cross-posted from : https://slrpnk.net/post/31668843
Europe has some of the world’s most ambitious climate goals, but in recent months it has backtracked on rules governing automobile emissions and deforestation.
Title and subtitle from the article version of this newsletter. Main link points to the unpaywalled newsletter version
The problem is that a warmer planet will inevitably wreck the economy. There will be even more climate refugees, there will be war, there will be droughts and hunger. It is not about the days being slightly warmer.
It is about investing NOW so that we don’t need to pay tenfold in a few years.
Exactly, we all know that.
Politicians have 1 job: Choosing climate actions that protect economic stability instead of undermining it.
Haven’t seen anything so far. It’s mostly just throwing the economics out the window for climate actions that are valid. But you can’t throw away a functioning economy just for climate actions even if they are good.
You are correct, and again we all know it: ignoring climate risks will likely make future economic and migration crises worse. But throwing your economy away just for reducing climate risks will make all crises worse too.
Climate risk is REAL but not as horrible as media and some make it. A damaged economy will break the EU faster, + migration won’t stop cause we will be migrating elsewhere if possible (Singapore, USA,…) if we can.
People like to make this a black and white topic, in reality economics > climate in the end.
We practise this in our everyday life too: save yourself, then the rest. You can’t save the world if you destroy your own (economics). And with strong econmic you can advance to more climate friendly technology.
The tough reality is: get use to a 3°C world. It’s coming anyways, no matter if US and EU go emission neutral and back up with a strong economy.