to come from #Renewables by 2030" "The use of #RenewableEnergy is in the overriding public interest & serves public safety" @mzjacobson @ChristianOnRE
Tweet media one
30
196
455
28
70
263
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
The future is here, and there is no room for coal. Natural gas will be the next to go. And Now, the Really Big Coal Plants Begin to Close via @sciam
13
128
267
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
Natural gas explosions are very common. But 99.999% of the time, the leaking gas (methane) does not explode. Instead, it contributes hugely to global warming. Well past time to wean ourselves from natural gas. Dangerous for homes & neighborhoods, disastrous for climate.
16
82
251
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Complete and utter BS. When I switched 7 years ago from heating with fossil fuels to an electric heat pump, my home became much more uniformly warm & comfortable. And my heating costs went down. Don't believe this sort of PR from fronts for the oil & gas industry.
@ae_coalition
Affordable Energy Coalition
3 years
FACT: With Natural Gas you can feel the warmth. That's because unlike cooler air from an electric heat pump, a natural gas furnace delivers air that's as much as 25 degrees warmer.
66
0
5
6
62
262
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Using hydrogen for home heating is a complete scam, pushed by oil & gas industry. It makes no rational sense, except as a way to continue profits & pipelines for fossil natural gas. Disastrous for climate, disastrous for consumers.
@ProfStrachan
Prof. Peter Strachan
2 years
#Hydrogen could ‘nearly double’ cost of heating a home compared with #Gas "Using hydrogen would add about 70% to home #Energy bills, according to a report by a #RenewableEnergy charity" @howarth_cornell
17
28
48
13
81
255
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
The authors are living in a time warp. Maybe the "bridge fuel" argument made sense 15 yrs ago, but today? It's nonsense. 1) we need to get rid of ALL fossil fuels because of CO2. 2) methane emissions are real, large, & offset any advantage of gas over coal. 3) renewables work!
@elliemcohen1
Ellie Cohen 🌏 🚴🌈 #climateaction Views my own
5 years
@howarth_cornell ⁩ What do you think of this study? From coal to gas: How the shift can help stabilize climate change -- ScienceDaily
1
0
3
5
110
239
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
"It is extremely disappointing to see the Biden administration provide funds for hydrogen hubs which will be based on fossil fuels," Cornell University ecology professor Robert Howarth told Newsweek.
12
101
263
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
11 months
Two words. FALSE SOLUTION.
@SecGranholm
Secretary Jennifer Granholm
11 months
Two words. Carbon 👏 Capture 👏 With America's first large-scale carbon capture facility, we can turn back the clock on man-made carbon pollution stretching back to the Industrial Revolution by preventing CO2 from entering our atmosphere in the first place.
147
105
310
27
73
255
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Just over 10 yrs ago, Tony Ingraffea, Renee Santoro & I published 1st ever analysis on CH4 & greenhouse gas footprint of fracking. We got months & yrs of push back from those connected to industry. But 1,500+ papers later, our initial results look pretty good!
13
66
228
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
We do not need "huge surprises" in science. The technology exists now to keep us below 2 deg C. What we need is political leadership, and economic investment...... perhaps Bill Gates could help? @mzjacobson
@dwallacewells
David Wallace-Wells
5 years
Bill Gates to me: "It’d be great if we could stop at two degrees. Unless there are huge surprises on scientific advances, I just don’t see it happening." As for 1.5 degrees, the UN target? "We’re not in that universe, period."
38
154
327
9
77
203
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
My single biggest fear as climate disruption grows is crop failures. And I fear how the political & societal worlds will respond to these crop failures, which seem likely to lead to huge migrations of suffering people, and to wars.
@ProfStrachan
Prof. Peter Strachan
1 year
#ClimateChange : Scientists warn of crop failure ‘uncertainties’ as Earth heats up "Increasing concentration of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is putting the planet in ‘uncharted waters’ as weather extremes intensify" #ClimateCrisis via @AJEnglish
8
53
96
14
115
216
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Ten years ago this week, Tony Ingraffea, Renee Santoro & I published first ever assessment of role in methane in GHG footprint of shale gas. Our preliminary work has held up amazingly well, with over 1,500 papers now published on topic. Gas is not a bridge fuel.
Tweet media one
11
89
207
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Please take a look at my new paper w/ @mzjacobson "How green is blue hydrogen." In 1st peer-reviewed analysis of emissions including CH4 from this H2 from fossil gas w/ CO2 capture, we demonstrate high GHG emissions across a wide range of assumptions:
Tweet media one
17
85
202
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
LNG is terrible for the climate, with emissions of both CO2 and methane that are at least 25% greater than those for shale gas or conventional fossil gas (because of energy needed to supercool the methane to liquify it, and methane evporation to keep the LNG cool). #NoLNG
@LeahNiD
Citizens Arrest Sheriff 🇵🇸
5 years
@GheorghiuAndy @ConstZerger @FoodWaterEurope @AnnemarieBotzki @parents4future @FossilFreeDe @ccs_stoppen @GastivistsB The grassroots campaigns against LNG need to unite, organise & resist. #WetsuwetenSolidarity #NoShannonLNG We don't need a #ClimateEmergencySummit we need a grassroots mass movement to shut down the LNG industry! The time is now! #NoLNG
2
3
20
9
126
194
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Nice graphic showing why battery electric vehicles, not hydrogen-powered ones, should be our future. Far greater efficiencies.
22
87
198
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Welcome to the club. If your science matters & if it threatens right-wing political interests & the economic interests that prop them up, be prepared for this sort of nonsense.
@MichaelEMann
Prof Michael E. Mann
4 years
Wow, right-wingers went back though old Anthony Fauci documents and cherry-picked and took his words out of context to misrepresent and discredit him as a scientist and messenger. Can’t imagine what that’s like. #JustKidding
30
154
801
5
63
182
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
Hydrogen has no role in heating homes & businesses. Heat pumps are just so much better.
@janrosenow
Jan Rosenow
1 year
45 independent studies now conclude: there is no major role of hydrogen for heating our homes. The latest study was published today by @IEA . It says by 2050 hydrogen demand in the buildings sector will be: Zero 🧵
Tweet media one
32
324
794
20
75
214
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
My research based on reanalysis of the 13C signal in methane suggests shale gas development as the single largest driver of the methane increase over the past decade. See
@Peters_Glen
Glen Peters
6 years
How well do we understand the global CH₄ budget? Pretty well, but we can't fully explain the reasons for a recent uptick in CH₄ concentrations. Either we are missing a (growing) source or the sink is weakening. @CICERO_klima Fig: @gcarbonproject
Tweet media one
19
102
158
8
133
190
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
I agree with @MichaelEMann We already have the technologies we need to get us 90% or the way towards decarbonization. Please @JohnKerry pay attention to the actual science. Get better advice.
@MichaelEMann
Prof Michael E. Mann
3 years
“I am told by scientists that 50% of the reductions we have to make to get to net zero are going to come from technologies that we don’t yet have. That’s just a reality" Here's one scientist who thinks that's just baloney. @JohnKerry . Please tune in to @BBCWorld later today...
21
116
371
9
64
180
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Natural gas’s dominance as a power-plant fuel in the US is fading fast as the cost of electricity generated by wind farms and solar projects tumbles, according to Guggenheim Securities via @business
11
78
183
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
Best bet for sucking CO2 out of air & storing it is to change agricultural practices, move away from corn towards crops that actually accumulate C in soils, particularly perennials. By getting rid of corn ethanol, we'd cut 40% of corn demand in the US, improving soil C.
@Carrionflower1
Carrionflower
1 year
@mzjacobson @howarth_cornell @SecGranholm @ENERGY @ScienceMagazine This looks like a way to transfer even more money to the oil and gas industry, while providing a well publicized Greenwashing campaign with photo ops. A lot of things "could" pay off in the future, but not Direct Air Carbon Capture.
1
3
15
28
77
197
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Exactly. Carbon capture has been tried & has failed miserably. Dis-proven technology, not unproven. Yet governments are subsidizing the oil & gas industry to try it once again. I do not believe industry thinks this will work..... it is their delaying tactic for status quo.
12
76
173
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
I really do not share your optimism on nuclear, nor on C capture. I see both as huge wastes of capital. Why not go with proven, cost effective approaches: beneficial heating & transportation, with wind, solar, & hydro?
60
28
183
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
And do people realize that when gas is imported as LNG, emissions of both CO2 & methane are far higher than for just plain old natural gas? It takes a lot of energy to liquify methane, and to keep it super-cooled & in liquid form. Plain old gas is bad enough. LNG is FAR worse.
@heatpolicyrich
Richard Lowes
1 year
Do people realise just how much gas the UK imports? And how much and how quickly remaining gas production is is expected to fall? I feel like I'm watching a slow motion train crash. And we absolutely do not have a proper plan.
Tweet media one
Tweet media two
24
38
122
12
105
180
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
GE gambled that natural gas is a bridge fuel. It is not, and they are paying the price.
@ieefa_institute
IEEFA.org
5 years
#GE 's Q3 2019 loss is likely to exceed $9 billion—and more red ink will probably follow. @kathy_hipple , Tom Sanzillo, and @TimBuckleyIEEFA report.
Tweet media one
0
7
7
4
76
156
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
Nice piece today in Rolling Stone explaining that Univ. of California has already divested from fossil fuels, and why: Excessive financial risk from fossil fuels investments. Can any reasonable institution be far behind in also divesting? @billmckibben
2
58
152
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
Exactly. We demonstrated this for hot water heat pumps in a peer-reviewed paper back in 2016. GHG emissions are far less from using heat pumps rather than fossil fuels for heating, even when the electricity is 100% from coal or fossil natural gas.
@janrosenow
Jan Rosenow
1 year
4) This means that at COP 3 a heat pump even if running 100% on gas electricity needs about 1/3 less gas to make the same amount of heat. I say this again - even if it uses 100% electricity from gas plants. Here's the summary graph showing just that.
Tweet media one
5
28
131
14
63
172
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
New methane emission estimates from EDF now more in line with what I & many others have estimated, twice as high as prior EDF estimates for New Mexico.
@TXsharon
@TXsharon Methane Hunter
5 years
Hmm, it appears I'm right again. Increased #methane levels seem to follow #fracking around. And I guess this means @EnergyInDepth has been lying to us <shocked-face>.
Tweet media one
4
42
73
3
108
149
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Methane is methane, wherever it comes from. I disagree that methane from cattle is different. My research & that of many other scientists indicates oil & gas is largest source of methane. But cows/cattle are major source as well. We can & should take steps to reduce this.
@GHGGuru
Frank Mitloehner
4 years
In fact, methane from cattle doesn't have the same warming impact on the planet as CO2 from fossil fuels: 5/
3
5
22
19
30
157
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Tear gas banned in war, yet used indiscriminately against civilians here in the US. Even civilians who are 100% peaceful.
@RBReich
Robert Reich
4 years
Your reminder that tear gas is a chemical weapon banned in war.
3K
125K
444K
2
82
148
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
This is a big deal. Hydrogen is the smallest molecule in the Universe, and so more likely to leak than any other gas.
@lev_jf
Julia Levin
1 year
New study confirms that leaked #hydrogen has a significant global heating impact, around 37x that of carbon over a 20 year time frame
6
73
110
8
68
161
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Within 10 years, fossil fuel furnaces will be relegated to museums, displaying the ancient ways that people heated their homes in the 20th Century. @leahstokes @billmckibben @mzjacobson
@leahstokes
Dr. Leah C. Stokes
2 years
#3 - Heat pumps outsold fossil fuel furnaces this year in the United States. I think we can officially declare 2022 the breakout year for the humble heat pump!
Tweet media one
24
155
616
12
57
158
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
New study from Canada confirms what many of us have suggested for years: Heat pumps are better than efficiency upgrades for GHG reductions from existing buildings
12
61
158
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
96% of hydrogen is made from fossil fuels, with huge greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen buses are climate friendly if and only if the hydrogen is 100% from renewable sources. Battery powered buses are probably a better alternative.
@H2Bjorn
Bjørn 🇳🇴 🇺🇦
3 years
"The West Midlands is planning to buy 125 hydrogen-powered buses which produce none of the pollution linked to global climate change."
3
10
55
21
52
157
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
"One of the most demoralizing things about the world’s response to the climate crisis is the fossil fuel industry’s continued success in blocking the pollution-cutting actions that are in the interest of all of humanity."
29
90
158
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
In Aug 2021, @mzjacobson & I published an analysis on why blue hydrogen from fossil gas is such a terrible idea. Today a criticism was published by Romano et al. We categorically dismiss their criticism. We have a full rebuttal submitted to the journal. Here is our abstract.
Tweet media one
12
58
144
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
New study largely confirms what I and colleagues have been publishing for estimates for many years.
@ieefa_institute
IEEFA.org
2 years
Study finds methane emissions may be five times higher than thought. via @saul_elbein
2
31
51
4
68
156
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
Thanks to @billmckibben for some clear writing on the failed argument that natural gas was a bridge fuel. I am pleased to have provided the figure in support of this. Decreases in US emissions from CO2 over time have been matched by increased methane emissions.
@billmckibben
Bill McKibben
5 years
When you substitute gas for coal, you reduce carbon and increase methane. You get nowhere. It's literal gaslighting
182
2K
5K
8
88
152
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
No, this is nonsense. Since heat pumps extra heat from the environment, they are far more efficient than use of any fossil fuel in a home.
@RichardMeyerDC
Richard Meyer
1 year
The problem here is that most wasted energy is from thermal losses during electric power generation. By contrast, the direct use of natural gas in homes and buildings is often far more efficient on a full-fuel-cycle basis, which accounts for all energy production,
21
8
57
13
14
151
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Very worrisome. Is Gov Hochul really basing decisions on misinformation from big oil & gas? I wrote a letter to the Governor a few hours ago expressing my deep, deep concern. This is NOT an issue to be decided in secret budget negotiations. Let's have some transparency.
@m_jfrench
Marie French
2 years
. @GovKathyHochul is seeking to rewrite a key provision of New York's climate law: how greenhouse gas emissions are calculated. Administration official cites cost concerns of mechanism NY uses vs other governments. Environmentalists are mobilizing
11
46
93
6
77
151
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
So the fire is out, but unless the root cause of the disaster has been fixed, presumably now it is gushing out methane to the atmosphere.
@CNN
CNN
3 years
A blaze on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico resembling a large "eye of fire" has been brought under control, according to Mexico's state oil company Pemex.
145
612
2K
7
52
136
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Methane is methane, whatever the source. It is a powerful driver of global warming. And reducing methane emissions from whatever the source -- ag as well as fossil fuels -- is one of the best tools we have to slow the rate of global warming.
@GHGGuru
Frank Mitloehner
3 years
NZ is going net zero except for Ag. Why? “... unlike CO2 or methane released from fossil fuels, biogenic methane is regularly cycled between atmosphere, plants & animals & will not increase global heating if emissions levels are stable”. | The Guardian
8
72
242
8
37
145
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
I know of no photo of Eunice Foote that is verifiable, but here is the cover page of her 1856 paper on CO2 presented to AAAS and her prominent listing on 1848 Woman's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY, right after Elizabeth Cady Stanton. @JonathanWaxman1 @KHayhoe
Tweet media one
8
40
132
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
NY Times investigation shows huge environmental & economic costs of Bitcoin
5
76
138
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
For average new home on Long Island, construction costs $6,455 less for all-electric than for fossil gas. Annual energy costs are $765/year lower. Far lower GHG emissions, better indoor air quality. Gas has no future in heating homes. @EnergyFalcone @mzjacobson @MichaelEMann
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Another study showing all electric w/heat pumps is CHEAPER than using gas in new home construction, this time in New York, courtesy of Long Island Power Authority:
6
44
106
4
59
125
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Over 30 scientists including @MichaelEMann and me just sent letter of dismay to @GovKathyHochul & NY legislative leaders over our dismay at efforts to weaken NY Climate Law.
9
59
141
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Scientists pour cold water on Bill Gates' nuclear plans, with nice quotes from me & @MichaelEMann
12
40
118
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
40% of US corn harvest is used to make ethanol, which is <1% of US energy. Extremely wasteful, bad policy.
@stapf
Scott Stapf
3 years
Dirty-energy subsidies (including nuclear with its unresolved toxic waste issue) are a real problem, but perhaps no energy subsidy story is as outrageous as the tens of billions of dollars lavished on corn ethanol handouts over the last 40 years.
2
12
27
9
37
120
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
To confirm, the Cornell Trustees voted for this overwhelmingly within the past hour.
@billmckibben
Bill McKibben
4 years
Beautiful breaking news: after long years of incredibly hard work by students + faculty, the Cornell trustees just voted to divest from fossil fuel. Along w/Brown, they take divestment deep into the Ivies--a huge signal to Wall St. Such thanks to all who fight @howarth_cornell
47
903
4K
4
27
125
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
The global increase in methane since 2009 is overwhelmingly driven by the oil & gas industry, particularly shale gas development in North America. Good to think about cows and landfills as well, but let's not lose sight of the big culprit.
@insideclimate
Inside Climate News
6 years
The @IPCC_CH identified three big opportunities to reduce short-lived climate pollutants: energy, agriculture and landfills.
0
15
20
9
100
114
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
In New York State, we are on path to have 100% carbon free electricity 8 yrs from now. As for carbon capture, it's a massive engineering challenge. Track record of industry so far is not good. And it will always take a massive amount of energy. Let's move beyond this folly.
16
39
117
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
The natural gas industry never considered gas a bridge fuel. That was just an advertising line. Their goal has been & remains to keep society hooked on gas, despite disastrous consequences to the climate.
@barobertson111
Bruce Robertson
5 years
The #gas industry is investing $billions to embed high emitting gas into the energy system for the long term No "transition" contemplated #auspol #wapol #nswpol . Available now through the ABC listen App -
5
19
27
9
79
116
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
I am one of those 1,000+ This is what the world and the US needs.
@MichaelEMann
Prof Michael E. Mann
4 years
"More Than 1,000 Scientists Sign Letter Urging Pres. Biden to Cut Emissions in Half by 2030" via Union of Concerned Scientists ( @UCSUSA ):
8
132
314
4
23
125
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
6 yrs later the science looks no better for natural gas. Methane is rising rapidly in the atmosphere, contributing significantly to global warming. And US shale gas is a major reason why.
@joshfoxfilm
Josh Fox ✡️ 🤌🤘
5 years
Amy- we’ve actually sat down with scientists from Cornell- You and I and we’ve gone over in detail-how this is totally wrong. In 2013! You don’t remember? I’m incredibly disappointed that you would put your name on this, it’s a disgrace and it is factually incorrect.
18
103
367
6
62
113
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
If NASA is having trouble with hydrogen leaks, does anyone really think this will not be a problem with using hydrogen for energy? Gases leak, and hydrogen is the smallest, leakiest gas of all.
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
2
2
4
15
44
119
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Oil & gas industry heavily funded (often secretly) & manipulated the "anything but coal movement." Coal is terrible for sure. But we should have moved directly from coal to renewables. Oil & gas industry badly detoured the transition. @MichaelEMann @mzjacobson @ssteingraber1
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Entirely predictable a decade ago that "gas as a bridge fuel" would lead to massive gas build out & expansion. These are all now stranded assets, but oil & gas interests will fight & hold on tenaciously through false solutions such as hydrogen for heating, CCS & blue hydrogen.
7
28
77
7
64
117
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
This is big news. No need for fossil fuels, no need for baseload power. 100% renewables based on wind, solar, & storage across South Australia within 7 years.
@mzjacobson
Mark Z. Jacobson
6 years
2
22
37
4
66
113
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
1 year
No question about it. Any hydrogen made from fossil natural gas is bad for the climate, including blue hydrogen. Proposing blue-hydrogen hubs is scam.
@KMKowalski
Kathiann M. Kowalski
1 year
Critics say a pair of proposals to make Appalachian Ohio part of regional "blue" hydrogen hubs is likely to benefit the state’s oil and gas industry more than the climate. @MWenergynews @energynews_US @EJTodayNews @emilygrubert @ieefa_institute #methane
1
11
10
6
58
121
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
This only starts to touch the surface on how Moniz, with his deep ties to & funding from natural gas industry, worked to discredit the work that Tony Ingraffea, Renee Santoro & I published on methane in 2011.
@cclimatenetwork
Campus Climate Network
2 years
Must watch section of 'Big Oil Vs The World' Watch Obama energy secretary @ErnestMoniz storm out of an interview when asked whether industry funding influenced a major pro-gas @MIT report. Stunning example of the dark links between FF companies, universities and government 👇
9
33
74
6
50
115
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
Celebrating 65 yrs of Biogeochemistry @Cornell with special seminar series this academic year. Most talks presented live on campus, but some remote. And we will live stream them all. First one is by me on Sept 10. Stay tuned for details.
Tweet media one
8
35
119
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
Very pleased to announce an exciting position at Cornell for a tenure track position (Assistant or Associate Prof) in my department for a Global Ecologist. Please take a look. And please RT.
3
235
111
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
Shale gas makes up 2/3rds of all new natural gas development over last decade. An emissions rate of 3.5% for full lifecycle (which should surprise no one) gives you about 10 Tg per year of new atmospheric methane. My paper is entirely consistent with this, giving me confidence.
@RichardMeyerDC
Richard Meyer
5 years
A new study concludes that atmospheric methane is increasing due primarily to shale gas, not biogenic sources. My initial read is that the study may not hold up to scrutiny. Blair notes a problem with the paper. To me, a couple other issues stand out. 1/
7
11
24
5
76
110
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
There is no need for new nuclear plants. Solar & wind can be deployed far more quickly, at lower cost, and with lower GHG emissions. On top of that, nuclear is dangerous and is tied to proliferation of nuclear weapons. And there is no good way to store nuclear wastes.
@NFGiM
NoFrackedGasInMass - @[email protected]
5 years
@howarth_cornell Curious to hear your thoughts on nuclear. It's an increasing call from some anti-fossil-fuel corners (and seems like the wrong direction no matter how it's framed). Most common rebuttal is, "But thorium reactors ..."
0
0
0
3
47
102
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
The European rules are correct. There is no room for gas or nuclear in a climate-smart future.
@dorfman_p
Dr Paul Dorfman
4 years
Gas and nuclear industries ramp up lobbying to try to make last-ditch change to European rules which now say both are unsustainable. #nuclear #ClimateChange
2
28
28
7
26
100
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
The amount of methane from the Nord Stream disaster is roughly equivalent to the routine emissions from the entire natural gas industry globally on an average day.
@LoraLucero
Lora Lucero
2 years
I wonder how the methane leak from the damaged Nord Stream compares to the daily methane leaks in NM. #ClimateEmergency Anyone know the ## to compare?
0
0
2
8
50
103
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
6 years
I wonder why the Koch brothers are attacking electric buses. They would not waste their time, unless maybe electric buses are ready for real time, and oil& gas interests are threatened?
@ClimateNexus
Climate Nexus
6 years
A Koch-fueled attack on electric buses picks up speed via @DeSmogBlog
Tweet media one
0
14
6
4
45
98
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
For generating electricity, natural gas is better than coal only if methane emission rate is < 2.7%. Unfortunately, methane emissions are greater than this, so gas is worse than coal. Note that natural gas is worse than diesel for trucks if methane emissions > 0.8% or so.
@grant_farquhar
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐪𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐫
4 years
@howarth_cornell @deane_ag When you take into account the switch to gas from coal, where does the net result stack up including the methane?
1
0
0
9
71
99
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
Shale oil & gas has been built on a house of cards for most of the past decade, carrying huge debt making the industry vulnerable in this way. The proximate trigger may be a surprise, but the vulnerability should not have caught anyone by surprise.
@JavierBlas
Javier Blas
5 years
The U.S. shale sector is getting completely killed. A complete bloodbath. Billions of dollars in equity wiped out. Occidental Petroleum is down 44%. EOG is down 35%. Continental Resources down 40%. Smaller players like Parsley down more than 50%. #OOTT $OXY
103
501
569
5
51
106
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
3 years
A 40% to 45% cut in CH4 over this decade will reduce the rate of global warming by 0.3 to 0.4 deg C by 2040, according to the UNEP report on methane from May 2021.
5
46
107
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Using air-source heat pumps for domestic hot water is another way to go, and will likely work better in many less-sunny climates. I converted to this technology 15 years ago. My initial economic payback period was 3 years. The reductions in greenhouse gas emissions huge.
@ProjectDrawdown
Project Drawdown
2 years
Water heating is responsible for 1/4 of household energy demand worldwide. Enlisting sunshine to do the job could save billions of $$ and gigatons of greenhouse gases. Learn more: #climatesolutions
2
36
70
7
42
100
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Another study showing all electric w/heat pumps is CHEAPER than using gas in new home construction, this time in New York, courtesy of Long Island Power Authority:
6
44
106
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
NY Times piece by @LFFriedman says "Natural gas produces about half the emissions of coal." Not true. Gas produces fewer CO2 emissions but far more methane. Total emissions higher from gas! See great piece in Times last Dec w/ link to peer-reviewed papers.
2
54
95
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Remember a critical comment that was prematurely published in March on my paper w/ @mzjacobson on blue H2? Corrected version w/ new conflicts statement just published. Surprise! Authors have close ties to BP, Exxon-Mobil & Total. Our detailed reply:
6
27
97
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
8 years
Accidents happen. Pipelines leak. Damage is real, often large. Way past time to stop building pipelines & move to 100% renewables.
@SolutionsProj
The Solutions Project
8 years
Nearly 140K gallons of oil leaked from a pipeline in Iowa last week. More pipelines = more oil leaks #NoDAPL #NoKXL
Tweet media one
1
24
10
5
97
83
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
5 years
#Divestment at Cornell: In 2016 Cornell Trustees said they would consider divestment only if all 5 units of shared governance passed same resolution. Yesterday we did this, as Student Assembly Acted. This comes on 1-yr anniversary of presentation by @billmckibben to Cornell.
4
27
100
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
Since you asked, "no" to any hydrogen from fossil gas (blue or grey). "No" to any hydrogen (even green) for heating homes. Beware of overly hyped renewable natural gas (RNG), which can emit a lot of methane. Focus on what we know works: wind, solar, hydro, heat pumps.
@drangundsturm
Alan Septoff
2 years
So what should enviros learn from this? What do Howarth/Ingraffea think we should? We're in a transition to renewables right now. What inconvenient science are enviros ignoring right now (if any) that might warn us about another fire we shouldn't jump into? etc etc.
2
1
7
9
43
102
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
2 years
The heat pump revolution is unstoppable, and long overdue. Once people understand how well they work, there is no turning back. I switched from oil to ground-sourced heat pump 8 yrs ago for my house in cold, upstate NY. I have already paid that investment off.
@duncanmgibb
Duncan Gibb
2 years
If exponential growth in solar and wind blew your mind... If you never saw the EV rocket coming... I have news for you. Heat pumps are next.
Tweet media one
11
61
262
7
28
104
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
Ireland is set to become the first country in the world to block the imports of #frackedgas ! @FineGael @greenparty_ie @fiannafailparty Thank your for showing true global #climate leadership.
4
39
93
@howarth_cornell
Robert Howarth
4 years
My take on new study on new methane shale gas study: "The Permian Basin’s methane pollution accounts for about 10% of the total global increase in methane emissions from 2010 to 2020,"
5
94
96