"Lunatic" policies needed to save the Greens!

maniac101

Yesterday it became increasingly clear that Ireland's CO2 emissions for 2007 would be 5% higher than the previous year. This is despite a Green Party commitment to an annual 3% reduction in emissions for the lifetime of the present government. Clearly, the Greens' most heralded target is now unrealistic, and they're desperately seeking short-term CO2 reduction policies that will help them save face. The analysis of 2007 figures was carried out by Prof. Richard Tol of ESRI, (a maverick economist, if ever there was one), who is one of the world's leading authorities on economic effects of climate change. Tol argues that carbon taxes should be levied according to the social cost of carbon, rather than at a level that will meet a predefined reduction target.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0829/1219875242061.html

At an Oireachtas committee meeting last month, Prof. John Fitzgerald, head of the ESRI, said that "lunatic" policies would be needed in order to meet CO2 targets. In what must be a thinly veiled attack on the Greens' CO2 policies, Fitzgerald said that meeting 2020 targets would require us to completely eliminate the national livestock herd and to import all beef from Brazil! Richard Tol suggested that a €3 surcharge on a litre of petrol would be needed to meet the 2020 target. Provocative language indeed, from a mild-mannered organisation that's supposed to inform and influence Government policy-making. I'm predicting a more uncomfortable partnership between FF and the Greens over the next 12 months, and that's even before we consider Lisbon.

nhughes100

I heard another looney green policy the other day, lets reduce the speed limit on motorways from 120kph to 100kph and and national roads from 100kph to 80 kph, sure what's 20kph? nobody will be put out by that and they'll safe fuel because they're going slower. This will of course dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. What are these people on? The sooner they're out of government the better.

We can't even enforce the existing speed limits and for the most part in Dublin you're doing well to get an average speed of 30kph assuming another lorry hasn't shed it's load or if it's raining.

Really this government won't last 3 let alone 5 years.

turgon

nhughes100 wrote: »

sure what's 20kph? nobody will be put out by that and they'll safe fuel because they're going slower. This will of course dramatically reduce our carbon footprint.

Funny, considering most cars peak efficiency is between 90km/h and 105km/h.

guinnessdrinker

nhughes100 wrote: »

I heard another looney green policy the other day, lets reduce the speed limit on motorways from 120kph to 100kph and and national roads from 100kph to 80 kph, sure what's 20kph? nobody will be put out by that and they'll safe fuel because they're going slower. This will of course dramatically reduce our carbon footprint. What are these people on? The sooner they're out of government the better.

We can't even enforce the existing speed limits and for the most part in Dublin you're doing well to get an average speed of 30kph assuming another lorry hasn't shed it's load or if it's raining.

Really this government won't last 3 let alone 5 years.

I heard Deirdre de Burca talking about this on Newstalk during the week. She was saying they were only in the early discusion stages and it hadn't even been discussed by the cabinet. However she did say that it would only be a temporary reduction to help try to reach the targets. It would be intesting if it was bought in temporarily to see what (if any) difference it made to our carbon footprint.

mumhaabu

The government is structured so it can survive without the greens the PDs plus a handfull of Independents will keep the show on the road. We'd be better of if the greens went back to the opposition and let Gormless go mental from the sidelines where he will not do any damage.

nhughes100

guinnessdrinker wrote: »

I heard Deirdre de Burca talking about this on Newstalk during the week. She was saying they were only in the early discusion stages and it hadn't even been discussed by the cabinet. However she did say that it would only be a temporary reduction to help try to reach the targets. It would be intesting if it was bought in temporarily to see what (if any) difference it made to our carbon footprint.

Yes and as was correctly countered by the host these temporary measures have a habit of becoming permenant, De Burca never answered the question regarding of how this would be enforced given the lack of enforcement at the moment.