Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Democracy is the Enemy of Climate Change
Foreign Policy ^ | 07/20/2019 | DAVID RUNCIMAN

Posted on 07/26/2019 6:16:19 AM PDT by 54fighting

In today’s Britain, a rare public figure can bring together Brexiteers and Remainers, Conservatives and Labour. Yet the teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg did just that on a visit to London in April, when she was feted by British politicians from across the political spectrum.

In an address to Parliament, Thunberg said she spoke for the children who had been betrayed by politicians and voters who had failed to prevent climate change. She also claimed to speak for the unborn billions of people who will bear the brunt of a rapidly warming world. “I am 16 years old,” she said. “I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations. … Now we probably don’t even have a future anymore.”

It would have taken a very brave politician to downplay the stark moral power of this message. None of her British interlocutors—from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to would-be Tory leader Michael Gove to the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow—dared. Instead, they all accepted the charges laid against them and promised to do better.

(Excerpt) Read more at foreignpolicy.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Germany; Government; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: angelamerkel; brexit; brexitparty; davidrunciman; democracy; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; emmanuelmacron; europeanunion; foreignpolicy; france; germany; globalwarming; globalwarminghoax; gretathunberg; hoax; macron; mediawingofthednc; nato; nigelfarage; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; propaganda; smearmachine; socialism; sweden; unitedkingdom; yellowvest; yellowvests
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: 54fighting
Rutte's goal in the Netherlands 59% reuctions by 2050.

Merkel goal in Germany a radical 100% reduction by 2050.

von dery Leyen's goal, the entire EU is given over to "climate neutrality" by reducing emissions not only 100% but 50% by 2030.

Even Boris Johnson, whose priority is to deliver Brexit has said, "Our kingdom, in 2050, thanks by the way to the initiative of the previous prime minister, will no longer make any contribution whatsoever to the destruction of our precious planet brought about by carbon emissions because we will have led the world in delivering that net zero target. We will be the home of electric vehicles, cars, even planes, powered by British battery technology being develed here, right now.

This will cost billions, and to what effect?

21 posted on 07/26/2019 6:58:06 AM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting
a rare public figure can bring together Brexiteers and Remainers...

While I believe Boris Johnson will finally deliver a Brexit, and given the time "remaining" (NPI), probably a no-deal brexit, he sounds like a global warmist.

22 posted on 07/26/2019 7:00:04 AM PDT by C210N (You can vote your way into Socialism; but, you have to shoot your way out of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting

Dutch parliamentarian Thierry Baudet, leader of the second largest party in The Netherlands, argues there is little effect of the billions invested. For The Netherlands it means, in the most optimistic scenario, a total 0.007 reduction in global temperature.


23 posted on 07/26/2019 7:06:04 AM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Meanwhile, all housing in the The Netherlands, under the current Rutte administration, will by law be forced off of natural gas.


24 posted on 07/26/2019 7:08:58 AM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting
At the bottom:

David Runciman is a politics professor at Cambridge University and the author of How Democracy Ends. This story appears in the summer 2019 print edition.

The mask is off!

25 posted on 07/26/2019 7:11:58 AM PDT by Eddie01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting

When human life becomes so cheap that the average person no longer has a say in how they’re governed, then the final solution for the elites will include the mass murder of millions, perhaps billions of people.

But not them or theirs.

Only them and theirs gets to live and frolic in the new, pristine, people-less wilderness.


26 posted on 07/26/2019 7:26:21 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (The media is after us. Trump's just in the way.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting
If electoral democracy is inadequate to the task of addressing climate change, and the task is the most urgent one humanity faces, then other kinds of politics are urgently needed. The most radical alternative of all would be to consider moving beyond democracy altogether. The authoritarian Chinese system has some advantages when it comes to addressing climate change: One-party rule means freedom from electoral cycles and less need for public consultation. Technocratic solutions that put power in the hands of unelected experts could take key decisions out of the hands of voters.
And the EU system? Much of the EU is totally undemocratic. These people are impatient.
27 posted on 07/26/2019 7:28:16 AM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer

I’d rather see the Earth end - and the human race with it - than to live under some home grown commie hell.


28 posted on 07/26/2019 8:33:58 AM PDT by GOPJ (The black community created hellholes in many of our older beautiful cities. Shame on them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting

Says a lot about how desperate, bankrupt and unconvincing their case for “climate change” is when they have to trot out a brainwashed emotional little girl to make their case.

Truly pathetic.


29 posted on 07/26/2019 9:07:11 AM PDT by aquila48
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting

These leftist government lovers have guaranteed the return of the ice age which destroys any future these children hoped to have. All those who promoted such evil and misery will rot in hell.


30 posted on 07/26/2019 12:21:48 PM PDT by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aspasia

Correction, after so many billions spent, a 0.00007 degree change in temperature.


31 posted on 07/26/2019 8:46:06 PM PDT by aspasia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: 54fighting
“I am 16 years old,” she said. “I come from Sweden. And I speak on behalf of future generations. …
The natural disposition is always to believe. It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough. The wisest and most cautious of us all frequently gives credit to stories which he himself is afterwards both ashamed and astonished that he could possibly think of believing. - Adam Smith, Theory of Moral Sentiments

32 posted on 07/27/2019 6:20:02 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (Socialism is cynicism directed towards society and - correspondingly - naivete towards government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson