If we switched to renewable energy - eviltoast
  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    countries that cannot affort the more expensive renewable infrastructure

    This presumes renewables are more expensive. But I would posit that a rapid adoption of renewables is going to occur as the cost of operating - say - a thorium powered container ship falls below that of its coal equivalents.

    What I would be worried about, long term, is the possibility that advanced technologies further monopolize industries within a handful of early adopter countries. That’s not an ecological concern so much as a socio-economic concern.

    • grue@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      a thorium powered container ship

      If the experience of the NS Savannah is anything to go by, the major hurdle that ship is going to face is Greenpeace etc. fomenting irrational anti-nuclear hysteria until it’s banned from so many ports that it’ll be too difficult to operate it profitably. I hope I’m wrong and I wish them luck.

      • Madison420@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Good luck, they’d have to ban nuclear subs and no nation wants to throw that protection away.

        Also fuck Greenpeace and their often more harmful than helpful stunts.

        • grue@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Good luck, they’d have to ban nuclear subs and no nation wants to throw that protection away.

          No, that doesn’t follow. I’m pretty sure nuclear subs – or nuclear aircraft carriers, for that matter – rarely dock at commercial ports, and there’s no reason (other than hypocrisy, which is not relevant) that a country can’t decide to bar nuclear ships from commercial ports while still allowing them at military naval bases.

          • Madison420@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            Depends on the sub but yeah they do. Lots and I’d go so far as to say most naval bases are the deepest port inland for protection often surrounded by private commercial businesses. Hell the shipyard most of the us nuclear subs are made is adjoining one of the nations largest ports.

            They wouldn’t port ban them since that doesn’t actually solve the complaints, it would be exclusion from territorial waters and no one wants to do that. A. because they’re safer B. Because the protection nuclear navies provide is something everyone values C. These things are usually decided between nations not generally by a sole nation.

    • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netM
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      2 months ago

      That and developing countries have been able to adopt some green initiatives, which points to them being at least somewhat affordable

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Green energy has very short supply lines when compared to fossil fuels. Great if you live somewhere remote or prone to sudden economic distributions.