Military: $75 Billion; Energy: $4 Billion

Excellent front page article in the NY Times today about the daunting tasks ahead, especially for research and development, in tackling global warming.

Among the startling facts: annual government spending for research and development peaked during the 1970's oil crises and has since fallen from $7.7 billion to approximately $3 billion (in 2006 dollars). Annual military research and development spending is more than $75 billion (a 260% increase).

Experts believe that a broad range of strategies are needed including existing ones such as solar, wind, CO2 capture and energy efficiency. Many also believe that a sustained push is needed to find "energy technologies that don't have a name yet" designed by future scientists still in diapers.