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Thursday, June 29, 2023

ChatGTP on Net Zero



A couple of days ago I went to ChatGPT (ChatGPT.com), the artificial intelligence, AI , ask-me-anything site, and asked it:

“What are the pros and cons of Net Zero?”


It came back with an answer. I read it, and asked a subsidiary question about the jobs potential in Net Zero, which it answered immediately, apologising for leaving out the jobs in Net Zero, although it mentioned job losses in the fossil industries.


Today, I went back, couldn’t find my question so I signed up and put the question again. The response is below. It was similar, but not identical in wording, and this time, the jobs value in Net Zero was included, so ChatGPT had learned from my subsidiary question.

I found this all pretty interesting. It was a useful learning experience for me, and definitely much much more illuminating than asking a politician, especially a Tory politician, the same question.



RL: What are the pros and cons of Net Zero?

ChatGPT: Hi! Net Zero refers to the concept of balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere with the amount removed or offset. There are several pros and cons associated with this approach.

Pros:
1. Climate Change Mitigation: Net Zero aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which can help mitigate climate change and its impacts.
2. Renewable Energy Transition: Achieving Net Zero requires a shift towards renewable energy sources, which can lead to a more sustainable and cleaner energy system.
3. Technological Innovation: The pursuit of Net Zero can drive technological advancements in areas such as renewable energy, energy storage, and carbon capture and storage.
4. Job Creation: The transition to a Net Zero economy can create new job opportunities in sectors like renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure.
5. Health Benefits: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can also lead to improved air quality and public health outcomes.

Cons:
1. Cost: Transitioning to Net Zero can involve significant costs, including investments in renewable energy infrastructure and carbon capture technologies.
2. Economic Disruption: Certain industries, such as fossil fuel extraction and processing, may face challenges and job losses during the transition to Net Zero.
3. Technological Limitations: Some technologies required for achieving Net Zero, such as large-scale carbon capture and storage, are still in the early stages of development and may not be commercially viable yet.
4. Land Use and Resource Constraints: Scaling up renewable energy sources like wind and solar may require significant land use, which can have environmental and social implications.
5. Equity and Distributional Impacts: The costs and benefits of transitioning to Net Zero may not be evenly distributed, potentially exacerbating existing social and economic inequalities.
It's important to note that the pros and cons of Net Zero can vary depending on the specific context and implementation strategies.


RL: So this is a good summary of the position. We should do some work on answering the Con points that Chat puts, as they are being pushed by the delayers like Net Zero Watch.

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