"Green" policies are destroying this country

There are several cross currents.

EU politics are out of step with national politics on some key issues across the entire zone. Policies that originate from Brussels are encroaching on issues of national politics, as members of the public we have no direct say on matters that impact our lives. The local establishment apparatus have long sold out, especially in the aftermath of the EU/ECB sponsored bailouts of the 2010s that saved their hides. We read rumours in the media of local politicians names associated with the jobs in the EU gravy train, previously this was used to cynically get rid of challengers to the party leader, now it seems to be a career path.

Accommodation, immigration and environmental policies are proving to be the most contentious across the block, prior to this year anyone who as much as raises questions or expresses their concerns get jumped on by the local establishment with epithets such as far right, climate denier and hate speech. The events of 2023 have changed attitudes, every politician in the country has been contacted by many constituents opposing hate speech laws. I have no knowledge of that level of engagement happening on matters that did not involve a referendum.  Recently, a politician who showed up to shake hands with people attending a constituents funeral, was quietly spoken to (was not me) as he was about to get in his car on said topic of the day, all polite and above board. The feedback they are getting can be at odds with the mainstream narrative.

Keeping this topic strictly to environmental issues, opposition has come about that was not there previously.  Farmers Alliance Ireland are today a fringe organisation, however, they did not exist prior to the green agenda. It takes a while to organise a cohesive group. The larger farmers lobbies tend to play the game, sniff around to see what's in it for them and protest when the government won't buy them off.

• EU will regret making farmers scapegoats for climate change
• Tánaiste meets protesting farmers after they refuse to engage with Minister for Agriculture

Early commentary on the tenure of EU president Ursula von der Leyen has not been favourable, she is being tipped to fail upwards as head of NATO in 2024. Dutch politician Frans Timmermans who led the EU Green new deal has left behind a mess and not fared well in national politics. The more powerful lobby groups have come in an told EU and national politicians what is acceptable to them and I expect that soon enough "markets first" decision making might start happening, as the green jobs illusion fades away.

As I said it's not shot down as you claimed. It is under negotiations. So you agree you are wrong then?

Still waiting for you to explain why I need to "just get over it"?

Also in the last point you claimed it would never be met, so are you not confirming with what I said in first place and this was just a target :-)

What is so difficult for you to get ?

2035 was not a "target" date. It was the date after which new ICE vehicles as proposed by the E.U. Commission would legally cease to to be available to purchase or register. That was the proposal both the Commission and Parliament voted on and passed and made media highlights as new ICE vehicles being banned for sale or registration in the E.U after your "target" date.

Except it`s not. Germany and others seeing the harm it would do to their economies rendered it null and void.

It is not "under negotiation". Frans Timmerman, the Green Deal Commissioner who was pushing for this to become legally binding within the E.U. (and since departed back home in a vain attempt at steadying the leaking ship) tweeted March 25. "We have found an agreement with Germany on the fuiure use of efuel in cars". Considering that e-fuel is at least twice the price of petrol or diesel that tweet effectively means that there is no "target" date, or any other date under negotiation to ban the sale or registration of ICE vehicles and you really do need to stop wasting others time and get over it.

For sure but let's not fkr forget an BP are a statutory body they answer to who exactly?

Just because they have proven to be corrupt doesn't wash any minister's hand of foul play.

I was in Deansgrange yesterday waiting outside a Doctors surgery for just shy of 2 hours. I watched one bicycle use the segregated cycle lane between the N11 and Dunlaoighre. One!

What a waste of infrastructure! They could have skipped both cycle lanes and installed a proper bus lane in either direction (there were 23 buses in that time, counting both directions) that would help far more people.

Hey, you might have missed my earlier response to you so I'll give benefit of the doubt. Care to share your source for the speculation that Hungary will become like an economic powerhouse? Thanks. 😲

Segregated cycle lanes have been shown by most studies to increase the safety of cyclists. So from a road safety perspective, they're a win in contrast to existing lanes. On top of that, people park in cycle lanes and often they're simply not safe. So if anything, it's how they should have been done in the first place. It's also pretty consistent with what most countries put in these days. I do think there's an element of complaining for the sake of complaining.

Increasing safety is all well and good, but only if the infrastructure is actually used. Otherwise, it's a waste of money and precious road space that could have been given over to other uses. Instead, it has just made the road less convenient for the majority of users (public transport and private alike) and less safe by introducing new obstacles - particularly for pedestrians, the most vulnerable of all, because there's now new trip hazards demarking the cycle lanes and worse, vehicular traffic no longer anticipate pedestrians stepping in front of them to cross the roads as they're segregated.

To your second point, I'm complaining about the wasted opportunity and the seeming lack of any sort of cost benefit analysis done in advance of another "green" whim. Implement first, shrug later when take up is negligible, then scold society for not doing what they were told.

It seems the only person here who is complaining for the sake of complaining is yourself.

Dublin is not the center of the world. There are other cities like Limerick where for example part of Childers road between Roxboro and Tipperary roundabout is practically impassable with nowhere to pull if ambulance needs to get through. Seen it last week and I bet anyone stuck in that ambulance on that part of the road did not enjoy being stuck in there.

When you say cheaper competition are you talking about state subsidization? Like you complained about re Chinese manufacturing.

You need to make up your mind what side of the argument you are on.

The extra bureaucracy in relation to a shipload of steel is so tiny as to be almost nothing. But if you can prove this mad point, be my guest.

Finally, the cost of steel as a proportion of the cost of a finished spare part of a car from the distributor is tiny. CBAM on steel will make no difference to speak of to the price of a car part.

One need quite a lot of cheap energy to turn that steel to a car part. It all adds up don't you think?

So make it somewhere else where there is cheap energy? The price of energy in Europe is driven by geopolitics. It is not caused by the CBAM.

You have gone on about a lot of things (including famine) but you haven’t explained the mechanism by which CBAM will significantly impact the price of importing spare parts for cars from Germany.

i thought you said you opposed dumping of high carbon manufactured goods? Are you in favour of it now?

Do you feel all efforts to increase environmental standards through international cooperation end in famine, or do you consider the CHAM to be unique.

Am I right in remembering that you disagree with the governments of every country in the world about there is any need whatsoever to reduce carbon emissions?

Let us know if you come up with an answer about the spare parts.

How am I a climate change denier? I just said its effects in the USA in 2023 were negligible. If something I wrote is wrong, spit it out rather than casting aspersions.

You are going around in circles. We were through this already.

The steel and manufacturing energy is a tiny tiny part of the cost of a fulfilled car spare. A 1kg part costing a hundred euros or more will have maybe 1 euro worth of steel in it. Low barriers to trade in the EU and beyond through trade agreements are what keep this cost low.

The Ukraine war is a big issue sure and is driving inflation. Nothing to do with CBAM.

i think you have misunderstood the structure of manufacturing industry. It is not like horticultural nurseries. CBAM makes a difference to steelmakers and to steel stockholders. Manufacturers of parts will never have to deal with CBAM at all. There is no administrative impact.

I am still confused. Are you against dumping subsidised products in EU markets, or in favour?