European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Europe acts on global warming??

by Colman
Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:15:38 AM EST

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has announced "historic" plans to make Europe "the first economy for the low-carbon age".
He said Europeans wanted "a vision and a plan of action" against climate change and the measures would cost 3 euros (£2.10) a week for every citizen.
The aim would be a 20% cut in the EU's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, which could rise to 30% with a global deal.(BBC)

I'm not all that optimistic about this: already we have industry complaining that this will just end up moving polluting sectors out of Europe to places that don't care about emissions: I guess we're going to need those carbon levies on imports.

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Europe acts on global warming?? | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 3)

More detailed analysis by someone who isn't up to his elbows in the guts of some software would be nice ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:16:24 AM EST

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 2)

Different countries will have different targets, based on GDP per capita.

I'm afraid Ireland will have quite a lot to do ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:24:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 4)

Oh Ireland is screwed, but that's because we completely ignored the problem for the last decade despite knowing we would have to deal with it shortly. The plan is pay shitloads of public cash buying carbon credits for the medium term.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:38:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 2)

Meanwhile, we've allowed the MPG of our car fleet to deteriorate and the size of the fleet to increase while not improving public transport because the intention is to privatise anything that's profitable. Oh, and we can't do nuclear because it's nasty and we won't build windpower because of nimbys and I hate, hate, hate, hate them all.

This is why Ireland needs Europe: left to itself the place just turns into a fucking bog.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:48:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 3)

The complaints of industry are greatly overrated.

Willy de Backer (3E Intelligence blog): EU emissions trading scheme no big danger for industry competitiveness

One of the most interesting reports to come out last week was published by the UK's Carbon Trust. In an excellent analysis of the impact of the EU's emissions trading scheme on the competitive position of our European manufacturing industry, the Carbon Trust has concluded that the effects of the EU's climate policy flagship on our industry are quite small, except for some sectors (cement, steel, glass, chemicals) which might need to be helped with some further free carbon allowances. On Wednesday 23 January, the European Commission will propose its ideas to broaden and strengthen the ETS from 2013.

(links in the original)

We are moving into an age of much greater mineral scarcity. Forced efficiency improvements are a smart industrial policy.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:28:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 3)

What's not surprising, coming from Barroso, is that he does not say how much may be gained per week by each EU citizen.

Because, if we invest, say, in energy efficient homes, this would result in a number of local jobs, thus in some new employment.

by Xavier in Paris on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:31:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 2)

It's not only the fault of Barroso. He has not only said that it will cost us € 3 a week but also that it will make use less reliance on energy imports. And in the long run that will give us a lot off freedom. But the media and the so call captains of industries focus on only one item: what will it cost us in the short run. There will be a shortage of fossil energy within 50 years (or less). That's mean (at least) in the lifetime of our children. If it will cost us now € 3 it will them cost then a lot more.

by velaga on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 03:54:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (none / 0)

The question is how do we recover the benefits from our children? How will they pay us for forgoing that €3 a week, eh?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 03:55:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (none / 1)

Recovering from our children?? We take already enough of our nature and our neighbours. Will we now take from our children??

by velaga on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 04:05:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (none / 0)

Got to exploit all the available resources you know. I mean, ideally we'd have a set-up where the kids bid for food, shelter and affection. If little Jimmy pledges more of his life earnings for an extra slice of cake than cute little Jane, so be it.

(I'm not sure I can keep this up much longer ...)

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 04:08:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A lighter look (4.00 / 2)

Emissions trading for Dummies

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:42:41 AM EST

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 5)

European Tribune - Europe acts on global warming??

I'm not all that optimistic about this: already we have industry complaining that this will just end up moving polluting sectors out of Europe to places that don't care about emissions: I guess we're going to need those carbon levies on imports.

The big reason for carbon levies on imports should not be protection of European industry, but the prevent the dirty business of being outsourced. No point in lowering European carbon emissions if they just pop up elsewhere to produce stuff on our behalf instead.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 at 11:54:05 AM EST

Re: Europe acts on global warming?? (4.00 / 4)

Absolutely. The currently favoured solution (hand out more free credits to cement makers et al so they won't offshore production) is utterly misconcieved - it's as if Baroso and the rest haven't noticed that this sort of nonsense was the reason why the first round of the carbon market was an abject failure.

Nature doesn't care where the carbon comes from guys - it all goes into the same atmosphere and we'll all have to deal with the consequences. If industrial processes produce shedloads of carbon as a byproduct then it has to stop going into the air. No ifs, no buts and no pretending that Chinese or Indian carbon somehow doesn't count.

There has to be a price on carbon (whether it is done by auctioning carbon permits, levying carbon taxes whatever) and everything coming into the EU has to pay that price, otherwise there is no price signal for the externality and nothing is going to get done.

I have every confidence that if the price signal is properly set there will be radical improvements in our emmissions situation - there's plenty of low hanging fruit to be gathered - but our political class need to grow a backbone and start demonstrating some fucking leadership for a change.

Regards
Luke

-- #include witty_sig.h

by silburnl on Thu Jan 24th, 2008 at 06:20:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Europe acts on global warming?? | 13 comments (13 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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