Eric Worrall writes: The European Union has just committed economic suicide, by agreement a landmark deal, to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030.
Given that European emissions, by any rational measure, have been rising steadily, this would at first seem to be an impossible goal.
But anyone who is expecting a rational re-appraisal of European environment policy – don’t underestimate the blind determination of Europe’s green elite, to fulfill their dream of an emission free Europe. They will, in my opinion, happily bomb the European economy back into the stone age to achieve their ridiculous goal.
An an example of the people who run Europe, consider the most recently appointed European Commissioner, Violetta Bulc. According to Roger Helmer, a prominent UKIP Euroskeptic member of the European Parliament, Bulc is on record as claiming to be a practicing fire walker and a shaman. http://rogerhelmermep.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/fire-walking-a-key-skill-for-eu-commissioners/
On her blog, Bulc describes herself as an expert on balanced sustainable development strategies, organic growth and innovation ecosystems. She believes in the power of networks, holistic individual, and positive energy.
A recent post on Bulc’s blog is “The vibration of white lions in the new era”. http://www.violeta.si/2014/09/the-vibration-of-white-lions-in-new-era.html
Yet Bulc is now, or shortly will become, one of the most powerful people in Europe – one of 28 European commissioners, who have sole power to source new legislation, which is usually in my opinion rubber stamped by near powerless European parliament. The European commission is also the sole body responsible for ensuring the legislation they source is executed – the commission combines executive, oversight and legislative powers into a single polity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Commission
Bulc will never have to face a vote – only members of the European parliament have to bother with all that populist democracy nonsense. Commissioners are appointed.
Can anyone imagine someone like Bulc relaxing her iron determination to drive down European emissions, just because a few miserable capitalists claim that they are going bankrupt? After all, its for the sake of the planet. And Bulc is not alone – most of the commission share her zeal for all things green.
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Bulc has certainly used networks and holistic positive energy to put herself in a position of power. Now she is using networks and holistic positive energy to try to screw the middle class of Europe while the elite continue to enjoy the benefits of holistic positive energy. There is nothing like using holistic and positive energy to further concentrate wealth at the top. I mean thats much better than using fossil fuels to concentrate wealth…I guess.
“I believe that a scientist looking at nonscientific problems is just as dumb as the next guy.” – Richard Feynman
Herding human chattel to support massive societal restructuring isn’t a scientific problem, so a scientist would not be a very good choice. Someone that regularly demonstrates the gullibility of everyone around them by pushing new age bunk is a perfect choice.
Don’t worry. Everybody will follow Germany’s lead on CO2 and France’s lead on fiscal discipline. I’ll bet France won’t be penalized on failing a 3% ceiling on deficit.
“Given that European emissions, by any rational measure, have been rising steadily, this would at first seem to be an impossible goal.”
European emissions have not been rising at all. According to World Bank data, they are lower in 2010 than they were in 1980. (Data from database: World Development Indicators, Last Updated: 09/24/2014, freely available on-line). I would post the graph here if I knew how.
I do agree that it is economic suicide, and hopefully, an impossible goal.
If I were an economic development officer with a state in the US, I would be pitching German and British companies to lure them away from the economic war zone of EU with cheap, abundant energy, a workforce that (I hope still) knows how to work and favorable tax regime. Certainly the polymer chemical industry, fertilizer industry, iron, steel, foundry, and other energy intensive industries – actually any manufacturing industry. It shouldn’t take much. If they stay they are dead, period. Hmmmm, I might just look at this as a possible investment strategy. Let’s see DOW’s chart:
http://www.dow.com/investors/stockholder/?qm_page=90389
Hmm… I guess I should have known, the US industry is already moving on the opportunities. Westlake Chemical in Louisiana has just purchased Germany’s large Vinnolt Holdings GmbH, a manufacture of plastics. They are going to be making good use of cheap LA natural gas for feedstock. Its worse than they thought!!
http://www.advfn.com/news_Westlake-Chemical-Closes-Purchase-of-Vinnolit-Hold_63099516.html
On the new EU Commissioner
“Bulc describes herself as an expert on balanced sustainable development strategies, organic growth and innovation ecosystems. She believes in the power of networks, holistic individual, and positive energy.”
S’truth and z’ounds! An expert on fanciful things that not only don’t work but actually don’t exist and who writes a blog about her white lion vibrator – sounds a bit racist as well as race: ““The vibration of white lions in the new era”. .
Read her blog: http://www.violeta.si/2014/09/the-vibration-of-white-lions-in-new-era.html
and see the wifty poofty commissioner they are bringing in!
An interesting corollary to your post is that the USA since 1949 has reduced the CO2 component of her GDP by 75%. This has been done without legislative coercion and has been produced by the miracle of capitalism, the free market, which simply drives increasing efficiencies in all aspects of endeavour. The decline has been steady and seems to be unaffected by events, just the continual striving for improvement and profit.
http://informthepundits.wordpress.com
Hey guys,
RELAXXXX, I am a German and I heard all the press releases
This is no suicide – only the Greens and Greenpeace think it is, because the goals were much higher (to fight global warming). Europe has come to a compromise. The stakes were much higher and because of Poland and other countries the cut them down. Some facts:
-German chancellor Angela Merkel has given up her role as leading fighter against global warming. No more speeches about the importance of fighting the global warming and how to keep the 2° goal.
-She said it will be easy for Germany to keep this goals.
-The percentage of Renewable energies to be installled til 2030 went down.
-There is no description how to reach this goal – and it’s 16 years away.
– It is not likely that any present government will be still on the rule – so nothing has to be done.
The greens are whining – but nobody listens here.
Nobody can make a 180° turn at once. So a good politician will just forget to mention some matters – as this is now the case in Europe with global warming. There are more important things to fight against – like Ebola. And this is now done in earnest from the EU.
Johannes:
what’s the news from your side on the Ebola scare? Is it taken seriously?
What I see, the press is reporting somehow objectively, German hospitals are treating ebola patients, and the EU has increased financial funds to combat it. (Germany has doubled it’s funds). The Red Cross is calling for volunteers to go for Africa and fight it, and a lot have come, also within the German Army. But more are needed, as they come back after four weeks.
In the media climate is very seldom heard of, and only from some greenish organizations or people who are looking for attention, Normal people are not taking it seriously. Some days ago in an Austrian mass newspaper (BLICK) there were a critical report about the missing warming and 97% of the commentators said that the global warming hype is nonsense and the already knew it (but being mass media readers they do not belong to then enlightened circles…) but even some more elevated media like SPIEGEL and WELT have their critical corners and commentators.
Angela Merkel didn’t attend the last UN climate meeting, She was very sorry, she had more important things to do – a meeting with some industrial and business managers…. And we German can understand the polish point of view with the coal. Nearly everywhere citciens are protesting against wind mills and new electric power lines. All local Politicians are supporting the protests, and laws have been made to restrict the Building of new windmills. The subsidies for new Renewable Energy Plants went down. And producers of green Electricity have even to pay a part of the normal Eco-Fees. Politicians all confess they are for the Energie-Wende, but everybody has his foot slightly on the brake pedal. I would not be surprised when the time for Atomic Power Plants will be prolonged. And the Energy Companies are suing the government for for stopping some Atomic Power plants during the Fukushima Hype.
What else to say? RelaXXX! We are already…
Johannes, I’m glad to see some youthful(?) optimism in Europe. But remember you still have clowns running the show in the EU – witness the new commissioner, Bulc. Read her blog and weep when you see who will be making policy – I knew it was bad but how I underestimated the situation!!:
http://www.violeta.si/2014/09/the-vibration-of-white-lions-in-new-era.html
to fight against ebola is not possible with soldiers – did you heard about NIGARI and of the professor QUINTON and his famous plasma ?
http://www.mondialisation.ca/la-privatisation-de-la-lutte-contre-lebola-comment-loms-est-dirigee-par-des-fonds-prives-tels-que-la-fondation-gates/5409807
I think we actually need a few big economies to resolutely step off the “carbon pollution” cliff. If what the various masterminds behind the green movement say about transforming the economy is correct, the EU should experience a lasting economic boom ushering in a new golden age.
After all, the fossil fuel starved countries will have to “invest” in massive alternative energy production, massive new efficiency upgrades, and perhaps even restructure their societies around high density, high efficiency population centers. All of that “investment” will stimulate economic growth, right? If they burnt down every structure built before 2005 and forced them all to be rebuilt using modern high-efficiency components and techniques, just think of how much “economic activity” that will require.
It will be an interesting experiment to watch from afar. My guess is they just bankrupt themselves further and those at the bottom of society that the masterminds demand need “climate justice” are the most likely to suffer as a direct result. But until someone actually tries it, we can’t point and laugh, right?
Binary solution set for a cold sun: Freeze to death or burn carbon based fuels.
here a flaslight what really happened: A realisitc media report from
http://www.dw.de/prima-klima-bei-der-eu/a-18018098
Perfect climate in the EU?
40 percent is the magic number. As far as Europe is expected to shrink greenhouse gas emissions. As the first world region, the EU writes its climate target before the big UN conference on climate laid in 2015. An example for others?
At the end made - as so often with EU summits in Brussels – the fatigue, the leaders after ten hours of continuous session crumbly. EU diplomats who were able to observe the negotiations on climate policy on the top floor of the Council building, reported that after a few hangers finally the will triumphed resolve the months-long dispute over the climate protection targets and to demonstrate to the public in Europe’s ability to act.
The result is a complex compromise in the marathon session. The essential elements summarized the outgoing EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy, his five-year term still may end up with a landmark decision: 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. 27 percent share of renewable energy and 27 percent higher energy efficiency. “It was not easy,” said Van Rompuy, “but this is an ambitious, fair and cost-effective completion.”
The Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopaczk fell to a key role in the summit in Brussels. Kopacz, only a few weeks head of government in Warsaw, threatened to veto the climate protection goals. She was satisfied with the goal of saving 40 percent of harmful exhaust gases by 2030. But a 30 percent share of renewable sources in energy production it was too high. They also insisted that the savings target for improving energy efficiency should also be less than the originally proposed 30 percent. Most importantly the Pole was that the coal-fired power plants run in their country further and can be modernized with billions in aid by the other EU countries. Poland produces 90 percent of its electricity from coal and lignite.
Chancellor Merkel: “Deuschland is with the European regulations will have no trouble”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, which is located on ambitious climate protection targets, Ewa Kopacz participated in a small group in prayer. They stood her to the desired aid to be granted on exemptions and subsidies to trade in emission rights. Each of the 28 EU Member States must have a different contribution to the overall target of 40 per cent pay reduction of greenhouse gases, depending on the economic performance and condition of its energy sector. The younger eastern member countries are less stressed than the old ones in the West.
UK resists binding targets
Only in the far west of the EU-skeptic David Cameron has set a further requirement. The UK insisted that a part of the climate change targets is committed not legally binding. Each country should decide which types of energy it uses and how much climate change can be achieved by saving of electricity, gas and oil.
The countries that actually wanted to put more and binding requirements, such as Sweden, swallowed at the end of the toad, so even an agreement was called off, an EU diplomat after the meeting. The intricacies of the political compromise must now be negotiated. A conversion into binding EU legislation is also pending. The EU countries also agreed to develop their cross-border energy networks for gas and electricity on.
From Kyoto to Paris
The French president Hollande had said at the beginning of the long summit night that Europe must give other regions of the world an example that were not yet so far on climate change. “We have to convince the Chinese and the Americans.” China and America are the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases worldwide. Europe pushes only ten percent of the greenhouse gases, the EU Commission.
Hollande it depends mainly on the success of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in autumn 2015. There, a new climate treaty to be negotiated, which can replace the 1,997 agreed and become quite riddled “Kyoto Protocol”. The US had the Kyoto Protocol, which provides for a reduction of greenhouse gases by 20 percent compared to 1990, never ratified. China acceded to the Protocol in only after a long delay. “With our decision, we remain at the forefront of the movement,” said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said happily.
Green criticize the climate targets
The European Parliament, which has a say even a word in the climate-policy calls by Heads of State and Government, to make the proposed objectives authentic. The parliamentary leader of the Greens in the European Parliament Rebecca Harms, told Deutsche Welle, from this requirement, Member States increasingly remote. “The farewell not only of ambitious goals, but also on the binding nature of these objectives, means that we actually ever have any high profile European climate policy more. Our goals have become so weak that the 2-degree target is clearly abandoned” said Rebecca Harms. The United Nations is to limit the rise in global temperatures to two degrees Celsius.
Conservatives want to reconcile climate protection and industry
European industry associations and energy-intensive industries such as the steel industry fear that too sharp climate targets would reduce the competitiveness with other regions of the world. Industries could migrate to other regions of Europe. The head of the Christian Democrat Group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber wants to take the interests of the economy more consideration. “We need an ambitious approach of the European Union, but we also need a more intensive debate in the EU, so we bring these climate goals in line with our growth objectives.”
After seven years of economic crisis in the euro area, many leaders at the summit argue that economic growth must go before climate change. Environmental groups argue that just also create investments in climate protection and new energy jobs and would create export opportunities on the world market. The European Commission believes that would at least 1.5 million new jobs through increased climate protection. By 2050, the European Commission wants to reduce the emission of harmful gases by 80 percent.
EU Commissioner for Ebola: Christos Stylianides
Ebola-appointed coordinator
While there was haggling at the climate long, the Heads of State and Government agreed relatively quickly to a Personnel. The future EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid is also the EU Special Representative for the control of the disease Ebola in West Africa. A native of Cyprus Christos Stylianides to coordinate the aid of the 28 Member States better. Overall, the EU Commission and several Member States have pledged about 618 million euros for the fight against Ebola. Part of it has flowed as direct budgetary assistance to the affected countries in West Africa. In Europe hastened nurses and doctors are now to be trained to deal with Ebola patients and sent in infected areas.
British Prime Minister Cameron invited other governments to provide more funding for the Ebola-containment. Great Britain is around 150 million euros the most money available, followed by Germany. We need one billion euro, Cameron claimed. However, the EU experts point out that actually had enough money. It lacked mainly personnel and isolation on site. “We have a race against the clock,” said outgoing President Barroso. The EU had finally woken up, after they have done too little for too long.
Johannes:
Thanks for your reply. I would guess that if the “Green” scare has subsided in your country, then the handwriting is on the wall, in regard to the EU. Does that sound right?
Meeting these goals won’t be difficult if they don’t turn their economies around.
Read between the lines:
… EU-skeptic David Cameron has set a further requirement. The UK insisted that a part of the climate change targets is committed not legally binding. Each country should decide which types of energy it uses and how much climate change can be achieved by saving of electricity, gas and oil.
After seven years of economic crisis in the euro area, many leaders at the summit argue that economic growth must go before climate change.
European industry associations and energy-intensive industries such as the steel industry fear that too sharp climate targets would reduce the competitiveness with other regions of the world. Industries could migrate to other regions of Europe.
A conversion into binding EU legislation is also pending.,,,,
China, India and the rest must be laughing their heads off. They shouldn’t be. The EU is a market of 350 million people. As it goes so the rest of the world goes,,,,, to some extent. I don’t think suicide is too strong a word though. Bloody amazing to watch this from the outside and thankful that our Canadian Prime Minister is a tempered man.
Continental Europe has been circling the drain for some time but it’s fall into deflation hell is the most “factored in” financial story since Low Doc. The consumer market is big yes but squillions are joining the middle class every decade.
The impoverishment of Europe will be just a small blip on the radar in fact it will actually be an orgy of foreign buy ups at fire sale prices !
No one will go anywhere, no market will disappear. No need to rival the climate alarmists with EU-sceptical alarmism. As some have commented already, this is not binding EU law. It is a pre-emptive move for the upcoming Paris meeting. No body will remember much about the climate crises in 2030 anyway.
Paris meeting is a bad joke – and also we do not appreciate A. Scharzemberg or Al’Gore – and not even di caprio –
the economic suicide for the moment is TAFTA – and most of our towns and regions are signing and declaring they do not accept to be included into this project – it is going to be very serious – (Somme – Correze – Vaucluse – and the towns of Strasbourg, Vitry-sur-Seine, Tarnos ……….) the revolution is there and soon we will be in the street –
As scientists remember also : Poincarré and Louis de Broglie … among others ……..
Remember also that we want to get rid of “european union and of the euro” – we never wanted it and we know who decided it for us
Le testament politique du Président François Mitterrand qui, dans le livre de Georges-Marc Benamou confiait aux Français :
« La France ne le sait pas, mais nous sommes en guerre avec l’Amérique. Oui, une guerre permanente, une guerre vitale, une guerre économique, une guerre sans mort apparemment.
Oui, ils sont très durs les américains, ils sont voraces, ils veulent un pouvoir sans partage sur le monde.
C’est une guerre inconnue, une guerre permanente, sans mort apparemment et pourtant une guerre à mort. »
..it’s like they are competing to see who can destroy their economy first but we must not underestimate their ability to talk their way out of any disaster besides name one Communist that was ever charged for negligence resulting in death.
They know they will get away with it.
this is our suicide :
http://olivierdemeulenaere.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/qui-etaient-les-peres-fondateurs-de-leurope-f-asselineau/
http://stoptafta.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/a-trade-storm-is-brewing-tpp-tafta-tisa/
It is indeed a shame that Mr. Maxim failed.
A mad hatter hatchet attack on their own heads, after one or two solid hits between the eyes with cold winters they will come together and bury all the wind mill powered hatchets.
If Europe can find enough “holistic individuals” who believe they can replace fossil fuels with self-willed “positive energy” they might stand a chance at meeting these new commitments. Well, not really.
I give this agreement one year, maybe only 6 months, before it falls apart.
This article is wrong in every aspect it describes. You can have an opinion but it never hurts to be factually a bit acurate. I would trust ukip whose party leader is an admirer of president Putin of Russia for nothing. Any parliamentary member in the EU can propose legislation and contrary to the authors claim they also do. Every commisioner has to be approved by parliament. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violeta_Bulc I guess no different from the US. The EU wants to spend €178 Billion in energy preservation. It will save €400 billion in energy imports over the coming 5 years. This can easily be achieved if you know that 50% of energy consumed is used for warming homes and water. Poland is twice as inefficient with energy as Germany. Ukraine is five times as inefficient as Germany. If Ukraine reaches Polands level it no longer needs energy imports. Saving energy allows the EU to reach the bulk of its CO2 targets. I dont get why anybody can oppose this. The efforts to isolate homes, place double glass and remove the central city heating systems in eastern Europe that lose 90% of the energy they produce is just common sense. It will not destroy the economy it will just stimulate it.
TKS – a study has shown that the roofs non isolated is the main way to loose warming, so energy
Insulation is a no-regrets policy all can support. (As long as installers are well-trained, which they weren’t inAustralia.)
I believe the time has come to let the EU self-destruct with its economically damaging CO2 emissions target and its climate change policies. It is as though ‘the Spanish Model’ has not taught the EU any lessons … the EU wants to go a step further by applying the model across the EU. I say let them do it.
Everyone has a right to commit suicide. The same applies to democracies … they have a right to destroy their economies and even destroy democracy itself, which is actually what is occurring in the EU slowly but surely. EU bureaucrats rule … that is just the way it is. Meanwhile, Sir Winston Churchill must be turning in his grave!
What we are seeing with this global warming nonsense spearheaded by Europe is an attempt to impose a form of European imperialism on other nations of the world in the mythical fight against a non-problem.
http://stoptafta.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/world-trade-organization-rules-against-popular-u-s-country-of-origin-meat-labels-on-which-consumers-rely/#comments
we are not in democracy !!!