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The Guardian’s George Monbiot demands society’s complete restructuring:
Here is a plan for drastic but affordable action that the government could take ...
Every citizen is given a free annual quota of carbon dioxide. He or she spends it by buying gas and electricity, petrol and train and plane tickets. If they run out, they must buy the rest from someone who has used less than his or her quota ... Timescale: a full scheme in place by January 2009.
There’s much more, including a ban of “wasteful and unnecessary technologies” (incandescent lightbulbs, patio heaters, garden floodlights) and the reduction of airport landing slots by 90%. Monbiot’s conclusion:
If you believe that these are worse than mass death then there is something wrong with your value system.
Climate change is not just a moral question: it is the moral question of the 21st century. There is one position even more morally culpable than denial. That is to accept that it’s happening and that its results will be catastrophic, but to fail to take the measures needed to prevent it.
Monbiot is mistaken. There is one position even more morally culpable than failing to take preventative measures, and I’m proud to say it’s mine: encouraging the continued (and increased) consumption of fossil fuels. Don’t cry, George; you’ll ruin your makeup.
(Actually, that last paragraph from Monbiot isn’t quite the conclusion. Another line follows: “George Monbiot’s latest book is Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning.” No word from Central Controller Monbiot on the banning of useless books. By the way, Australia is holding firm against Kyoto.)
“Here is a plan for drastic but affordable action that the government could take…” - Ah yes, but such a drastic plan would require centralised planning and coercive powers exercised by an all-powerful government. North Korea has already shown that it’s possible, and the bonus?... Kim would never be ronery again.
One of George’s solutions is to do away with most sporting events and for everybody to take up frisbee throwing. No Olympic games for spectators, no motor racing, no football stadiums. I wonder why he didn’t mention stopping pilgrimages to Mecca?
Another of George’s bright ideas was to create an Uber-UN. What a way to improve the world: create more Lebensraum for the lazy and corrupt.
Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2006 10 31 at 02:46 AM • permalink``Kyoto is a scheme that will fail dismally to reach the targets,’’ Macfarlane told Nine Network television today. ``Australia will be the only country in the world without nuclear energy that will reach the Kyoto target.’’
Good on ya, Australia!
All you Kyoto worshipping envirotards—stuff that in your pipe and smoke it!
BUAWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 02:50 AM • permalinkAnother tasty morsel from Tim’s last link:
Treasurer Peter Costello said there was ``no point’’ in Australia, which accounts for one percent of global emissions, signing an agreement that did not include ``major emitters’‘, like India and China.
``The biggest issue here is to get countries like China and India and other countries, which have huge impacts on the globe, into these international arrangements,’’ Costello told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. ``The most significant thing internationally which I think we have to do is we have to bring all of the countries into emissions targeting.’’
Exactly right. The Kyoto treaty is a joke because of that very omission. They want to reduce “carbon emissions”, but specifically exclude some of the biggest polluters. And it’s exactly the reason why the US Senate voted 95-0 to refuse to pass the treaty unless that omission was corrected.
Of course, Monbiot doesn’t get it; most of his suggestions will lead to economic suicide. The required capital investments alone will bankrupt multiple businesses, large and small.
And his WWII analogy is a poor one: the US didn’t turn “the economy around on a sixpence”. It started in advance of our actual entry into WWII (I recall that the industrial ramp up began in 1939, in part to aid Britain).
More to the point, the mobilization for WWII was not cheap. Anyone remember war bonds? There was reasons for them, and inflation control was only one of them. The war was expensive, and the mobilization for it equally so.
Such a mobilization today, on the scale proposed by Monbiot, coupled with the economic restrictions proposed by Monbiot, would likely cause the UK to have at least serious economic problems. Not the least of which would be increased taxes and higher costs on the consumer to pay for these schemes.
It’s those little details that escape the schemes offered by Monbiot and his moonbats.
But, hey, he is offering ideas! I’ve often bemoaned the lack of concrete proposals from the lefties, and here we have some. That they are more like suicide than salvation is immaterial. Monbiot is thinking, people.
Just not very well.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 03:16 AM • permalinkI’m beginning to find the current climate (boom tish) a wee bit hysterical. we seem to have hit the perfect storm as far as climate doomsayers are concerned which seems to have tipped the political balance in Australia into having to be seen to do something about climate change.
In Australia the drought has obviously been the key issue to raise climate changes profile, even though predicting long droughts in Australia is as surefire as predicting recessions in North Korea. That coupled with Gores movie and the Stern report means its a lonely time for a sceptic.
Of course this has an upside - the raised bar in doom and gloom means it will have to be really bad to match the expectation.
Good rule of thumb - any plan that contains the words “government”, “citizen” and “quota” will result in misery and death.
I am so stealing that, Dave.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 03:24 AM • permalinkIs monbiot where moonbat came from?
If it didn’t, it should have.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 03:25 AM • permalinkSome panic may be setting in with the warmening crowd. It has been known for at least 200 years that the climate correlates well with sunspot activity. On the other hand there is no correlation (outside of computer models) between climate and CO2. Now that the mechanism has been found whereby the strength of the sun’s magnetic field (indicated by sunspot activity) affects climate through cloud-forming cosmic rays, I’d say the jig was just about up for the climate alarmists.
The sun is due for a reduction in magnetic field strength within the next 10 years, so we can expect more cosmic rays and hence more low level cloud formation - cooling the planet by reflecting the sun light.
In the meantime, we can use this opportunity to push ahead with nuclear power.
see http://www.junkscience.com for good roundups.
I saw a bit on a news “tickertape” that the UK is consulting Al Gore on how to deal with climate change.
So theres no need to worry about the polar blairs they can move to the snowy wastes of London as the goreon takes effect.Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 10 31 at 03:52 AM • permalinkMark Colvin on ABC PM tomight was desperate to get the UK High Commish to criticise the Australian Government’s position. She calmly refused to do so, providing a stark contrast to Marky’s pathetic moonbatlike pose: oh go on! Help me bash our government!
All the excitement in our ABC over the Stern Warning Report is bubbling & frothing onto the airwaves: that something might discomfort the conservatives, and help the ALP into power. Oh frabjous day, they seem to say.
So far, the report is quoted as giving a credible economic basis to the need to reduce emissions. That may be some part of the action needed, but they still are failing to address either the major emitters in the bulk sense (still content to bash their own country on a per capita basis) or the scientific sense, namely that there just mght be any other contributing factors to this cyclical event beyond the man made, evil carbon. Without rational examination of all the possible factors and all the emitters, the hallmarks of new-age religion crossed with witch hunt are there to see.
How do the media betray us? Let me count the ways.Moonbat says
the reduction of airport landing slots by 90%. Monbiot’s conclusion
But what about Gore and the travelling roadshow? How can they preach to us heathens?
#14 - yes
Posted by curious george on 2006 10 31 at 04:25 AM • permalinkIt was interesting to read Andrew Bolts Link about the other report that came out.
Posted by curious george on 2006 10 31 at 04:28 AM • permalink#12 north01
Is monbiot where moonbat came from?
#14 The_Real_JeffS
If it didn’t, it should have.
Not quite. I used to think it was, but sadly, no: Perry de Havilland of Samizdata coined it, although not in honor of the Grauniad’s resident dope. It is a perfect fit, though. The full version is “barking moonbat”.
Posted by Spiny Norman on 2006 10 31 at 04:41 AM • permalinkHey, don’t think greenhouse gas emissions all come from power stations and Caddilacs. Buildings are responsible for 40-50% of greenhouse gas emissions globally!
http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/626-what-is-sustainability-in-the-built-environment.asp (sorry Andrea, having trouble with the link thingy).
To combat global warmening the moonbats will next insist we all live in grass huts (timber’s out as it’s all reserved for bushfire fuel as Canberra residents will testify).
When they make a PC that runs on yak dung im sure Mr Monbiot will be waiting to snap it up. Thats if he can get the messenger pigeon while subsistence farming 14 hours a day.
Let me guess “important” gurus such as george would have more credits than most peons as “Brain work is the hardest work of all”
4 legs good 2 legs better I think.Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 10 31 at 05:18 AM • permalinkNo folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism.
Winston ChurchillPosted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 10 31 at 05:25 AM • permalinkI have lost patience with all this climate change crap.
I had yet another doorknocker wanting to take a few minutes of my time to talk about how to reduce greenhouse emissions.
Apparently if I show him my gas and electricity bills, I can get 1 month’s free electricity.
I said no. My power bills are none of his business.
So he tried again on how giving him access to my personal utility details will magically help me to reduce bloody carbon emissions.
So again I said no, firmly but politely, and told him that I did not believe in global warming and climate change.
Heh. He didn’t like that, and finally left.
The only reason I opened the door at this time of night is because of the little ghouls trick or treating.
Happy halloween to our American friends who celebrate it.
Antiglobalwarmenising is the new heresy.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 10 31 at 05:40 AM • permalinkNo wonder this fuckwit had a whole new class of leftwing ratbagery named after him.
Hey George, I got a great idea where you say “Every citizen is given a free annual quota of carbon dioxide. He or she spends it by buying gas and electricity, petrol and train and plane tickets”,add the printing presses of giant media organisations (like The Guardian)and huge buildings full of useless journalists burning up carbon fuels on their PC’s and all that useless energy wasted on writing unadulterated shit. How about that George. I hereby charge you a gazillion carbon credits just for this bizarre article. Now ride home on your bike, sit in the dark and eat your cold soup like a good boy.
I shall now present my point by point Fisking of Monbiot’s article
Drastic action on climate change is needed now - and here’s the planFuck you and your plan.
That concludes my presentation, thank you for your attendance. But seriously, what kind of idiot uses the expression “turned around on a sixpence”?
#29. Tell the next one that you’re helping to take back the Sahara desert - about the only proven effect of increased CO2 in the atmosphere.
And if increased CO2 is the cause of the 0.6C warming in the 20th Century, how come most of that warming occured before WWII - ie before CO2 had increased? Usually causes are supposed to precede effects.
#25
Get it RIGHT, Ubique. Huts indeed! They are sooo 1960s.
Organic yurts made from recyclable dried tofu is where we must live.
The comment about the perfect storm (#12 Francis H) is just about right. What has to be done now is to exploit the surge in greenie/moonbat hysteria to get an Australian nuclear industry and clean coal tech in the baseload thermal power stations off the ground.
Why clean coal tech? Becuase it will be a hell of a moneyspinner in export dollars and cuts down on the real stack nasties like sulphides.
As for CO2, the more the better. It makes trees grow faster, meaning cheaper wood for moi. Bring back the Carboniferous! Hey, the carboniferous era critters were more interesting and better company than any moonbat.
Just ask Wronwright.
MarkL
canberraObservation 1.
Brisbane City Council (mostly Labor) was defeated in a motion to sign the Kyoto Protocol (fucktards). While looking for a link to something on this I found:
Observation 2.
Walk Against Warming
I hope to find some report I can link to regarding Observation 1. tomorrow.Look, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with the rest of the world keeping to Kyoto and using carbon credits as I drive my Hummer Grand Limited. In fact, I insist on it. Let’s think of the future!
Posted by wronwright on 2006 10 31 at 06:47 AM • permalinkA side note on patio heaters: I had never heard of such things (in Florida the only outdoor heaters we have is the sun or the barbecue grill), but I used to watch this program when I had cable tv called “The City Gardener.” This guy would go to these homes in the middle of English cities and transform their narrow concrete back “garden” into real green spaces with trees and things. In one I remember he installed heat lamps so the owner of the house could have his mates over at night and they could sit out back in the chilly English nights on the nice new deck, under the nice newly planted trees. No doubt Moanboat would think that a waste of his precious carbon molecules.
Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2006 10 31 at 06:58 AM • permalink“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies, The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
C.S. Lewis
Posted by JJM Ballantyne on 2006 10 31 at 07:23 AM • permalinkHave any of the manbearpigs devotees actually worked out what “level” of life could be supported using the words population as it stands now?
Id be massively suprised if it nudged the upper end of second world struggle.
Lets face it, you cant say to a billion Chinese or indians “stop now or well all be ruined”, as they aspire to a better life.These secular cultists will write an article next week calling for greater immigration from the third world, reducing child mortality and bringing power to remote areas without seeing the contradiction in their own positions.
Only the eeeevil West needs reduce their population, consumption, lifestyles.Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 10 31 at 08:28 AM • permalinkSix legs: Squish.
Eight legs: Let it be. (Eats 6 legs)
Four legs: Delicious.
Two legs: Top of food chain (Apex predator for you tree huggers) unless your on an island with polar bears that aint never seen no human. (bear food)
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 10 31 at 08:53 AM • permalinkThere is an effective way of deterring Monbiot, as George himself explains:
I sensed that someone was standing over me, and looked up. I was surrounded by a ring of women. They held their palms out towards me and their eyes were closed. Slowly and quietly they started chanting. “Go away. Go away. Go away.” It was terrifying and extremely effective. I left immediately
Re #29, I just tell them to “FUCK OFF WE’RE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE PLANET FROM AMERICA!!!”
No offence to our American brothers (and sisters, bloody PC), but serously, get the fuck out of my house with that shit.
If I came to your house next tuesday and tried to sell you a float for the Melbourne cup, what would you say?
Exactly.
However, if you happen to actually be in America, happy haloween to you and you kin.
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 10 31 at 09:00 AM • permalinkYour Kin*
#36, Assuming heat lamps(in England) use elctricity, we use natural gas in the land down under, Take that you big, round, green biatch. (Gaia, NOT Andrea…)
BWA HAHAHAHA#43, “Lets face it, you cant say to a billion Chinese or Indians “stop now or well all be ruined”, as they aspire to a better life.” - Well you can, but odds are pretty good they will laugh in your (anglo) face and then set off a nuke somewhere. More space for them, geddit?
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 10 31 at 09:08 AM • permalink#47 should read: However, if you happen to actually be in America, (or defending the free world anywhere, with the stars and bars on your shoulder) happy haloween to you and your kin.
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 10 31 at 09:11 AM • permalinkGlobal warming? Yeah, right. On October 21st I was watching the U. of Nebraska - U. of Texas game from Lincoln, Nebraska. It started snowing in the freakin’ second half of the game. All of my family are from the upper midwest (Nebraska, South Dakota), and none of them, NONE, ever remember it snowing that early in the year. The first snowfall would come just before or just after Thanksgiving is what they remember.
Posted by David Crawford on 2006 10 31 at 09:36 AM • permalink#37 JJM Ballantyne - Wonderful quote. Have copied and will use.
Posted by Whale Spinor on 2006 10 31 at 09:59 AM • permalink#54 - yes, it is a fantastic quote. In fact, it was recently posted by my greatly esteemed co-blogger Guy Herbert on Samizdata last week - Samizdata being mentioned earlier in this column, too.
Posted by James Waterton on 2006 10 31 at 10:49 AM • permalinkBTW, we are having something of a cold snap in Eastern Washington—it’s 17 F (-8.333 C) here. Must be a delayed reaction from having Algore in the state last week.
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 10:49 AM • permalinkEvery citizen is given a free annual quota of carbon dioxide.
While that sounds nice (if it’s free, it’s me!), I live in a fairly small apartment and have no idea where I’d keep it.
Posted by tim maguire on 2006 10 31 at 10:49 AM • permalink#59, I dunno whereabouts your from Mojo, but here in WOZ, civilization stops where the cops cant hear the gunshots.
Thats about 98% of this wonderful land.
If your in the water, your bait, learn to swim fast, or deal with the consequences…
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 10 31 at 12:45 PM • permalinkI sensed that someone was standing over me, and looked up. I was surrounded by a ring of women. They held their palms out towards me and their eyes were closed. Slowly and quietly they started chanting. “Go away. Go away. Go away.” It was terrifying and extremely effective. I left immediately
I’m in. Kae, Arbed, Rebecca, salty, you with me?
If you believe that these are worse than mass death then there is something wrong with your value system.
Is there any way we can arrange for global warming cooling climate change to kill just the Gorebots and Monbiots? If so, by all means, bring it on.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 10 31 at 05:20 PM • permalinkSay, one of the ecofascists in Monbiot’s comments thread has a good idea:
Good work as ever from george. Sad thing is what democratic government is going to go for such radical changes when they have elections around the corner. It sounds hysterical but I forsee Green dictatorships having to come into power in major western countries if this stuff is going to work - Britain underwent a suspension of democracy to defeat Hitler, why not now to tackle something far bigger than what WW2 threw at us.
Convince me that this isn’t exactly what the majority of Monbiotbats have in mind.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 10 31 at 05:34 PM • permalinkConvince me that this isn’t exactly what the majority of Monbiotbats have in mind.
How can I, when I agree with you, Kyda?
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 10 31 at 05:54 PM • permalinkThe Monbiot Total Planning and Control Corporation: “wasteful and unnecessary technologies” (incandescent lightbulbs, patio heaters, garden floodlights) and the reduction of airport landing slots by 90%.
The Centre will have to cope with me!
I intend to build my hovel out of unused cardboard boxes [for insulation] in one of those abandoned terminals. But I will hoard old light bulbs for my HEATING needs.If the Monbiot Police try to get near me, they’ll get a garden flood-light pole up ‘em.
#62 Achillea I am so there.
I am even more pissed than usual with the moonbats and their socialist agenda.
I went looking at a catholic school for Magilla this morning, and there is a mural on the wall paying homage to the aboriginal creation mythology, and a plaque (should be bloody plague) talking about the tribe being the traditional owners of the land.
I’m wondering if there is any part of this country that the Wurundjeri didn’t apparently own in the past.
So now even the parochial schools are spouting nonsense like “diversity”, “tolerance” and the rest.
Grrrr.
I’m waiting to hear all about the carbon reduction plans for the school now.
/rant.Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 10 31 at 07:45 PM • permalink#9 The Kyoto treaty is a joke because of that very omission. They want to reduce “carbon emissions”, but specifically exclude some of the biggest polluters
COMPARE and despair:
The EU, the Int. Atomic Energy Agency and The UN are all a joke because India, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and China all won’t co-operate.
They all say they back “Non-proliferation” but show no guts in dealing with any serious opponents.Why shouldn’t the USA go ‘unilateral’, given these useless, nattering ‘friends’??
Amendmnet - the school does, of course, mention God on the mural, but surely it defeats the purpose of having a catholic school which purports to impart the Message to its students putting up big signs about other creation ideas?
To me, that sort of waters down the message a bit.
For that reason alone, I don’t think I’ll be sending my kid there.
Where did Mel Gibson’s kids to go school again???
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 10 31 at 07:47 PM • permalinkDoes his ration include, oh, I don’t know… BREATHING?!
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 10 31 at 09:49 PM • permalinkWe should impose a $100 fine on every numskull who utters the phrase “Why don’t they just…?” The idea that any human problem can be addressed and solved by properly crafted legislation is one that must be driven out of polite society. If fines don’t work, let us move on to imprisonment; failing that, let them feel the awful majesty of the law in the form of mandatory attendance at bagpipe recitals and mime performances.
If this scheme is imposed, I will beat up George Moonbat and steal his carbon credits.
Posted by Shaky Barnes on 2006 11 01 at 12:39 AM • permalink
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I certainly hope that Moonbat’s book is an e-book.
Oh wait a minute. The Internet requires computers and servers and stuff that made from mining stuff and petrochemicals. They also require electricity to run - all contributing to greenhouse gasses.
Quick, slit your wrists now Georgie!
—Nora