The world's most powerful navy fighting a non-existent "threat" with useless biofuel powered "Great Green Fleet"

It appears that the U.S. Navy has become one of the last strongholds for the global warming religion. The latest testimony to that is an interview in which admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, speaks about "the disappearance of whole countries", "hundreds of thousands or millions of people displaced" and climate change as the greatest threat in the region:

Locklear spoke to the Boston Globe on the topic after spending two days in the Boston-area talking to scholars and foreign policy experts on the situation in the Pacific. As Locklear told the Globe, the changing climate “is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen . . . that will cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about.’’

Among the issues that the Admiral cited as most concerning was the possibility that rising sea-levels result in the disappearance of whole countries, producing influxes of “climate refugees” in neighboring states. The certainty that climate change is a phenomenon to be dealt with has affected the way that the Navy interacts with the various countries in the Indo-Pacific region that will be affected by shifting weather patterns:

“We have interjected into our multilateral dialogue – even with China and India – the imperative to kind of get military capabilities aligned [for] when the effects of climate change start to impact these massive populations,” he said.“If it goes bad, you could have hundreds of thousands or millions of people displaced and then security will start to crumble pretty quickly.’’

The Navy has been at the forefront of attempting to shift U.S. policy on climate change through the influence wielded by the military. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in 2009 announced the development of a “Great Green Fleet,” a Carrier Strike Group fueled by energy sources other than oil, as part of a strategy to reduce the Navy’s dependence on foreign oil. While currently more expensive, the Navy’s buying power would be able to bring down biofuel prices as supply catches up with demand. Mabus’ program was nearly shut down by Congress, but was revivedby the Senate in November.

Read the entire article here

Recently vice admiral Philip Hart Cullom, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics, spoke about the Navy's biofuel projects:

“Advanced 2nd and 3rd generation alternative fuels, such as those we are experimenting with during RIMPAC, will allow us to continue to perform our mission in a manner that frees us from relying upon a diminishing resource. As with the development of any new technology or product, up-front research and development costs in alternative fuels are a necessary part of getting to a new way to power the Fleet. Technological advances and demand are beginning to drive economies of scale and production quantities that can drive down the costs of alternative fuels.”

Read the entire article here

What we have here is the world's most powerful navy combating a non-existent "threat", with ships driven by the world's most expensive fuels. Besides, the Navy has also completely missed the train - or should we say the boat - with its "strategy to reduce the Navy's dependence on foreign oil". Thanks to the shale gas revolution, the U.S. has more than enough of domestic fuel for at least 100 years for a Navy even twice as large as the present one. Why on earth waste American taxpayers' money on biofuels, which in addition contribute to increasing international food insecurity! Even warmists, like the Guardian's George Monbiot, wonder why "the poor must go hungry just so the rich can drive" (or sail). 

British admirals to command wind turbines instead of ships



Admiral  Nelson´s successors  will be in charge of wind turbines instead of ships. The Cameron government´s cuts could reduce the size of the Royal Navy to it´s smallest level since the time of Nelson.


David Cameron´s "the greenest government ever" keeps on subsidising unprofitable wind power projects while at the same time endangering British trade interests ,which are increasingly dependent on keeping international sea lanes safe and open. British admirals, commanders and captains are now expected to command wind turbines instead of ships as the Royal Navy is facing extensive cutbacks:

British, Dutch and Danish Royal Navy are just some places where the traditional military training programs contain many of the key criteria an offshore employer seeks. Thousands of hours of offshore work experience, check. Educated to a good standard of higher learning maybe even with specific electrical engineering skills sets, check. A built in sense of teamwork and respect for authority and command, check.

These men and women have worked to deadlines for most of theiradult lives. They have been in harsh weather conditions and very likely been away from home comforts and their families for weeks at a time. They have worked in tight spaces. They are brave and work with a purpose.
So it is no surprise to hear and read that wind turbine OEM’s on both sides of the Atlantic such as Gamesa, are actively employing ex-military. Nor should it be a shock to learn that the UK national skills academy power sector is actively seeking out connections between the offshore wind community and a variety of military institutions

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While the heavily subsidised wind power industry is poaching on the Royal Navy, both trade and security experts say that both the ships and the officers would be sorely needed in the fight against piracy and terrorism:

The Centre for Economics and Business Research think-tank has predicted that the amount of international trade Britain conducts by sea could soar as we forge stronger links with emerging markets.
It believes sea trade will grow  in value by more than six times over the next 20 years – making Britain a ‘maritime nation’  once again.
But industry experts warn this seafaring renaissance will only be possible if the Royal Navy is strong enough to keep shipping lanes open and fight piracy  and terrorism.
International trade is vital to the health of the UK economy, with ministers pinning their hopes on exports to drive the current recovery.
But pirate attacks rose sharply to 266 incidents in the first half of this year, up from 196 in the same period of 2010, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The hot-spot for pirates is not the Caribbean but the Arabian Sea, where most attacks by Somali brigands take place.
At the end of June, Somali pirates were holding 420 crew members across 20 vessels, and demanding millions of pounds in ransoms for their release.
Pottengal Mukundan, the IMB’s director, said these groups are attacking more ships than ever before – and taking even more risks.
‘This June, for the first time, pirates fired on ships in rough seas in the Indian Ocean during the monsoon season,’ he said.
‘In the past they would have stayed away in such difficult conditions.’
According to the Chamber of Shipping, 95pc of UK trade by volume – and 90pc by value – is carried over the waves.
‘We are highly dependent on trade by sea,’ said John Dowden, a senior manager at the trade association.
‘We need a strong Navy to protect our interests. Whether we have enough naval ships to do that is a serious concern.’
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But the Royal United Services Institute warned that the Navy is ‘dangerously weak’, and international trade by sea was at risk ‘unless the future fleet is restored and adequately sized’.
The Navy, along with the other armed forces, is facing cutbacks following the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review last autumn – including the scrapping of the iconic Ark Royal aircraft carrier and the loss of 5,000 jobs. In addition, the historic Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, which has trained officers since 1905, may face closure.
Ultimately, the swingeing cuts could reduce the service to its smallest level since the time of Admiral Nelson.
Dr Lee Willett, a research fellow at RUSI, cautioned: ‘The role of the Royal Navy has been forgotten about because the trade keeps coming.’
In a recent report, Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham, an associate fellow at the institute, said: ‘Any trading nation has a critical interest in the secure use of the seas and the preservation of good order at sea.
‘The dependence of the West, but especially of Britain, on use  of the sea for its survival and  prosperity is a geopolitical fact  of life.’

Read the entire article here

PS

This is another sad example of what happens when politicians close their eyes to the real world and instead base their actions on politically correct hoax "science". And there is a clear danger that,due to defense cuts, there will be a similar development in the US