EU about to agree on emission cut treaty

Concerned · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Sep 23, 2004 Posts: 1501

Plans to move to a low carbon economy?

Where are those "plans"? The overwhelming majority of power coming on line is Fossil Fuel based.

The so called "plan" is nothing more than "easter islanders plan" of having a treeless economy.

The powerdown will come when the Fossil Fuels are economically tapped out.
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"Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box."
-Italian Proverb

Bas

indeed seeing is believing. I do however think that this group of countries that already succesfully cooperates on so many other issues will be much more likely to make this into a succes than a similar treaty on a worldwide basis. I hope and think that Europe can pull this off, though really, 20% is not enough.
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"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time."

- Abraham Lincoln

Dukkha · Tar Sands Joined: Dec 14, 2007 Posts: 83

Britain has just decided to build its first coal-fired power station in 25 years and the government is pushing through a fairly healthy expansion of the country's airports so seeing would very definitely be believing. Certainly as far as Britain is concerned the message is very much the economy comes first (Blair's gruesome rictus notwithstanding). This all makes good headlines but what is reported far less is the extent to which governments fight the very plans which they have just approved after they get back from their conferences and given the EU's collective failure to deliver thus far, I can't say I'm particularly excited by the news.

Kingcoal

Targets are fun issues because they are hit or miss - generally misses. Otherwise known as a fluff measure designed to make people feel good about being "environmentally conscience."
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"That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money

dorlomin · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 05, 2007 Posts: 1002

Bas

lateStarter

Agreeing and meeting are two different things. As I have said before, setting some goal to meet by 2012 or 2020 really translates to: we will do nothing now. Ireland is alreay complaining about the formula used to calculate their required cuts. I suspect that as less money flow into the gov't tills all talk of reducing our global carbon footprint will fall by the wayside.
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Remember, with globalisation "everyone is a winner" in the "race to the bottom". - rogerhb

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Ludi

DefiledEngine · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 271

Unfortunately, building ANY power plant requires quite a lot of green house emissions.
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"Life is merely an orderly decay of energy states, and survival requires the continual discovery of new energy to pump into the system. He who controls the sources of energy controls the means of survival. "

Ludi

Yep, therefore, anyone serious about reducing greenhouse emissions would not plan to build any power plants.
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy

eastbay

Shannymara · Master Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5141 Location: Oklahoma

Tanada

Chesire · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 13, 2007 Posts: 267