Posted by Friends of Science Society © 2019Executive Summary
The Leap.org and a group called “The Pact for a Green New Deal” are calling for a sweeping government program like the Roosevelt “New Deal” of the 1930’s, following the collapse of the stock market and banking system in the US. The economic destruction at that time was exacerbated by a decade long drought across the North American plains that wiped out most farmers.
LINK to full report: Look Before you Leap into Emergency Mode
They claim there is a climate crisis; an emergency, to justify such action. Some of their ideas are downright totalitarian, with one ENGO supporter, Dogwood, proposing the expropriation of the Oshawa GM plant to convert it to electric vehicle manufacturing. “The Pact for a Green New Deal” proponents call for an imposed push for 100% renewable power nationwide by diverting the alleged subsidies to fossil fuel companies, none of which are real. Oil is Canada’s economic mainstay. Our current economic stagnation is due to foreign funded environmental groups blocking pipeline access to markets.
Ottawa energy policy consultant, Robert Lyman, wrote a detailed paper for the Global Warming Policy Foundation[1] last year, showing how it might be possible to decarbonize the world’s economy in perhaps 50 to 70 years or more, assuming that the technological and economic trends worked out. The counter argument is that, with extremely optimistic assumptions about the rate of scientific discovery and technology dissemination, it might take place sooner (i.e. maybe in 40 years).
The present call for a complete termination of fossil fuel use is qualitatively different. It basically says that we don’t have time to wait for things like scientific discoveries, technology demonstration and commercialization, and freedom of choice. Instead, it calls for governments to force the end of use of fuels and energy services for which there are no economic or technologically proven alternatives. There are three main objections to this:
- It is impossible.
- It is hopelessly expensive (and no, we can’t just “soak the rich” to pay for it)
- it requires imposition of totalitarian regimes everywhere in the world to take away people’s choices.
In other words, it is so far beyond the pale of possibility and reason as to be not even remotely worth considering.
This report deconstructs central claims of the “The Pact for a Green New Deal.”
[1] https://www.thegwpf.org/energy-policy-needs-to-transition-to-reality/
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Related:
The LookB4ULEAP Manifesto : https://lookb4uleap.tumblr.com/
LookB4ULEAP:
It is clear that a great deal could be done to help the environment at little cost but cutting back on waste would most likely lower the GDP.
Today there are many new and exciting ways to cut energy waste but it seems public officials are almost afraid to talk about conservation. It is as if they will offend someone or that big business and their lobbyist have made this subject taboo.
The fact is if everyone would make a small effort to conserve and recycle we would see many positive benefits for the environment and improve our standing in the world community. The article below delves deeper into the dreaded “C” word, conserve!
http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2018/07/politicians-shy-away-from-dreadful-c.html
Our standing in the world community would be excellent if we had not been ‘tarred’ by the wildly exaggerated Tar Sands Campaign. Unfortunately the industrial emissions globally are far greater than what individuals can recude – though it is wise to conserve and be modest in our use of resources. Robert Lyman did an interview with us on that topic. https://youtu.be/iuDDDIHmZeA Note that every container ship puts out the equivalent pollution of 50 million cars….so you putting on a sweater and turning down the heat might reduce you bills a bit….but it’s a drop in the bucket.
It’s great that we have a handful of people in Canadian cities who want to declare climate emergencies. Why don’t all of you go over to India for a bit. You will realize in a few short days that there are a 1 billion+ people who don’t give a damn about climate change and any preventative methods. Then head over to China and you will discover another billion+ people with the same attitude. After that, move on to Brazil, Philippines, any third world country, the African continent, etc, etc. Our politicians think that taxing us will force us to change. It might for a handful of people, but billions of dollars will get stolen out of our wallets through carbon taxes and will not be accounted for by any government because that’s how governments work, and any change in CO2 emissions will be so minute, it would be negligible on a global scale considering most of the world’s population will continue on as is. For all you environmentalists, read up on ice ages. The earth is quite capable of climate change without humans involved. It’s a big planet, you know! To think that your are going to change Mother Nature is unbelievably egotistical and incredibly ignorant. If you want to initiate change, start by getting on your wooden bicycles and take your environmentalist mantra to the biggest polluting countries in the world and see how far you get….