Lazarus wrote:So, am I reading it correctly, your saying " Not my train, why should I move?"
Fair enough gunderson, if that's what you believe.
I noticed that the Useful Idiots made an appearance, that's what I was saying above is so disappointing about virtually any discourse now.
Those who don't see the same "light" as someone else is branded, not only foolish, but a blind tool of some 1984-esque plot.
I do see your point though, about the Chinese and the Indians only paying lip service while we at least try, if only feebly, to do something.
Its more a matter of committing fiscal suicide for the sake of a situation that is not going to get resolved by doing so.
There is nothing to gain from driving our economy into the ground, even more, for the sake of a global issue that Australia itself contributes literally, a negligible amount to. We haven't even seen the Africans industrialize like Asia has yet either.
Nothing about Australia's fiscal policies or industrial relations laws are making it easier for anything worthwhile to prosper here, Labor just killed our first decent chance at a Space industry, and Tech industry doesn't even start to take place in Australia because wages are too high compared to global competitors and nothing is going to change that with runaway inflation and massive cost of living issues compared to other countries also.
I find your train analogy to be flawed too, you get upset with me labelling uninformed alarmists as useful idiots but then you infer that anyone that doesn't jump to their demands is also one by "not getting off the tracks", Id personally like to see more work in earnest, without special interest groups, zealots on both sides and politics getting in the mix... but that's never going to happen.
Does Australia have a "train"? sure... but its a postie bike compared to even just Indonesia and Malaysia who would be poorly maintained super freighters in comparison, Aussies cop a lot of guilt tripping over the climate, but despite that we have some of the best and cleanest living in the world, its very disingenuous to say otherwise. Our carbon footprint isn't going anywhere soon, most of it is to do with mining, agriculture and transport, with heavy haulage being the biggest culprit, the container ships and tankers that come and go are responsible for more emissions than anything else we do, and they aren't going away with no industry here, we are permanently sewn to importing goods and exporting materials.
To try and go to Zero emissions is never happening, to go to neutral isn't happening, the energy deficit alone is not something that can be replaced. There is one of the worlds major sea freight giants, their fleet if run on all the available biomass turned fuel, on earth, would run for less than 4 months. That is just one company.
solar and wind are great, but they are finite because the technology is, this idea that there is limitless energy is a lie we need to stop telling ourselves.
Given this, I think it is beyond reckless to force a massive change on the population (which is tiny by world standards), at what will be a stupidly hefty cost, for what will be nothing in return. its like not burning your stove to cook dinner, but then your neighbor lights a bonfire with sump oil as a starter for s**ts and giggles.
Additional Thoughts:
Back on the subject of the Cars/Utes etc... We as Aussies are constantly berated about this by media and special interest groupthink pundits, but in reality, the motoring technology we have here, is and always will now be, completely beholden to the Japanese/Euro/American Emissions and Efficiency standards. We do not have a Car industry here, we basically have close to no manufacturing at all here. The pervasive idea that we are somehow responsible for what vehicles are being made and sold is completely ridiculous, Australia is a tiny market in the global community, Nothing is being manufactured to our needs, all auto makers make vehicles that adhere to guidelines where they are made. Labor have spent a lot of time being jerked off by the Greens, and increasingly Liberal and Nationals etc also... and a lot of the recent rhetoric around what vehicles will have to be sold here, is not even close to the reality of what will be made elsewhere that will then be sold here. Much like they aren't even remotely ready for widespread EV adoption, yet basically they sit in their ivory tower demanding people adhere to their impossible standard.
The truth is all of these mandates are going to be rolled back, most countries and manufacturing sectors across the world already have, its not physically, or fiscally possible, and we will be no different.